| Title | : | The Deep Dark Descending (Detective Max Rupert, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1633883558 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781633883550 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 281 |
| Publication | : | First published October 3, 2017 |
| Awards | : | Barry Award Best Paperback Original (2018) |
Struggling to balance his impulses as a vengeful husband with his obligations as a law enforcement officer, Max devotes himself to relentlessly hunting down those responsible. For most of his life, he has thought of himself as a decent man. But now he’s so consumed with anguish and thoughts of retribution that he finds himself on the edge, questioning who he is and what he stands for.
On a frozen lake at the US–Canadian border, he wrestles with decisions that could change his life forever, as his rage threatens to turn him into the kind of person he has spent his entire career bringing to justice.
The Deep Dark Descending (Detective Max Rupert, #4) Reviews
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The Deep Dark Descending (Detective Max Rupert #4) by Allen Eskens (Author), R.C. Bray (Narrator)
This addition to the stories that follow Detective Max Rupert really fits it's title perfectly. It was emotionally painful to read, with Max finding out that his wife's hit and run death was not an accident but murder. Max may have detested some of his ruthless coworkers but now he knows just what scumbags a few of them are. His partner Nikki is a favorite of mine and I'd love for future books to follow her. Her dedication to Max is to the death but Max, wisely, I think, holds Nikki a bay. Max is turning from an honest cop to something else and he may have no future as a cop once he's done. He may have no future at all, once he's done.
If I hadn't already known Max from earlier books, this story would have been too hard to read. It's only because I care about him and know how the death of his wife has torn him to pieces that I can handle his thoughts and actions. I do like how the story ended because it seems very in character for Max, even if his life has veered into something else. It may have been time for this change, even if the road to the change is such a huge life altering resolution.
Pub October 3, 2017 -
I always have trouble writing reviews for books I like to refer to as "follow ups", meaning sequels or novels containing reoccurring characters with a continuing plot that crosses over multiple stories. That's exactly what
The Deep Dark Descending is, and while you CAN read this as a standalone, there is so much backstory you'll be missing that I can't in good faith let you go on without recommending reading all of Eskens' books in order. You might remember my glowing review for his previous novel
The Heavens May Fall last year, and this latest was a fantastic continuation on the tense mystery surrounding the murder of Detective Max Rupert's wife Jenni. If you absolutely refuse to start with his first novel, then I recommend at a bare minimum beginning with THMF solely for the characterization and backstory surrounding the main events here.
While last years story was a traditional police procedural with a hefty dose of mystery,
The Deep Dark Descending is much less mystery and much more action thriller. I would go as far as saying the mystery stops near the beginning of the book, as we find out the who early on, and from there the plot is paced quickly with breath taking action and building suspense. The real showstopper here is this final development in Max; we've now seen him grow from a responsible member of law enforcement to a man tortured by the death of his wife who is hellbent on seeking revenge, even at the cost of his own civility and insanity. I won't say more about the plot, but I am very intrigued to see where Eskens decides to take us next, as the ending of the book was pure perfection and wholly satisfying in my humble opinion.
If you enjoy connected novels that are ever changing in style, structure, and pacing, these crime fiction books are a must read. I cannot recommend all four of
Allen Eskens' novels highly enough; they are short, easy reads that pack a powerful punch, and I have only witnessed him grow further as an author with each story that he writes. If you haven't had the pleasure of learning his backstory and how he became a writer, I would highly recommend seeking out his biography as it is one of the most interesting I've encountered. Eskens is consistently talented and I adore his work so much that I block out a week at the beginning of fall to ensure I have no distractions while reading his latest book. Excellent character building and a plot worthy of gasps and awe, please consider adding
The Deep Dark Descending to your fall TBR.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy; it was a pleasure to provide my honest thoughts here! -
5 Heart Stopping & Thrilling Stars! This is Allen Eskens at his Absolute Best.
Now this is a book that gave me heart palpations. It also gave me chills and not just because of the frigid temperatures in Minnesota, where the book takes place.
Max Rupert is a man consumed with one thing and one thing only. Finding out who killed his wife, Jenni. It happened five year ago and he hasn’t been able to let it go. It was previously deemed an accident by the police and although Max Rupert is a cop, he was not a part of the investigation. Recently however, he found out that it was not an accident, after all. And now Max wants justice.. or vengeance. Call it what you want.
In “Deep Dark Descending” by Allen Eskens, Max Rupert is a man hell bent on seeking revenge against his wife’s killers, no matter what the cost. Max’s anger, despair and torment are felt deeply within these pages. Every moment of his angst becomes your angst. I have been with Max since the beginning, since he first appeared in Esken’s The Life We Bury and to be honest, I feel like I know him. And to know Max, is to love him. How can you not love a man who loves his wife so desperately, even though she has been deceased for 5 years? Even though he wants restitution for her death.
