Customer Reviews

Pitch Black

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Susan Crandall's Pitch Black takes a reader on a pulse pounding tale of suspense.

Madison Wade left the big city of Philadelphia to be the editor of The Buckeye Daily Herald. Maddie wanted to give her adopted teenage son a fresh start. Ethan hadn't had the easiest life until she took him into her home. Maddie wants Ethan to fit in and make friends in town so she agrees to let him go camping with a group of friends. When one the boys stepdad is killed on the camping trip, Maddie turns to new friend Sheriff Gabe Wyatt for help.

Gabe Wyatt has been pursuing Maddie for months. Just when he is making some headway with her, her son is the prime suspect in a murder. Gabe doesn't want to believe where the evidence is leading him but with Ethan keeping secrets, Gabe must look into all evidence.

Maddie takes matters into her own hands and hires an investigator. This cause the killer to up the ante and puts her and her son in grave danger

Pitch Black will keep you on the edge and wondering who is behind all the terror. The suspense is fined tuned and chilling. Gabe and Maddie's slow moving romance is funny and sensual. Susan Crandall has another gem on her hands.

I can't think of enough good things to say about Susan Crandall's romantic suspense, Pitch Black. The plotting was tight and the story fast-paced; I could tell I was in good hands from the opening sentences!

But I think Crandall's greatest strength is her ability to create satisfyingly complex characters with deep feelings, realistic relationships, and compelling motivations.

I didn't so much 'read' this book as inhale it! And I think I may already be hungry for more of what Susan Crandall writes so well.

After Madison Wade adopted a teenager, she left
Philadelphia and moved to a quiet town in Tennessee
and became an editor of the Buckeye Daily Herald.
Her son Ethan, had a rough life and their new
surroundings promised to contrast sharply with the
city life he had known. But Madison and Ethan were
not exactly welcomed in the small town since they
were from the north. It was not long before Sheriff
Gabe and Madison developed a mutual attraction, but
any thought of establishing a relationship had to
stay on hold.

Mr. McPhereson took Ethan and three other boys on a
camping trip up the mountain. Madison was concerned
when Ethan hadn't come home. He was overdue, and it
was getting late into the afternoon. She called Gabe
and together they rode to the foothills to see if Mr.
McPherson's truck was parked where he usually left it.
It was, so they waited. Soon, the four boys came down
the hill without Mr. McPherson. It was raining heavily
and the boys looked a mess and cold, and they were
without their jackets. Their lips were darkened by the
cold, and their faces looked pasty. Jordan's arms were
slung around Ethan' neck and his head was slumped
down, and he was dragging his feet. Gabe and Madison
went out to greet the boys and Gabe asked where Mr.
McPherson was. Ethan said: "He's dead."

Gabe was anxious to get a first-hand read of the
situation. He had no reason to believe McPherson's
death was more than a tragic accident. It was his
job to investigate every death. The rain had cleared.
He went up to the mountain with the Search and Rescue
Team and the Medical Examiner, Dr. Zinn.

The next day, Dr Zinn met with Gabe and told him that
she had sent Steven McPherson's body to the Forensic
Pathologist in Knoxville. A few days later, Gabe received
a report of the autopsy. It seems as though McPherson
was murdered. Now, he has to investigate and figure out
which one of the four boys murdered Mr. McPherson.

I really liked the relationship between Ethan and his
adopted Mom. They had so much trust and love between
them. Ethan was very protective of his M. Ethan called
his adopted Mom "M". Pitch Black kept me up all night
until I finished the book. Half-way through the book,
you get a good feel as to whom it is. Susan Crandall
again has written a great suspense thriller.

I highly recommend!

I thought the book was great! Lots of suspense and wondering `whodunnit'. Mind you, I had an idea of who it was about halfway through the book, and even though my hunch was right, it was still good.

I liked the characters. Maddie is a strong woman with a mind of her own, goes along with her own personal drum and does the best she can with a teen who's been by himself too long. She manages to reach into Ethan in a way I don't think many can, with her `no bull' pact she makes with Ethan. Even though he was adopted, you could almost swear that Ethan was Maddie's son in every way/shape/form.

