The Dark Age (Marlowe Gentry Book 2) (A Marlowe Gentry Novel) by Dallas Mullican

I am going to trust you all took my advice and picked up your copy of A Coin For Charon (Marlowe Gentry Book 1) by Dallas Mullican - I've included that link in case you missed it. Now that we have sorted that, get excited because book 2, The Dark Age is now available!

From the back of the book:

The Heretic knows they lied. Now, he will make them confess.

The first murder, a small town pastor burned at the stake, seems personal; an act of rage committed on impulse. But when a second victim is found brutally tortured to death, Detective Marlowe Gentry realizes he’s dealing with a serial killer who is drawing inspiration from the Inquisition: The Heretic.

The killer’s methods grow more gruesome with each victim. He’s escalating, racing toward an endgame. How far will The Heretic go to punish those who betrayed him? And can Marlowe stop him before the ultimate trial?

My thoughts:

Coming off of the first beautifully written Marlowe Gentry Book, I had very high expectations and I am tickled that they were exceeded. You may recall the characters spoke deeply to me, that was the case again. In this part, there was a lot of growth as the harsh realities of life forced the leads to reevaluate their lives on many levels. While I was, of course, thrilled to watch Marlowe grow, it was also really nice to get to know Spence on a deeper level as well. Again, I was blown away by the insights into the mind and motivation of the killer.

There were some distinct differences this time; the tone was darker, the crime scenes much more gruesome, and the killer was less humanized. Overall, it had more of a horrific feel, which when blended with the beautiful attention to both words and world building, made it a pleasure to be disturbed. Dallas has clearly grown in his craft and was able to connect this storyline in deep and disturbing ways, intertwining our leads with the killer and criminals in personal and terrifying ways.

This is a series you will want to read and an author you will want to keep your eyes on. Get your copy of The Dark Age (Marlowe Gentry Book 2) (A Marlowe Gentry Novel) by Dallas Mullican today on Amazon. Make sure you also follow Dallas Mullican on Goodreads and Facebook so that you never miss news on new releases.

Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.