The Rundown
Dark Sky is a fast paced and intelligent detective thriller with a great protagonist as first person narrator. Max Bowman, ex CIA man, is called upon by the legendary General Donald Davidson to investigate the whereabouts of his war hero son. Lt. Robert Davidson was supposedly killed in action in Afghanistan, but the ageing and confused General has received information which suggests this is not true. Max is immediately warned off the case by the General’s daughter Angela, who begs him to take the money and assure the ailing General that his son is definitely deceased. Despite this being a tempting offer, Max is intrigued and decides to take the case. This decision instantly ignites trouble. First his rental car is attacked by Angela’s son Jeremy, and then the retired colonel he arranges to speak to is blown up before he can even get out of his car. In a further slice of action and confusion, another retired military man is killed before his eyes by a sinister character who bears an uncanny resemblance to The Rifleman actor Chuck Connors. With Jeremy now onside, Max is undeterred in his mission to find out how Robert Davidson was connected to a private military organization funded by the pentagon. It’s claimed that if Robert Davidson is still alive, the answers will be found at the Dark Sky complex. As well as the investigative story line, what I liked and appreciated about this thriller, were the sub-plots which helped me empathize with both Max and teenager Jeremy. Jeremy is estranged from his father, and Max’s children no longer speak to him. There is certainly a rather heartwarming father son relationship that develops between these two characters as they take a road trip to the Dark Sky complex in Montana. I also enjoyed Max’s relationship with his casual, foul mouthed girlfriend Jules. The last few chapters of the book are packed with action and intrigue and the ending was satisfying and breathtaking. What transpires at the Dark Sky compound entices the reader to question the reality of war and war heroes. As a jaded CIA man, Max himself has lost faith in his countries desire for constant war, and for me, these complex issues made it much more than your average detective thriller. The story is well written and keeps a great page-turning pace, without leaving the characters behind. I felt grouchy Max was a likable and believable protagonist and look forward to reading more in his next adventure.
The Recommendation
Dark Sky is a fast paced and action packed detective style thriller. It keeps your interest in both the plot and in the characters. As well as the physical journey to the mysterious Dark Sky complex, there is the inner journey both Max and Jeremy undertake; the examining and letting go of the past and the attempt to make amends with estranged family members. Max Bowman is a great and believable character and once you’ve got to know him, you will be grateful there are further adventures to come in the series. An enjoyable adventure for fans of action, adventure and detective stories.