As a cop, Max has always had strong morals, integrity and a solid sense of self. As a man, he is now at odds with the cop he has always been. And now that has been given information that leads to his wife’s killer, all bets are off. He discovers that there is a fine line between justice and vengeance and for Max, those lines have become completely blurred.
What Esken’s pulls off here was nothing short of utter brilliance. My emotions were all over the place: one minute, I had a hard time breathing, my palms were sweaty and my stomach was knotted up and the next, my chest was tight and my fists were clenched and I felt the urge to yell out loud.
I’ll tell you this, (in case it isn’t obvious), my concern for Max knows no bounds. I love him. It’s that simple. I want him to overcome his pain and sorrow and I want him to find peace, but I can’t say whether or not he was able to do so. That, my friends is for you all to find out for yourselves.
You must read “Deep Dark Descending” and the other books in this series. While this book has been billed as a “Standalone” – I highly suggest that you read all of the books in this series as they are they are MUST READS! Allen Eskens is a masterful storyteller whose books draw you in. They are character driven psychological thrillers that keep you on your toes.
This was a Traveling Sister Read for me. It included: Brenda, Norma, Kaceey, Diane, JanB and PorshaJo. The discussions we had over this novel were absolutely incredible and it was a testament Esken’s range as an author, as to the feelings he pulled out of each of us.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Jill Maxick, Prometheus Books and Allen Eskens for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Edelweiss, Goodreads, Twitter and Amazon on 10.9.17. -
A deeply emotional read….and it left me breathless.
Max is trying to move on 4 years after the death of his wife Jenni. In his heart, he’s convinced there is far more to her death than just a simple accident. Now he’s beginning to gather the evidence he needs to prove it. The question is, where will that lead him? What dark road will that journey take him down?
This book is labeled a standalone but some of the characters, including Max, are recurring from previous books. I’d read only one previous book from this author so when I realized this (about 25% into the book) I was worried I would miss out on the character development. Nope....this book stands firmly on its own!
There are dual time lines that at the beginning I had trouble following. Felt a little scattered to me. But once I got caught up in the storyline, it started flowing smoothly and was difficult to put down. The suspense builds in a big way during the final third of the book, with a shocking ending. I just had to sit quietly once I finished to process what I just read. Wow!
A Traveling Sister group read with Brenda, Norma, Susanne, Diane, Jan and PorshaJo!
For this review and our full Traveling Sister review Please visit Norma and Brenda's fantastic book blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
Thank you to Edelweiss, Allen Eskens, and Seventh Street Books for an ARC to review -
Oh. My. God. I think my breathing has just gotten back to normal. What a fantastic book this was!!
"Your thoughts are dominated by one thing. They have been ever since I came on board here. Sure, it ebbs and flows. Some days are better than others. But your wife's death is always there, just below the surface."
Homicide detective Max Rupert has spent the last several years mourning his wife Jenni's death in a hit-and-run accident. Not only does her loss remain fresh every single day, but he blames himself, as he's sure some case he was working on or a criminal he once helped imprison was somehow responsible for her death. When he is given evidence that proves, in fact, she was murdered, he must decide what to do with this information, since he knows nothing will bring her back to him.
Once he overcomes the shock and emotions this new discovery provokes, Max knows the only option is to hunt down those responsible for Jenni's murder, even if it puts his police career at risk. In trying to find out what Jenni stumbled upon that led to her death, he discovers far more evil closer to home than he even imagined. And he will stop at nothing to make those involved pay, no matter what the need for revenge may do to him.
"I needed a war room, a place where I could immerse myself in Jenni's case with no distractions, a place where I could release my inner Mr. Hyde and indulge in my own form of masochism, like those penitents who flog themselves into religious ecstasy. In this room, I would purge all other thoughts from my head and focus on one task—hunting down the people responsible for my wife's death."
As Max digs for the truth, he and his partner Niki are in the midst of a case in which a young woman was murdered and another man was severely burned. The case is a sensitive one, but they don't realize just how sensitive until they find themselves dodging department politics and old secrets while trying to do—and protect—their jobs. But Max's first priority is meting out his own private justice.
At a frozen lake on the border of the U.S. and Canada, Max must decide what kind of a person he is: the type who will descend into his own private madness on a quest for revenge, even if it destroys him, or does he follow the conscience that has made him a successful police detective—and a man his wife would be still be proud of. And before he acts, he must decide whether the information that brought him to this point is actually correct, or whether he is being manipulated.
Allen Eskens starts this book off at full throttle and never, ever steps back. Even in quieter, more contemplative moments where Max is alone with his grief and his indecision, Eskens ratchets up the tension until you feel your heart pounding and you cannot stop reading, because you must know how the plot will be resolved. (I stayed up very late to finish the book because I literally could not stop reading.)
I have never read any of Eskens' other books before, although I've always meant to, but now I am completely in awe of his talent. Not only is The Deep Dark Descending a true thriller, but it is an exceptionally told story. Eskens is as comfortable writing action scenes and police procedural scenes as he is describing the frozen environment around Max as he comes to a decision about the path his revenge will take. This is a book that you feel in your gut and your brain, because you appreciate the action and the storytelling simultaneously.