Ethan is your typical teenager, but there's more depth to him than what you'd expect. Seeing as you get snips of his past, you understand why he is the way he is, and I think he's a great kid.

Gabe is your typical sheriff who will do anything to protect those he cares about, even holding out facts until the very end. I loved the banter between Gabe and Maddie - much of it reminded me of my husband and myself, LOL! It was terrific!

I thought it was great and I believe I'll be picking up more from this author.

In Mississippi, when Mr. McPherson, the stepfather of one of her son's friends Jordon Gray, dies on a camping trip, Buckeye Daily Herald reporter Maddy Wade is worried about the effect on her adopted teenage son Ethan. Attracted to former Philadelphian Maddy, Sheriff Gabe Wyatt wants to help the mother and son become part of the community, but he steps back when he realizes the victim was murdered during the campout.

The four boys who went with McPherson are the suspects. When one the foursome dies in what appears at first to be a tragic coincidental accident, some evidence surfaces that makes Ethan the prime person of interest. Maddy believes her son is innocent and determined to prove it while she wonders if Gabe will help or hang Ethan.

The key to this deep regional romantic mystery is that the homicide investigation (mostly amateur sleuth, but some police procedural) takes front and center over the romance. Thus Gabe and Maddy may be in love, but the murders intrude on their relationship as he finds increasingly growing proof that the wild northern teenage transplant is a dangerous hood while she believes her Ethan is innocent. Susan Crandall provides a strong suspense tale as bias pays a key role on how everyone including his adopted mom decides Ethan's guilt or innocence.

Harriet Klausner

After journalist Madison Wade adopts a troubled teen-aged boy, they leave the busy city life of Philadelphia for the quieter life of a small Southern town. Once there, Maddie becomes the editor of the town newspaper and settles into what she hopes will be a better life for her and her son, Ethan. Maddie even accepts the friendship of the local town sheriff, the sinfully handsome Gabe Wyatt, who brings out feelings in her that she thought long buried.

Violence, however, has a way of happening regardless of the location. Ethan is invited to go on a weekend camping trip with his best friend Jordan, Jordan's stepfather and two other school friends. While there, tragedy strikes and Jordan's stepfather is murdered. The only apparent witness to the crime is Jordan who is now in a catatonic state. This leaves many people in the town to suspect Ethan, a young "city" teen with a muddied past.

Maddie refuses to believe that her son is guilty. Trusting Ethan, she's determined to get to the bottom of the crime to clear her new son's name. One minute she's trying to collaborate with Gabe, pooling their investigative talents. The next moment their at odds with each other. She insists her son is innocent, while Gabe as sheriff has to look at all possibilities. Taking risks she might not normally make, Maddie vows to track the killer herself even when it puts herself in danger. Anonymous threats, sinister phone calls and harsh words from the townspeople all make Maddie wonder if she's the next target of a killer--until one dark evening when the threat looms larger than life and removes all doubt.

Susan Crandall has written a nail-biting, on-the-edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense with Pitch Black. Scenes whip by with razor's edge precision. One moment, the reader experiences sexual tension between Maddie and Gabe and the next, a small piece of the puzzle is revealed, leading toward plot speculation. Each time that I thought I might be right about the killer's identity, Ms. Crandall gives the reader one more clue that sends my thoughts in another direction.

I was deeply impressed by Maddie. The particulars surrounding the adoption wasn't revealed but I admired that she was able to allow an older child into her heart and home. I thoroughly loved Gabe's internal conflict between his desire for Maddie and his duty to his job. What most impressed me, however, was Ethan. This young guy profoundly magnetized me. At once, I bonded with his character, and like his mother I was unwilling to believe him capable of this crime, desperately wanting him to receive the second chance he so deserved.

I was attached to this well-written story from its first chapter to its incredibly climactic ending. If Pitch Black is a good measurement of Ms. Crandall's writing talents, I cannot wait to see what she has in store for her readers next.

Courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews

This book had me involved until the end...it was hard to put down. I'll be reading more by this author!

