Darkroom [Paperback]

Joshua Graham (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2012

"... A heart-pounding thriller...This gripping novel has it all: faith,
hope, conspiracy, legal thrills, heart-pounding scenes..."
--The Washington Post

"...Action, political intrigue and well-rounded characters. Graham has created a novel that thriller fans will devour.
--CBS News Entertainment

"Darkroom is a haunting Tale"
--Toledo News Now

• Winner of the 2012 International Book Award
• First Prize Winner of the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards
• Award-Winning Finalist in the Mystery/Suspense category of The USA "Best Books 2011″ Awards

After scattering her mother's ashes in Vietnam, photojournalist Xandra Carrick comes home to New York to rebuild her life and career. When she experiences supernatural visions that reveal atrocities perpetrated by American soldiers during the Vietnam War, she finds herself entangled in a forty-year-old conspiracy that could bring the nation into political turmoil.

Launching headlong into a quest to learn the truth from her father, Peter Carrick, a Pulitzer Prize Laureate who served as an embedded photographer during the war, Xandra confronts him about a dark secret he has kept--one that has devastated their family.

Her investigations lead her to her departed mother's journal, which tell of love, spiritual awakening, and surviving the fall of Saigon.

Pursued across the continent, Xandra comes face-to-face with powerful forces that will stop at nothing to prevent her from revealing the truth. But not before government agencies arrest her for murder, domestic terrorism and an assassination attempt on the newly elected president of the United States.

Darkroom is a riveting tale of suspense that tears the covers off the human struggle for truth in a world imprisoned by lies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Darkroom is a fascinating, fast-paced, beautifully written story of love and war, murder, terrorism, and a dark conspiracy."

--Douglas Preston, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Cold Vengeance and The Monster of Florence

“Darkroom comes complete with a great mystery, unearthed secrets, and beguiling adventure. Joshua Graham mines an emotional landscape through an entourage of fascinating characters. Read this one—and take a walk on the perilous side.”

—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Jefferson Key

“Bravo! Graham takes characters and puts them inside each other’s lives in such a way that it’s impossible to put his book down until the last word is read. . . . [His] power with words is absolutely incredible and paints one of the most powerful pictures I’ve ever seen, anywhere.”

—Suspense Magazine

“Mixing the end of the Vietnam War with a young woman’s paranormal visions of a murder in today’s New York, Graham has created a modern political thriller wrapped in a historical puzzle inside a tale of redemption. The short chapters, told from the point of view of the various characters, give it a cinematic feel and a breakneck pace.”

—Author Magazine

"...a spellbinding and riveting tale of suspense with an international flavor..."
"...Wrapped in authentic history, but woven into a tale of mystery and intrigue..."
"...full of twists and turns..."
"...this riveting tale will keep readers on edge."

--East County Magazine

“A vivid retelling of historic events [that] bring the Vietnam War to life in alarming detail. If you like thrillers . . . then grab this book when it’s released. You’ll enjoy every minute of it.”

—Rhodes Review

About the Author

Joshua Graham's debut novel, Beyond Justice, won the 2011 International Book Awards and was a bestseller on BarnesandNoble.com and Amazon.com. Graham grew up in Brooklyn, New York where he lived for the better part of thirty years. He holds a Bachelor and Master's Degree from Juilliard and a Doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. He has performed as a soloist and principal cellist domestically and internationally. During his tenure in Maryland, he taught as a professor at Shepherd College (WV), Western Maryland College, and Columbia Union College (MD). Today he lives with his beautiful wife and children in Southern California. Under different pen names, his short fiction works have been published by Pocket Books and Dawn Treader Press.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1451654693
• ISBN-13: 978-1451654691
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

WINNER OF the INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS (Beyond Justice),
#1 bestselling author Joshua Graham's award-winning novel DARKROOM hit 3 bestseller lists on Amazon the night of its release.

CBS NEWS described DARKROOM as a book with "action, political intrigue and well-rounded characters...a novel that thriller fans will devour."

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY described BEYOND JUSTICE as: "A riveting legal thriller...breaking new ground with a vengeance...demonically entertaining and surprisingly inspiring."

Suspense Magazine listed BEYOND JUSTICE in its BEST OF 2010, alongside titles by Scott Turrow, Ted Dekker, Steven James and Brad Thor.

His short story THE DOOR'S OPEN won the HarperCollins Authonomy Competition (Christmas 2010.)

Many of Graham's readers blame him for sleepless nights, arriving to work late, neglected dishes and family members, and not allowing them to put the book down.

Josh grew up in Brooklyn, NY where he lived for the better part of 30 years. He holds a Bachelor and Master's Degree and went on to earn his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. During his time in Maryland, he taught as a professor at Shepherd College (WV), Western Maryland College, and Columbia Union College (MD).

Today he lives with his beautiful wife and children in Southern California. Several of Graham's short fiction works have been published by Pocket Books and Dawn Treader Press.

Writing under the pen name Ian Alexander, Graham debuted with his first Epic Fantasy novel ONCE WE WERE KINGS, an Amazon #1 Bestseller in multiple categories and Award-Winning Finalist in the SciFi/Fantasy category of The USA "Best Books 2011″ Awards, as well as an Award-Winning Finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category of The USA "Best Books 2011″ Awards, and an Award Winner in the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards in the Teen/Young Adult category. ONCE WE WERE KINGS is available in ebook and hardcover editions.