This is definitely one of the best books I've read all year. Do yourself a favor, thriller fans, and pick this up ASAP.
See all of my reviews at
http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo.... -
**Mr. Eskens new book "Forsaken Country" will be out in Fall. I highly suggest you read or listen to this book first as it features the character of Max Rupert.***
Another great audiobook by Mr. Eskens! I love his mysteries, they are multi-layered and contain an array of interesting, believable characters.
In this novel we understand more about what drives Detective Max Rupert in his quest to find his wife's killer.
This book, although an older one, is still very pertinent to our times. It's about sex trafficing and the effects on the women who have been stolen, or promised a life in America, only to be sold as slaves. It is a chilling story in more than one way as a large part of the last third of the book takes place on a Minnesota lake when the temperatures are below zero. Living in Wisconsin I can relate to how incredibly cold -10 degrees can feel!
This is also a novel about corrupt policemen and how they manage to live in two worlds, as policemen and as men who will trade women for money. Sadly I think that this is a crime committed in this country more than we know about and it is very under reported.
If you are interested in learning more about these heinous crimes the following is a very informative article:
http://www.endslaverynow.org/learn/sl.... A number that jumped out at me immediately was this :"Worldwide, it's estimated that there are 4.5 million victims of sex trafficking."
I recently listened to an interview with Mr. Eskens and found that he practiced criminal law for 25 years. Now I can start to understand how he creates such intricate plots and wonderful characters as he must know only too well how much crime is committed in this country.
Mr. Eskens is a native of Minnesota and all of his books take place in that state. I have read or listened to all of them and enjoyed them all.
This audiobook will keep you listening as you begin to unravel the story of Jenny, Max's wife, and what led to her death.
Though this is listed as #4 in a series, each of the books can easily be read as a stand alone. I myself started with his newest book "Nothing More Dangerous" and have worked my way back and it worked just fine!
I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys a great, well written mystery. -
Traveling Sister Group read with Brenda, Kaceey, Diane, JanB, Susanne and PorshaJo
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
This book was one of the most chilling, intense, thought-provoking, and brilliantly written novels that I have ever read with extremely intriguing and compelling characters that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish! Even though this book has recurring characters from Allen Eskens' previous novels it reads very well as a standalone. Would highly recommend!
The full Traveling Sisters Review can be found on our sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Allen Eskens, and Seventh Street Books for the opportunity to read this book! -
The Deep Dark Descending is a gripping read, keeping you thinking until the very end. Homicide Detective Max Rupert is still hurting from the loss of his wife Jenni. Then he learns that she was murdered. He is consumed with rage and revenge. He will stop at nothing to find out who killed his wife and why. When the story opens, you meet Max. Currently on the edge of and descending into madness and the story is slowly laid out for you as to how he got there. The story alternates back and forth from the present time and a few days ago leading up to the current situation. You ask yourself constantly....what kind of man IS Max Rupert. Up until the very end.
The Deep Dark Descending seems like a slow burn, but the story unfolds very quickly. You are quickly pulled in to this in-depth character study of man suffering such grief at the loss of his wife. This is the fourth book my Eskens, which has many of the same characters in them. I read his first book (which I loved)
The Life We Bury. I did not read the next two, yet, but have been told they can be read independently. With The Life We Bury, I was *immediately* hooked and obsessed with finding out the entire story. That did not happen to me with this one. It did not grab me from the beginning. Once things started to happen in the book, I was totally engrossed in the story. But a few times, I felt it drag just a bit (hence only 4 stars for me).
Overall, a good read, one for all thriller fans. This was a Traveling Sisters read which I started with the group, but life gets busy and I fell far behind. I'm glad this was a Sisters read, getting me back into Eskens books. I have already ordered another of his books in audio.
Thanks to Edelweiss, Seventh Street Books, Random House and Allen Eskens for an advanced copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. And thanks to the Traveling Sisters for picking this to read. -
How strong are your morals? Opinions on vigilante pay backs? All these questions and more are at the forefront of this strong character driven novel. Max Rupert, his beloved wife killed ,thought to be an accident. But, was it? Brought into a case about a young girls murder, Max finds out things, that may connect this case to his wife's death. What to do, what would you do?
We get the full flavor of a complicated, many faceted character, a character who is a police officer, sworn to uphold truth and justice. It is a slow uncovering, of following threads, clues and a great deal of mental pondering. At times it was violently graphic not blood and guts,just a small warning. So good though, intense for sure. Loved being privy to thoughts that take us back to small offerings of Max's back story. His partner Nikki, who wants nothing more than to stand by him regardless of where this takes him. He takes on someone trying to force out both he and Nikki, a power hungry superior. The steps he takes will change his life and leaves the reader wondering what comes next for this intriguing character.