STORY BRIEF:
Maddie adopted troubled teen Ethan in Philadelphia. She and Ethan moved to a small town in Tennessee because she felt it would be better for him. She is editor of the local newspaper. Ethan became a protector and best friend to Jordan, a fearful boy bullied by others. Jordan's stepdad Steve took Ethan, Jordan and two other boys camping in the mountains for the weekend. Someone killed Steve, and the boys came back alone. Jordan is in a trance-like state, unable to communicate and is staying at the hospital. Sheriff Gabe is investigating. Gabe wants a relationship with Maddie, but she's reluctant. Her priorities are Ethan and her work. She and Gabe have a lot of interaction due to his investigation of the death. Ethan is a suspect. Gabe is doing his best to find another suspect which is difficult.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
Excellent writing and story telling. Following is an example of her writing style, page 166. A dead body was lying in a creek. Gabe was looking for evidence and taking pictures. "He'd been in the creek just long enough for the deep ache to start in his ankles and calves from the cold and for the water to wick up to mid-thigh on his jeans." It made me feel like I was there. It was an interesting description. Lesser writing might say "he got wet while standing in the creek taking pictures."

More than once the author used a cliffhanger to cause artificial suspense, which is something I don't like. For example, page 175, Maddie had been asking Ethan to tell her what happened but he wouldn't. Finally he agrees to tell her. He starts by saying "He didn't mean to do it." Then the author switches to another scene with other characters for 3 ½ pages before going back to Ethan and continuing with what he was telling Maddie. This annoyed me because I had to skip ahead to see how long it was going to be until I learned what he was going to tell Maddie. After finding that it would be 3 ½ pages, I then relaxed, went back, and read it in order.

This book fits the definition of a romance novel because there is a good romantic relationship developing, and there is a happy ending. But I think romance readers are used to seeing a little more sex than what was in this book. If that's important to you, just know that there was one sex scene, vaguely written in a manner appropriate for teenagers. Personally I'd prefer a little more detail, but some readers will like it fine just as it is.

Although not a problem, I would have liked more back story on Ethan and Maddie.

EXCELLENT COMMENT BY ANOTHER REVIEWER:
I enjoyed and agree with City Girl Bookworm's comment. She wrote "I enjoyed the relationship between Ethan and M, their growing trust in each other, and how they each realize how much they depend on each other. Most people adopt children as babies, and it takes a special person to adopt an older child especially when the child has had a hard life. I appreciate Madison being not only willing to adopt a teenager, but also willing to change her life for his benefit. She moves away from a successful career and a familiar home to give her son a new chance to start his life as a normal kid, and when people look at Ethan when their small community has big problems, she stands up for him as any mother would. Ethan's loyalty to his friend Jordan is beyond what a normal 15-year old would do, but because of Ethan's own childhood, he recognizes something in Jordan that he can relate too."

DATA:
Story length: 375 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: one, 1 ½ pages long. Setting: current day Buckeye, Tennessee. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic suspense mystery.

Madison Wade moved to Buckeye, TN to give her adopted son, Ethan, a chance to start over away from the gangs and other influences of Philadelphia. It looks like Ethan is finally starting to fit in when he is invited to join 3 other boys on a camping trip. But something goes horribly wrong when their chaperon dies and his death is determined to be non-accidental. Now Ethan is a suspect. Madison knows Ethan could not have done this and using her skills honed in Philadelphia, Madison embarks on an investigation that puts her in danger.

Sheriff Gabe Wyatt can't believe he has found the woman for him. Madison is the first woman who has touched his heart and he may not get a chance to explore his feelings. He has a job to do and the evidence is piling up against Ethan but somehow he must find a way to do that job and not lose Madison.

Susan Crandall can certainly keep you on the edge of your seat as she gradually divulges pieces of the puzzle in this excellent spine-chiller. Gabe and Madison have undeniable chemistry but the investigation gets in the way of them acting on it. In the end, it will be trust, instinct and team work that will win the day. Pitch Black also gives us a good lesson in looking beyond the surface. We can all remember that we need to base our thoughts on our own experiences and not rumor. Pitch Black is perfect for all romantic suspense lovers out there. Susan Crandall gives us everything we crave - danger, tension and more than a few surprises.

This is a great read! I like the story line, and the characters - well, it's like you know them! I like the fact that I thought I had figured out the killer, but had to change my thinking a couple of times. Read this - the enjoyment factor is 10+!