For Film Rights Josh is represented by UNITED TALENT AGENCY. Please use the CONTACT button on his website www.joshua-graham.com/contact for all inquiries.

Connect with Josh on:

Facebook: http://joshua-graham.com/fb
Twitter: @J0shuaGraham

www.joshua-graham.com
www.facebook.com/j0shuagraham
www.twitter.com/J0shuaGraham

www.ianalex.com
facebook: http://on.fb.me/IanAlex
www.twitter.com/IanAlex77

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#88 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#88 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars action from beginning to end May 1, 2012

By Joan N.

Format:Paperback

Graham has crafted a novel with intense action from start to finish.
Xandra Carrick is following in her father's footsteps. He was a photographer embedded with the army in Viet Nam. What he saw there he has kept hidden for 35 years. Xandra is a well known photojournalist for a national newspaper. She has traveled the world, photographing the anguish of humanity in turmoil.
The novel opens as Xandra and her father go back to Viet Nam to spread the ashes of her mother. She has taken with her the old film camera her father used all those years ago. Back in New York, she begins to develop the film. As each print of the Viet Nam landscape emerges, she sees momentary images. Death.
She is stunned, overwhelmed by what she is sure her father saw and photographed. She experiments with the camera, taking photos of the park near her apartment. When she develops the photos of the park pond, she momentarily sees a body.
Then the nightmare begins. When she attempts to anonymously report the possibility of a body in the pond, the police come to her and shortly arrest her for the murder.
The situation only gets worse. A senator, running as an independent, will stop at nothing to assure he is elected president. That includes keeping hidden the slaughter he condoned in Viet Nam. Xandra quickly rises to the top of his list of those needing to be silenced - permanently.

This novel has intense action, nearly continuous. At times I had to tell my self to breath - it's only a novel. This fast paced novel has political intrigue, strained family dynamics, and romance. It explores the horrors of war along side that of a warped man bent on political power. It touches on the supernatural, the move of the Spirit revealing truth through visions. Will the truth somehow be brought out to the open before evil quenches it entirely?

If you like political intrigue and high suspense, this novel is for you. It will capture you early on and not let you go until the last page.

There is a discussion guide included.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! May 1, 2012

By lighthouse88

Format:Paperback

Title: Darkroom
Author: Joshua Graham
Pages: 384
Publisher: Howard Books
Year: 2012
Note: "I received a free copy of this book from Hard Books for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own." Other reviews can be read at [...]
What words or images come into your mind when you see the word darkroom? Is there any particular activity that you connect with this word? Joshua Graham is a new author to me, and I can tell you that if he continues to write at this level, I am hooked! The novel uses flashbacks to the time the United States was involved in Vietnam. Interspersed throughout the pages are recent past events in U.S. History. Especially compelling is the thread of presidential elections and thoughts by the characters of the two main parties involved in the political arena.
Colson is running as an independent candidate who seeks to be the next President of the Unites States, bringing with him the hopes for a brighter future. The FBI seeks to solve a murder of a young college student or is there more to this? Xandi is the daughter of a photojournalist who was in Vietnam and witnessed horrifying events. Being attached to particular group of Marines, the pictures the photojournalist takes portray the horror that is surrounding him. Is that all there is to the situation when years later he is being hunted by the FBI? The same person who tries to befriend Xandi is also an FBI agent and has a tie to the history of Vietnam. How long has he been involved in discovering a plot? What plot? Who is calling the shots and doing his bidding?
The novel is a page-turner from the prologue to the last page, and like real life, not everything ends well. Okay, maybe some things do, but not everything. Some things are not clearly tied up at the end of the story. Could the author be planning another book along this line? Who knows? Scripture is spotted throughout the book by various characters. People are praying together and helping one another. Intrigue, murder, assassination attempts, friendship, shattered dreams, love, suffering, death, and so much more are in this story. Darkroom has those page-turning story lines that keep the readers going until the eyes get tired. It was worth it for me! The chapters are short, and the characters are vividly described as well as the action. I love the flashbacks and the hints to the way the story is possibly going through Xandi's dialogue.
I rate this a 5+ novel. It is that good and worth cuddling up with a diet drink to read with in the quietness of the morning, afternoon or evening. Grab a copy and get lost in the pages. It is awesome!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thriller Across Time May 1, 2012

By R. Rhodes

Format:Paperback

Xandra Carrick is a photographer following in the footsteps of her father. Peter Carrick is a Nobel Prize winning photo-journalist. His prize came for his photo essay on a massacre in a Vietnamese village during the war. The camera he's used has been passed down to his daughter Xandra. It is this camera that is at the source of this surreal journey. It begins on a trip back to Vietnam that Xandra and her father take. The trip was to honor her late mother's wishes and to release her ashes there. But strange things begin to happen when Xandra develops the film. What are those things? You'll have to read Darkroom find out.

The story is a thriller and a vivid retelling of historic events. Each chapter is seen in first person point of view. Mr. Graham alternates between characters from Grace, to Ian, to Xandra. Grace's story is achieved through her diary entries. These diary entries really bring the Vietnam War to life in alarming detail. In Particular, Mr. Graham covers the fall of Saigon in a very realistic manner. I'd seen the videos of it happening, and he captured it very well in the pages of this story.

If you like Thrillers, or the odd story you'd see on Twilight Zone, then grab this book when it's released. You'll enjoy every minute of it. Kudos to Mr. Graham on another job well done.