Thanks again to the sisters for another wonderful read and discussion.
ARC from Edelweiss. -
4.5 Stars
Traveling Sister Group read with Norma, Kaceey, Diane, Susanne, JanB,and PorshaJo
We read The Deep Dark Descending along with five of our Traveling Sisters. The Deep Dark Descending is the fourth book by the talented author Allen Eskens. The books are connected with recurring characters but can be read as standalones. One sister in our group has read and enjoyed all four previous books and suggests if you really want to get more background info into the characters to read The Heavens May Fall before reading this one. All of us read the first book The Life We Bury where the main character makes his first appearance. We all thought this one worked really well as a standalone though.
The Deep Dark Descending is an engrossing, extremely tense, fast-paced, and a well-written read here that explores the deep dark desire for vengeance as we see how our very well loved main character Max is battling with his descent into the deep dark desire for vengeance and retribution. We all were completely engrossed in his battle as he was wrestling with his decisions and we could really feel his anguish, grief, anger, and desperation. This had us all wrestling with his decisions as well. The tension and suspense increased for us and had us nervously questioning his actions throughout this whole story. Eskens’ does a fantastic job here working our emotions, examining our own moral thoughts and had us questioning if his actions were for justice or vengeance. That created a very interesting, thought-provoking discussion with the sisters.
The story is chilling in more ways than one as we follow Max on his mission for vengeance to the frigid US - Canadian border. Eskens’ brilliantly constructs this well-done story with an extremely enthralling plot by adding danger to the story with the frigid atmosphere and chilling scenes. We all were sitting at the edge of our seats in dread yet hoping that Max would leave with his soul. We are not sure that any of us stopped to breathe until reaching the end.
The Deep Dark Descending is an extremely fast-paced and thrilling novel with an ending that holds quite the punch that left us all frozen in place sending chills right through us all.
We all are very curious and will be waiting patiently to see what Allen Eskens has to offer next with Max’s character. The ending brought out quite the discussion as well and had us all wondering what is next for Max. We all loved his character that much! Would highly recommend!!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Seventh Street Books and Allen Eskens for a copy to read and review
All of our Traveling Sisters Reviews can be found on our sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi... -
Still hungry for answers, Homicide Detective Max Rupert has not stopped looking for the person(S) responsible for his wife's death. Initially her death was ruled a hit and run but now information has come to light that proves that she was in fact, murdered, it becomes all-encompassing search for answers and suspects. It haunts him, and he is not willing to stop searching for the truth until he gets some answers. He blames himself believing that she was murdered because of one of the cases he was working on or someone he arrested is seeking their revenge but soon learns that may not be the case.
As he begins to investigate, and the clues begin to make terrible sense, he comes to a cross roads on a frozen lake on the US–Canadian border. Max has always thought of himself as a decent man, but now he is full of vengeance and anger. Knowing that he cannot continue to be a "good cop" while investigating and tracking down those responsible for his wife's death he has a decision to make...will he fall into madness and vengeance or will he make the decision that he knows would have made his wife proud?
This book has duo time lines, but they are not confusing and help the reader get into the mind of Max and his internal struggles over his wife's murder. This book is gritty and raw - just like the emotions of the main character. How far will one man go to get the truth? Will knowing the truth be enough? This is another well thought out and crafted book with an intelligent and riveting plot.
See more of my reviews at
www.openbookpost.com -
Deep Dark Descending by Allen Eskens is a 2017 Seventh Street Books publication.
Atmospheric, unconventional police procedural-
Detective Max Rupert discovers, in a stunning manner, that there is evidence backing up his suspicions, that the hit and run that killed his wife four years ago, was in fact, premeditated murder.
This information coincides with a perplexing case he and his partner, Niki, are working, involving a car fire which includes a dead body.
Despite his full plate, Max’s desire to catch the people responsible for his wife’s death overrides all. He becomes a man on a mission, fighting all the powers that be, in his single- minded purpose.
The book starts off with Max in the midst of exacting his revenge, but the story flashes back to ‘present day’ where we must now follow Max's progress towards that heart stopping point in time, with a few updates sprinkled in, depicting a troubling escalation, which also cast a few doubts in my mind at the same time.
This is an effective tactic, on one hand, I found myself growing impatient, wishing things would hurry along so that I find out the who and the why, and what on earth will happen with Max once all is said and done.
On the flip side of that coin, Max’s poignant memories of his wife, the happiness they were sharing, and the blow her death was to him, is very compelling. I wanted to firmly stand on Max's side, but he also made me very nervous, which created a very thought provoking character analysis. Hero or anti-hero? I was never quite sure until the end, but naturally, Max is a very sympathetic character, and his crisis of conscience is very convincing.
The plot is more complex that it appears at first glance, and Eskens did a terrific job of bringing all the various threads together before creating an incredibly gripping, yet bittersweet, climax.
The story has both action and suspense, and although there were a few implausible spots, the plot is complex and smart.
