VILLAGE IN THE DARK

IRIS YAMASHITA

Village In The Dark by talented two-time mystery and procedural writer Iris Yamashita is just as good and better than her first effort, City Under One Roof. Both occur in a desolate Alaskan village where most live in one building. This makes for a pleasant communal environment but creates loathing, unhealthy curiosity, and even death wishes.

Anchorage, Alaska, detective Cara Kennedy still grieves for her husband and son, who died in a hiking accident. At least she thinks it was an accident with no evidence of foul play until now. During Cara's investigation, she enlists Ellie, whose son overdosed, and Mia, a woman attempting to start over, having been hiding from a group of abusive and frightening men. The three hook up in an attempt to solve their respective problems. Was foul play involved in the disappearance of the detective's family, which drug dealer was responsible for the overdose of Ellie's son, and will Mia start a new life free of abuse? All these questions and more are laid out in an entertaining and enthralling procedural that all mystery and thriller fans need to read.