Book Review: THE DARK by Emma Haughton

THE DARK by Emma Haughton

Mobius; 10/19/21

CBTB Rating: 4/5 

The Verdict: a chilling locked room mystery

I will happily read a wintry mystery any time of year, but there’s nothing more perfect (in my opinion!) than sinking into a chilling crime novel as the winter season approaches—and if you agree, you’ll want to add Emma Haughton’s recently-released mystery THE DARK to your to-read pile. THE DARK has garnered major buzz in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. This atmospheric and immersive crime novel transports readers to the desolate landscape of Antarctica, weaving a clever and claustrophobic mystery that will appeal to fans of classic “locked room” crime stories and psychological suspense alike. Following an emergency medicine doctor who accepts the job of a lifetime, THE DARK takes place in the isolated setting of a UN research station in Antarctica. Surrounded by nothing but ice and snow, unable to leave or be reached by outside help, our story’s unwitting characters settle in for months of isolation… with a killer in their midst. THE DARK blends immersive setting with palpable tension and ever-increasing stakes. A slow-burning first half builds to a white-knuckle conclusion in this chilling and atmospheric story. Consider adding this one to your winter to-read list. 

Plot Details: 

In the most inhospitable environment - cut off from the rest of the world - there's a killer on the loose.

A&E doctor Kate North has been knocked out of her orbit by a personal tragedy. So when she's offered the opportunity to be an emergency replacement at the UN research station in Antarctica, she jumps at the chance. The previous doctor, Jean-Luc, died in a tragic accident while out on the ice.

The move seems an ideal solution for Kate: no one knows about her past; no one is checking up on her. But as total darkness descends for the winter, she begins to suspect that Jean-Luc's death wasn't accidental at all.

And the more questions she asks, the more dangerous it becomes . . .

From its very first page, Emma Haughton’s THE DARK draws readers into its utterly immersive setting. Readers are placed into the heart of the action instantaneously, as protagonist Kate North arrives on a treacherous plane ride to what is to become her new home for the next year: a UN research station in Antarctica. Surrounded by nothing but ice and snow, the research station is an entirely self-contained community: a world unto itself, dependent on its own power sources, almost entirely cut off from communication with the outside world. For Kate, the unique opportunity to serve as the replacement on-site doctor at the station for a year provides the escape from reality that she so desperately needs. Reeling from a personal tragedy that has left her with scars both physical and emotional, Kate wants nothing more than a fresh start. Where better to escape your past and start anew than in the wilds of Antarctica? But as Kate settles in to her new home, she begins to uncover tensions and fault-lines in the community she has joined. The station’s previous doctor died in a mysterious accident—one which some of the station’s residents believe may not have been an accident after all. Shifting alliances and suspicions between the station’s limited wintertime staff make it harder than ever for Kate to learn who she can really trust. And when a series of increasingly sinister and dangerous events begin to unfold in the isolation of the station, Kate quickly realizes that it’s not just the unforgiving environment of Antarctica that’s dangerous—the people she’s living with are dangerous, too. THE DARK is a compelling locked room-style mystery set against the austere and immersive landscape of Antarctica. It’s the ultimate in claustrophobic suspense: with nowhere to run and no one to turn to for help, Kate soon finds herself in a desperate fight for survival that will keep readers glued to the pages. 

One of my personal favorite qualities of a locked room mystery—one which is exemplified in THE DARK—is the way these stories, by virtue of their limited setting and cast size, allow readers a truly intimate glimpse into the lives of their characters. The entirety of this story plays out in the fixed location of the UN research station, with the story’s main source of drama and entertainment coming not from external factors, but from the inner lives of its characters instead. Author Emma Haughton expertly draws readers into the lives of the men and women inhabiting this book’s closed world bit by bit, doling out hints to the dark secrets and hidden motivations they are each harboring over the course of the story. Central to THE DARK is protagonist Kate North, an emergency medicine doctor who, when we meet her, has traded a relatively ordinary life for the experience of a lifetime in Antarctica—an opportunity which conveniently grants her the escape she’s desperately been seeking from the long shadow cast by a tragedy in her past. Kate is the perfect “outsider” to guide readers through the twisty and treacherous journey into the lives of her colleagues at the research station. Though Kate’s character does make some questionable decisions that may not endear herself to every reader, the darkness in Kate’s past—a facet of Kate’s life that is hinted at but not fully revealed for much of the story—gives her character authenticity. Readers will be kept guessing as to what exactly Kate is running from until this book’s end, and Kate, in turn, will be kept guessing as to the true nature of her new colleagues and station-mates until the book’s finale, too. And speaking of Kate’s colleagues at the research station: I loved getting to know the memorable and highly entertaining cast of characters author Emma Haughton develops over the course of this book. Hailing from every corner of the globe, the men and women Kate encounters at the UN research station leap off the page with their unique personalities, backgrounds, and, as Kate is soon to find out, secrets. When things take a turn for the dark and deadly, the author expertly develops convincing red herrings that kept me guessing as to who among the group might really be a killer. (It turns out my first guess for the story’s villain was correct, but it didn’t undermine my enjoyment of the book whatsoever—this one was about the journey for me, not just about the destination!) THE DARK will perfectly suit fans of books like SHIVER by Allie Reynolds and ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware—locked room mysteries with highly entertaining ensemble casts and elements of interpersonal suspense.

In terms of pacing and plot development, THE DARK begins perhaps a bit slower than the reader might expect. According to my Kindle (where I read the e-book edition of this book!), the first 40% or so of this suspense story is devoted primarily to scene setting and establishment of characters. While our story’s first on-the-page crime doesn’t take place until a significant portion of the book has passed, the author nevertheless infuses this novel with a menacing sense of dread and tension from the book’s very first pages that kept me hooked and intrigued. And the deeper readers venture into this book, the more palpable that tension becomes. Beyond the engaging cast of characters (with whom I truly did love spending time!), the biggest selling point of all here for me was the palpable claustrophobia and fear that the author ratchets up over the course of this story. As winter descends on Antarctica and the darkness closes in around Kate and her colleagues, the sense of danger that has been lurking on the outskirts of this story closes in on its characters, and on the reader in turn. Emma Haughton has a serious knack for weaving the threat posed by the extreme climate of Antarctica into her murder mystery, and I loved this story’s exploration of the way isolation and darkness might impact the mental state of its characters. The first half of this book may be more slow-burning, but I loved every moment spent immersing myself in the genuinely chilling atmosphere developed here. And when man-made dangers arise in the story’s second half, it’s all the more creepy thanks to the reader’s deep understanding of just how isolated our characters really are. Readers hoping for out-of-the-gates action and thrills may not find this one quite to their liking; however, readers who love a good slow-burn and enjoy books that focus on atmosphere and interpersonal intrigue as much as they do mystery-solving will love THE DARK. 

THE DARK is a highly entertaining and engaging locked room mystery set against the desolate beauty of Antarctica. While slow-burning at first, this story builds to a white-knuckle conclusion that genuinely had me on the edge of my seat. If you’re in the market for an extra-chilling mystery to add to your to-read list in the winter months ahead, this one is well worth checking out. Highly recommended for fans of Allie Reynolds, Ruth Ware, and Tessa Wegert.

---

Book Details: 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mobius (October 19, 2021)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1529356601

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529356601

Crime by the Book is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way affects my opinion of the book(s) included in this post.