Overall, this was a fast-paced, action packed story that any thriller fan will enjoy.
4 stars -
Detective Max Rupert works his job, then goes home to live with his memories. He is about to come to a major crossroads in his life. The decision he makes will tell the tale. A way to heal, or the path to his complete undoing?
This was excellent, particularly the "Up North" sections of the book. Written so well, you will shiver in your toasty warm home as you read it. On the border between Minnesota and Canada, a hole is being dug, figuratively and literally. The cold is not of this world, it is bone-chilling, mind-numbing. The winds howl and rip away at your clothing, unforgiving and relentless, each breath taken feels like inhaling splinters of glass. Believable ending, just right. -
4.5 out of 5 stars!
A moral decision must be made by Max, and there lies all the tension and suspense in the book. Max, a detective whose wife was the victim of a hit and run 5 years prior, learns her death was murder, not accidental. He’s been lonely, sad, and isolated since his wife's death, but now his life has a renewed purpose. He is consumed with tracking the murderers down and he wants justice. Or is it vengeance he wants? There are no easy answers and the reader questions everything: will he or won’t he kill the people who murdered his wife? And if he does is this the type of person he wants to be? is this what his wife would want? Will Max target the correct guilty parties or are they innocent of murder?
This sound a like a simple premise but the way the author writes this dark story is anything but simple. It’s fast-paced, brilliant and the tension is palpable. The frigid Minnesota winter was as much of a character as Max was. I was guessing/hoping how the events would play out right up until the very end. And what an end it was! Highly recommended!
This was a Traveling Sister read with Brenda, Norma, Kaceey, Diane, Susanne, and PorshaJo. It's a book that generated interesting discussions. This review and others can be found at:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
*Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review -
The title gives you a good idea of the mood for this book. It’s definitely dark. In fact, throughout, you are left wondering how far Max will go to get to the truth about his wife’s murder and avenge her death.
Even the current crime they’re investigating has a dark side. How are you to take it when the fire “victim” is nicknamed fireball?
I really liked Nicki in this book. She wants to be a true partner to Max and he pushes her away. He admits to himself that he’s being an asshole.
This book held my interest because I really wanted to see how it would play out. But, I found this book to be too dark for my taste. I guess I want my heroes to wear a white hat.
I listened to this and really liked the narrator, R. C. Bray. -
Will he or won't he? Only his partner knows for sure. This detective-out-for-revenge story was unfortunately nothing special. The chapter chunks vacillate between an ice-capped lake on the Minnesota border with Canada and the handful of days that lead up to it.
The detective Max is on the verge of killing the man who is responsible for the death four years prior of his wife Jenni (with an i). Through chapter after chapter after chapter, he slowly augers holes into the ice while the bad dude he has trussed tries to talk himself out of being dunked under three feet of lake ice. Time and pressure, time and pressure, we are reminded every 50 pages. Ugh.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, the author tosses in Russian mobsters and human trafficking; a dead wife who was nothing less than a beautiful Florence Nightingale; rotten political motivations by guys in the police force and the mayor's office; plus the requisite cute female sidekick Niki (with an i) who is as loyal and presh as a cocker spaniel. And fear not - a Byelorussian hooker with a heart of gold (Anastasia) rounds out the stereotypes.
It turns out that this is the 4th series about the misadventures of Detective Max Rupert, and it felt like the 30th angsty cop book I've read over the years. Jo Nesbo and Nelson Demille follow a similar formula but definitely do it a good bit better. Lastly, I made the mistake of doing this via audio and couldn't shake the feeling that it was just a very, very, very long Dos Equis commercial.
I read this author's debut novel called The Life We Bury and that was what led me to download this one. Big time disappointment. As for Max, despite his resignation, the book subtly sets us up for yet another story in the life of the detective and his loyal sidekick. I ain't reading it. -
FOUR STARS
Max Rupert is one melancholy homicide detective. His sadness since the loss of his wife in a hit and run accident, is heart wrenching. He has spent the last five years of his life looking for the guy that killed his beloved Jenni and now he has discovered that, in fact, Jenni was murdered. This truth consumes him with anguish and murderous thoughts of retribution.
How far will this decent, hard working cop go to exact his own brand of justice? Will he be able to live with himself if he follows through with his fantasy of torturing and killing the man that killed his wife? That, my friends, is the question driving this thought-provoking novel.
I adore flawed protagonists and Max Rupert is the best representation of a tragic warrior fighting to stay on the right side of humanity and morality. His struggle is most evident in this novel and the ending is amazingly satisfying! I cannot wait for the next book, I'm so invested in Rupert.
This is the fourth book in a brilliant series written by one of the most talented mystery/suspense writers working today, Allen Eskens. Since the first book, THE LIFE WE BURY, I’ve been hooked on Eskens and the gritty, raw characters he absolutely brings to life in the frozen Minnesota panorama.
