A Map of the Dark Karen Ellis

Special Agent Elsa Myers of the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Unit is one complex character.

Covered in scars she tries her hardest not to cut herself anymore; but scratching her old scars is impossible to resist. That is why she wears long sleeves and heavy trousers in the heat of the summer. That is why she steers clear of intimate relationships. That is why she is slightly withdrawn at times when she should be concentrating on other things.

The other thing in this case is the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl from New York. Girls that age go missing all the time in NYC; so why does Detective Alexi (Lex) Cole call in Elsa as soon as she is reported missing.

Because she is a hard working student, with a job in a coffee shop, and no history of getting into trouble. She just does not fit into the usual stereotype of the girls that go missing of their own accord.

But: when do good girls turn bad, and what is bad.

As Elsa and Lex dig deeper into the girl’s disappearance they start to make a few discoveries. Maybe the girl is not as squeaky clean as her family think she is.

With her family not knowing the whole truth about their daughter, and with her friends lying to protect her, the investigation is slow. Elsa needs to unravel the truth about the missing girl. As she does she starts to recollect her own childhood and the reason why she self harmed. The memories start to get her reaching for the Swiss Army knife she always carries in her bag.

As well as carrying out the investigation Elsa is backwards and forwards to hospital to visit her dying father. As her childhood memories resurface the interaction with her father, and sister start to change.

Will Elsa survive this investigation in good health? At times its touch and go as mentally she finds it hard to balance her work with her personal life.

I really enjoyed this book. I like a good story with good characters, but this one had something else.

The girl that goes missing.

A good girl? Yes.

However the usual teenage problems start to come into her life. Pressures of school work, boyfriends, and slightly dodgy opportunities.

This little sub-plot about how one or two decisions, not even necessarily bad decisions, have that domino effect that can lead to a person having a very bad day.

Pages: 320
Publishers UK: Mulholland
Publishing date UK: 11th January 2018.

This is a fast-paced sensational read which has robbed me of sleep! Special Agent Elsa Myers works for the FBI searching for missing children. Her father Roy is dying from lung cancer; her mother murdered twenty years ago. There are a lot of damaged characters in this book because of violent or uncaring parents or siblings. As three girls go missing seemingly without a motive Elsa and her team have to set aside their personal problems and trace the perpetrator and the girls. Lex joins the team as her partner. I was very puzzled why Elsa self-harmed, was so defensive, locked away and shut herself off from everyone but there is always a reason. I must comment on the quality of imagery in this novel. I felt I was there. It's a difficult, complex case and it fascinated me how they figured it all out. I was taken back many years to Ian Huntley who murdered the Soham girls. He had the same twisted enjoyment as the killer in remaining public and visible while the hunt was carried out. The ending is dynamic. I am still reeling. Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stroughton for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I shall post this to Amazon and my Blog on publication.

Struggled with this book, I felt the plot concentrated to much on the main characters past/present problems which lost the emphasis of the investigation.
It is well written, and does have twists and turns with an ending I did not see coming, but felt something was missing.

Thank you Netgalley, Mulholland books & Karen Ellis for allowing me to read and review this book.

Things I loved:

'Standing at the door, she blows him a kiss, but he's sleeping, and it sails right past him.'

'They laugh, and Elsa drives, and soon the city announces itself along a looming corridor of graffitied buildings, impatient traffic, and ill-tended roads.'

'...but wonders if outsiders could really comprehend how lost a child can be inside her own house. At some point you're beyond saving; no one can show you how to unswallow all that darkness.'

'In some ways she's still waiting for him in that closet, has been waiting all her life, but now that he's dying, how will he save her?'

I really liked the prose. The poetic elements had meaning and weren't thrown in to make the author sound smart. I felt touched by the interesting, profound and dignified way Elsa mused over her childhood and resulting inner turmoil. There was no filler, which I always love not having to skim through.

The pacing was well done up until the end when the book lost a bit of its tension. It was a definite page-turner and every scene was interesting, exciting or insightful. I thought Elsa's backstory was well-paced and brought to a satisfying (if slightly predictable) conclusion.

Things I didn't love:

'They belonged to the Christian Identity Church - white supremacists, basically.' - Even in fiction, I can't get away from right wing Christians being labelled racist without evidence.

'Elsa's skin electrifies with understanding, telling her they're on the right track. This is how it always happens. This is the feeling she gets when the pieces of a case start to fit ... Her skin tells her when a child is within her reach, her unstoppable, unfixable skin.' - A woman's skin being given autonomy in an almost magical way was ill-fitting with the style of the rest of the book.

