About Me

The story behind A Book A Week, and the reader behind the reviews.

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Back in 2011, I was an avid reader who had somehow lost my way with reading. Between working and being a full-time student, reading for pleasure had slowly fallen by the wayside.

I wanted to change that. So I gave myself a New Year's resolution to read one book every week for a year. I started A Book A Week on January 1, 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable and share what I was reading along the way.

I didn't quite reach my goal that first year, but I kept reading. I kept reviewing. And all these years later, I'm still here, looking forward to whatever book comes next. Some years I crush my goals, some years I don't, but my love for a good book has never wavered.

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Hi, I'm Ethan

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

I'm a lifelong reader with a particular soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. I've always loved the genre, and I credit those stories—the twists, suspense, and need to know what happens next—with keeping me a reader as an adult. My reading has taken me in all kinds of directions since then, but I'll always come back to a good mystery.

I love creepy horror novels. A fascinating work of nonfiction can completely pull me in, too. And I've found plenty of favorites in science fiction, literary fiction, romance, and other genres I might never have picked up when I first started the blog. That's part of the fun. I never quite know what kind of story is going to grab me next.

When I'm not reading or writing reviews, you'll usually find me at home with my husband and our pets. I'm a classically trained musician and composer, an enthusiastic home cook, and a backyard gardener. There's usually a trip to look forward to or some new project that has caught my interest, too.

At the end of the day, I just really love books. There's nothing quite like discovering a story I can't put down or finding an author I can't wait to read again. Even when a book doesn't quite work for me, I still enjoy thinking about why and putting those thoughts into words. That's what keeps me reading, reviewing, and sharing it all here on A Book A Week.

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Review Disclaimer

Honest reviews, always.

Some of the books I review are ones I've purchased myself. Others are provided by publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. Either way, what I write here is always what I really think.

Not every book is going to work for every reader, and that's part of the fun of talking about books. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't, and hopefully give you enough to decide whether a book might be right for you.

Good, bad, or somewhere in between, you'll always get my honest take.

Contact

Have a question about the blog, a book you think I should read, or just want to say hello? I'd love to hear from you.

Drop me a note using the form below.

Let's Connect

I'm always happy to hear from readers, publishers, authors, and fellow book lovers.

Review Copies

I'm always open to considering books for review. I read across a pretty wide range of genres, though mysteries and thrillers tend to be particular favorites. If you'd like me to consider a book, send along a little information about it and why you think it might be a good fit for A Book A Week.

Publishers & Authors

Review requests, interviews, features, or something else you have in mind? Send me a note. I'm always happy to hear about new books and opportunities that might be a good fit for the blog.

General Inquiries

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Book Review

Find You in the Dark by Nathan Ripley

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

A Book A Week
Review / archive
Martin Reese is harboring a secret that threatens to completely alter his life as he knows it. He knows that his unique hobby is unconventional. That's putting it mildly. Others might see it as downright obscene, but Martin sees it as a kind of public service, an act of vigilantism that only he can perform. He keeps it secret from his wife and daughter. It's easier to keep this part of his life hidden. He's developed a pretty solid routine that helps him separate this piece of himself from the rest of his life. Retirement and a mass fortune from the tech company that he founded certainly help. Now, his years of caution seem to be for naught. Someone has discovered his secret.

Martin's obsession started innocently enough. He carefully took notice of his future wife Erin when he realized they attended the same university. How could he not notice the woman whose sister disappeared and was purported to be the victim of the brutal serial killer Jason Shurn? When Erin realized she was being watched, she approached Martin. Strangely, the two began a romantic relationship and the rest is history. Years later, the couple is married, have a daughter, and seem to be living a picture perfect life. If only Erin knew what Martin did during his periodic "camping trips".

Detective Sandra Whittal has seen a quick rise in her professional life due to a quick instinct and superior record of closing cases. She's been haunted by the work of the Finder, a mysterious person who has taken it upon themselves to dig up the long-lost bodies of murder victims. Some of her colleagues see this Finder as nothing more than a lone crazy person who is not harming anyone by his intermittent antics. If anything, at least some families are finally getting closure. Sandra is not so optimistic. There is something about the Finder's digitally altered voice that sends a chill down her spine. No sane person would investigate decades-old murder cases and dig up the victims' remains. When the freshly murdered body of a girl is discovered at the site of the Finder's latest dig, Sandra is convinced. She must find and stop this Finder.

Find You in the Dark sees author Naben Ruthnum (writing here as Nathan Ripley) present an intricately plotted and darkly thought-provoking thriller that will have you questioning where the line between good and evil truly lies. Both Martin Reese and Sandra Whittal are flawed characters who face grim realities that only add to the intrigue and believability of this novel. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of the novel. Ripley purposefully omits the darker details of the Reese family during the opening portions of the book. This allows for an adequate development of the family dynamic that created even higher stakes when the more traditional thriller elements kicked in later in the story. Beyond being the kind of slow-burning, read into all hours of the night novel I've come to expect of a summer release, Find You in the Dark breaks the mold by providing an intelligent commentary on justice, grief, and good vs. evil. All in all, you really can't ask for more from a serial killer thriller.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 26)



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6 Comments

Comments

  1. I liked this one a lot too Ethan!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It sounds like the author does things a little bit differently than the usual thriller here, but that the slow burn and slow reveal worked for the story in the end. Great review!

    My recent post: https://oliviascatastrophe.com/2018/06/resolutions-progress-18-goals-in-2018-update/

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping in. I loved this unique take on a thriller.

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  3. Oh, I do love a good thriller- and serial killer thrillers are even better. I have this one on my wish list, so I'm glad to see you enjoyed it.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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