For me, the back and forth format of the book felt awkward and really slowed down the pace of this thriller. Eskens's books are meant to be savored, rather than devoured, so it is only a minor complaint—but the reason for the 4 stars.
I highly recommend anything written by Eskens! -
This book hit very close to home for me (I actually live right in the neighborhood). It has a fast pace and an intense story line. It is so easy to understand the main character's thirst for justice. As always the writing and characters are wonderful.
Some parts of this were so intense that I had to put it down a couple of times before I finished it. -
Eskins delivers another gripping narrative that vividly portrays fascinating characters all the while delivering superb storytelling. That’s more adjectives than fit in a five-pound bag, but this author inspires superlatives.
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Last year I read my first Eskens book, The Heavens May Fall and was completely blown away. He is an insanely talented writer and his heroes are deeply flawed and vastly interesting and unique. While the characters in each book are the same, it’s not completely necessary to start at the beginning, they each work perfectly fine as a standalone. BUT, they’re so good that I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend reading them all.
For five years Max has been haunted by his wife’s death and he’s finally tracked down her killer. This opens with Max and an unknown man locked in an intense situation in the middle of nowhere near the Canadian border and Max finally has the chance to get justice for his Jenni. It’s tense and thrilling, the frozen atmosphere lends to the chilly scene becoming a character all of it’s own and adding a layer of danger to an already deadly story. It flips back to three days prior as you follow Max as he tracks down the killer, then flips back and forth throughout all the way up to an explosive conclusion.
I loved the moral struggle Max was facing throughout as he tried to bring revenge to a man who shattered his entire life. There was something poetic about him having a moral battle with himself while in the frozen wilderness that was both hauntingly beautiful and chilling. Vengeance and retribution is the name of the game here, this one kept me on the edge of my seat and flipping pages at a steady rate. If you haven’t read Eskens work you’re missing out, he’s a superbly talented author not to be missed.
All of my reviews can be found on
www.novelgossip.com -
As always I love anything Allen Eskens, he’s just an amazing author. Now what!!? What’s next for this beloved character of mine?? I sincerely hope this isn’t the last we hear of Max. I so desperately want for him to have his HEA, his loneliness and suffering are heartbreaking.
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I came across this quote on Allen Eskens' blog, which sums up why I've now read all of his books:
"One of the best lessons that I've learned is on what John Gardner called profluence. Profluence is that sense of compulsion that a writer instills in a reader which makes the reader want to (need to) keep reading. Gardner sums it up as follows:
"Page 1, even if it’s a page of description, must raise questions, suspicions and expectations; the mind casts forward to later pages, wondering what will come about and how. It is this casting forward that draws us from paragraph to paragraph and chapter to chapter. The moment we stop caring where the story will go next, the writer has failed and we stop reading. -- John Gardner The Art of Fiction (writing on profluence)"
Eskens had me from word one to the very end. Not only is the main character, Max, on a mission to discover who killed his wife, he takes the law into his own hands when it becomes apparent the case will not/cannot be tried in the courts. Max's inner struggles are heartbreaking, his morals and all he has stood for up for grabs.
I hope we see more of Max in the future, but from the ending, it could go in any number of directions from here. Looking forward to the next, whatever it entails. -
Eskens takes a dark turn in this 4th offering featuring Homicide Detective Max Rupert. Max has never gotten over the death of his wife who worked as a social worker and was killed in a hit-and-run accident. So, when he is given a lead that she had actually been murdered, it unleashes his vengeful resolve to find the murderer. What will he do when he does? Is justice served by breaking the rules?
Eskens shines at creating tension in this crime thriller. But, Eskens is even more focused on the psychological torment haunting Max—the internal struggle between justice and vengeance. Indeed, Max is in the throes of a fight for his very soul. Enjoy! -
Allen Eskens has developed an award-winning series of books alternating between Detective Max Rupert and Joe Talbert. The best of both worlds from crime thrillers, cop procedurals, to literary and historical fiction. He has proven time and time again, he can cross genres seamlessly, like a rock star.
To help keep myself and you guys on track, I am copying this from Allen's website which I refer to often:The Life We Bury introduces the four main characters who appear in future novels:
Joe Talbert—the protagonist in The Life We Bury and The Shadows We Hide.
Max Rupert—a homicide detective in The Life We Bury is the focus of novels 2, 3, and 4.
Boady Sanden—an attorney, and a secondary character in novels 1 and 3, but will be the lead in novel 6.
Lila Nash—a supporting character in novels 1, 3 and 5, will likely be the protagonist of novel number 7.
In THE DEEP DARK DESCENDING, we catch up with Detective Max Rupert #4 from
The Life We Bury (Joe Talbert, #1; Max Rupert, #1)
The Guise of Another (Detective Max Rupert, #2)
The Heavens May Fall (Detective Max Rupert #3)
Homicide Detective Max Rupert has never gotten over his wife's death and, more importantly, is still looking for the real killer. It has been five years. He does not believe it was a reckless hit and run driver. REVENGE has taken over, and he will stop at nothing to locate his wife's killer.
He was once told: "There's an old saying that a person who goes looking for revenge should dig two graves. Meaning you are not solving the problem by getting revenge. You are only making it worse. You're making it just as bad for yourself as for the other person."
He is determined to make sure the man he kills understands why. Her name must be his last thought—its echo should be the last sound he hears before darkness chokes him.
He is out in the bitter ice of winter. He has an ax. Is he ready to kill him yet? He needs something more than just his death. He needs to hear him admit that he killed his wife!
It was only three days prior Max had first listened to the two men as they planned his wife's murder. The two men were talking about his, Jenni. How they were going to end her life, and they were doing it with the composure reserved for weather chitchat or reading a lunch menu.
Now Boady Sanden the friend and attorney he had crossed off his list (a homicide detective and a defense attorney do not make for a good pair. Now here he is, offering something. A CD. A CD that may hold the secret to Jenni's death.
She stumbled upon something she shouldn't have. Who would want to kill a hospital social worker? She did nothing but help people. He played it over and over. It never occurred to him she knew something. He always thought he was the target due to being a homicide detective. He was the one who had enemies, not her.
There is a fine line, and he must not cross it. OR will he? There were rules. He was the victim's husband. He cannot be digging into the files regarding his wife's death. She had been walking through the medical center ramp and been hit by a yellow Toyota. He was frozen out of the investigation. However, when he turned the evidence over, he kept a copy.
He is consumed with rage and anger and wants revenge, no matter the cost. On a frozen lake near the US-Canadian border, he wrestles with a decision that could change his life forever, as his hatred threatens to turn him into the kind of person he has spent a career bringing to justice.
This is one INTENSE BOOK! Max remembers all the Christmases and News Years and their life together. He recalls his childhood, his brother Alexander, his dad, his mom's death. And then, Nancy. The falling apart of their family.
Fast forward to the present. Can he do it? Does he possess the power to kill? He needs a strategy. He has his captive held miles from everywhere in the middle of a frozen lake in subzero January temperatures. You can feel the brutal winter winds and cold. It is dark and bleak.
Is it the correct person? Will he strike the final blow? If he does, what will happen next? Will, he quit being a Detective and remain on the run?
Wow, my nerves are shot! This book reminds me of a Blue Bloods series with Detective Danny Reagan when his nurse-wife, Linda Reagan was murdered and his reaction and consumed with rage and revenge to track down the murderer who ruined his life and family. Every time I think I of Max, I picture Danny.
I cannot wait to see where Allen Eskens will take this character next or if there will be a followup. A brilliant writer, he is becoming one of my favorites!
Fans, you are in for a rare treat when you read
NOTHING MORE DANGEROUS, coming Nov 12, 2019. It is out of this world good and his best yet! Look for my Elevator Q&A with the author coming Nov 12, 2019. I cannot wait!
It appears we may get the next book #7 featuring Lila! It is time she gets to shine, right? I am looking forward to it. If you have not read Allen Eskens, get on board the train.
I purchased the e-book and the audiobook narrated by R. C. Bray. I enjoy reading/listening as it holds your spot, and you can pick up where you left off, either reading or listening — the ultimate experience.
PS Everyone is curious if I like Joe Talbert or Max Rupert series, the best. I will have to vote, Joe. Even though I like the thrills, I enjoy literary fiction, as to why you will see higher ratings for those books. However, Allen is a multi-talented writer, and he can balance both genres. It is more about the reader's individual preference or taste. I have read all his books and each one is unique. Well-done!
#JDCMustReadBooks -
4 dark stars
This one is aptly titled, and I think is the darkest Allen Eskens book. There has been much build-up with the unsolved murder of Homicide Detective Max Rupert's wife. This one finally resolves that case. But what does it do to Max in the process?
There's a back-and-forth timeline in this one. It opens with a showdown between Max and another man, presumably his wife's killer, but we don't know all the details. They are at the edge of a lake in the winter near Canada, and it made me cold just to read it.
The action then goes back just a few days as Max delves into new clues in his wife's case. We read about memories from past good times with his wife as he grapples with grief.
I was almost afraid to finish this one, but I had to know the resolution. I know that the next book finds Max resigned from the force and hidden away at his remote cabin. This author has done such a good job of making Max feel like a real, flawed person. I hope there are many more books featuring Max in the future! -
4.0 Stars Video Review:
https://youtu.be/VPZdRIdnl68
This is a fast paced thriller by one of the most talented modern crime fiction authors. Esken demonstrates incredible range as a writer. With each book, Eskens switches up his style, going from an ametuer detective mystery to a legal drama. I would describe this particular novel as an action thriller. If I had to compare it to his previous books, this one would most closely resemble his second novel, The Guise of Another.
While this is Eskens' fourth novel, readers can start with The Deep Dark Descending without spoiling any of his previous books. Each book is a self-contained story that can be read and enjoyed in any order. However, reading chronologically has it's benefits, because all of the books are set in the same place and feature familiar characters.
This is a relatively short book so the reader is able to fly through the story. Each chapter propels the story forward pushing the reader to keep flipping the pages. I read this book incredibly fast, eager to see how the story unfolded.
The book starts at the end with the main character confronting his wife's killer. This is not so much a mystery novel. Instead, the book explores how this detective gets to the breaking point of taking the law into his own hands. The subsequent chapters switch back and forth between two timelines: the climax of the story and flashbacks to the days leading up to the main event.
This novel is more of a traditional action thriller, rather than a psychological thriller, meaning that the story is fairly straight forward without any major twists and turns. Readers should pick up this book to experience a well written version of the classic "cop-gone-rogue-revenge" story. Given the premise, this book contains some violence and vulgar language. These gritty details fit well with the tone of the story.
As a short, fast-paced novel, there is not a lot of character development in this one. The main character was introduced earlier in the series so his personality was fleshed out in those previous books. Readers who start with this book may not feel as quite connected to the protagonist as long term readers like myself.
This is a fantastic book to read in winter. Set near the Canadian border, the weather plays heavily into the atmosphere of the story. As a Canadian reader, I appreciate an author who understands the cold and how it affects on the human body. The icy winter setting made the story feel the grim and dark.
I would recommend this particular book to fans of action-packed crime thrillers. In addition, I would recommend Esken's entire backlist for any readers (both newbies and veterans to the genre) looking for well-written mysteries and thrillers.
I requested this book from Seventh Street Books. -
From the beginning of these books, Max Rupert has been grieving the death of his wife in a hit-and-run accident. Now in this fourth book, there are surprises and shocks that will rock him to his core.
I refuse to give anything away, but I will tell you this book is awesome. Absolutely do not read this as a stand alone book. I will concede you could start with Book #3.
I desperately hope Allen Eskens has plans for another Max Rupert book. -
Found this author almost by accident. Kept seeing his first book The Life We Bury on Amazon,s top 100 list and thought huh....maybe there's something to this author I need to cheek out. Now he is one of my favorite authors. This book was good but very heartbreaking to read. Homicide Detective Max Rupert is so overcome with grief over his wife's death which at first was thought to be a hit and run turns out to be murder instead. Now Max has found the man behind his wife's murder and on a frozen lake on the border between the US and Canada Max wrestles with that will change his life forever. Does Max become the kind of person he has spent his life as a cop bringing to justice? It was very sad to see someone so consumed with grief over the loss of his wife that he was willing to put his own health and career at risk.
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Detective Max Rupert's wife dies in a hit and run accident, or so they say. As clues arise to show that this was indeed a murder and not a freak accident, it becomes his mission to find the killer and get his vengeance.
My first Eskens novel and I am blown away. He takes us on a journey on a frozen lake where he is with the killer fighting with himself on the justification of the act he may or may not take to the steps he went through to find out who the killer was. A fast paced thriller that is fairly straight forward... you know from the beginning that Max has his killer. What you learn is the process he went to find this person and the inner turmoil he faces in extracting his vengeance. There are no huge revelations or twists and they are not needed for this book. I was completely invested and felt for Max the entire way.
I hear this is the fourth book that Eskens has written with some of the same characters. I never would have known had I not had conversations about this book with others. However, it IS a stand alone novel and it's not necessary to read the other three... though I will as a little of the characterization may have been lost or already fleshed out in previous books. Eskens is a fantastic author and I am thoroughly impressed with how he hooked me right into this story. I want to know where Max goes on from here. Eskens! Where are you? TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS!
A novel about grief, vengeance and the inner battle of your own demons. I was extremely satisfied with the entirety of this quick paced, gritty novel. -
Everyone seems to have liked this one much more than I did. To be truthful, I almost gave it 2 stars. But the clear writing and technical detail made me round the 2.5 star up. It doesn't lose continuity and despite the switching locations and time frame from Minneapolis to the stark frozen lake cabin area, you don't lose your way among the main characters.
There was an under plot tangent that heavily entered the politico of governmental offices that took a detour- but for the greatest parts it is focused entirely around Max. In particular for his knowledge and revenge factors in the murder of his wife in a hit and run some 4 or 5 years earlier.
That was the trouble with this read for me. All of the lake segments were basically torture or broken bone revenge dynamics. Not a winner for my taste.
This is a dark book. Niki's view I could understand. Max was eternally in a thought frame that poisoned himself. Little depth there despite all the heart-wrenching scenarios of his back story written and reminded about. Again and again.
All the rest of the perp's slave trader history was enough to make the Max methods justified here?
Terribly sad. And I thought he would wise up and not finalize going down the path that he did.
If you think revenge is an answer to a terrible deed done against you, even such a "never coming back" from that kind of lifetime endless hurt with a likewise viscous response justified; then you will like this action cold as Artic Ice police investigator tale.