"...Lives with her parents and two younger brothers. Good student, no boyfriend, no drugs, no problems. Hasn't been seen since Monday morning when she left for school." - The cops discounted all missing girls who had a possible explanation for why they were missing, and zeroed in on all the squeaky clean ones who had no obvious reason for disappearing. This assumed the serial killer picked only girls who would otherwise not disappear. I don't know where this logic came from but to insinuate that a 'problem child' is less likely to be taken by a serial killer, just for the sake of cheaply explaining how the cops narrowed down their search, goes against everything I've read about serial killers.
Stragglers, runaways, people who put themselves into dangerous situations because of drugs or escaping domestic violence, people whose families are estranged because they have problems and won't be immediately missed upon disappearance - these are the people most commonly targeted by serial killers. So the cops' logic in this instance was completely wrong. The predator isn't going to be like 'Lives at home with parents, check. Doing well in school, check. No drug problems, check. But damn, she has a boyfriend... Abort!' This was illogical and way too clean-cut for a crime thriller or realistic kidnapping case, but it served the plot so, whatever.

It was disappointing to me that Elsa, the highly esteemed FBI agent took so long to cotton on to the fact Mel was likely the serial killer's third victim. It was obvious while it was being set up - Mel inserting herself into Elsa's work by going to the Haverstock's house - that Mel would be used to up the stakes at the end by being kidnapped. The fact that Elsa knew Mel was in a vulnerable situation, being alone and not inclined to answer her phone after Tara hit her, knowing the serial killer was already aware of her existence (from seeing her at the Haverstock's) and knowing there was a third victim that they couldn't yet identify, I'd expect an FBI officer to be straight on it and know her niece was in grave danger. It seems Elsa was dumbed down at this point, just to serve the plot.

The serial killer's conclusion
'Elsa reaches into the water and feels for the Glock holstered to her ankle. She slides off the safety strap, grips the handle, tugs out the gun. Frozen in place, hand underwater, she studies him.
She focuses on the burl of neck and skull where his hair is skewed in all directions... She will aim exactly there. If she misses, Hope could die, but if she doesn't try, Hope will die.
She lifts the gun out of the water. And then, in a moment, the wet steel slicks out of her hand. Her weapon lands in the stream with a heavy plop, ripples orbiting. Nelson turns. Sees her.' - I don't think it warrants explanation why this is so stupid.

The details of the serial killer's motive, intentions with the girls, history etc were sacrificed for more of a focus on Elsa's backstory.
I think this could have been evened out a bit more, especially as things had previously been brought to the forefront, such as the box of tools and the strangeness of the serial killer's choice in tools, each tool described in detail as if their purpose would at some point become clear in the book, but they never did. The serial killer's plan, the fate of his past victims, their burial sites etc, were never even mentioned after his very quick, slightly cheesy and anticlimactic apprehension.

That plotline was dropped completely, aside from a bizarre scene at the end where some cops in Oregon emailed over a video of themselves filming the inside of the killer's house, that Elsa stopped watching halfway through. That entire scene was so strange and pointless. It brought up more questions than answers and seemed like a forgotten part of a bigger plotline that had been scrapped before publication.

Overall
I really enjoyed the book. I would definitely read more from this author as I enjoy her voice, her characters and her adeptness at covering emotional subjects in a wise and compassionate manner, without being overly sentimental or employing purple prose. I think the plot of this book could be tightened up a little but as a first in a series, it's good and I'm excited to read the next instalment.

3.5/5*

A missing girl, a FBI agent with a troubled past, a cop who seems too good to be true – a book full of clichés right? Wrong. A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis, pseudonym of author Katia Lief, is an impactful book full of mystery and suspense. It is well-written with a wonderful plot that zipped along and with characters that I was fully invested in.

This is the first in a series of books (named The Searchers) featuring FBI Agent Elsa Myers and she is a wonderful protagonist. Flawed as all the best characters are, dedicated to her job, struggling with the mental and physical scars of her childhood and dealing with the sale of her family home and her dad’s terminal illness, I was fully connected to her and invested in her story within a few pages.

A Map of the Dark isn’t a thriller in the traditional sense, yes there is a missing girl and a possible killer on the loose but we also learn about Elsa and her history. This added some wonderful perspective and depth and elevated the book from the standard ‘hunt for the bad man’ to a weightier and more literary novel. There are some dark passages, both in the search for Ruby and in Elsa’s past which are far from sensational – they are creepy, ominous and brave. Karen Ellis is unafraid to approach some difficult subject matters in this book and I applaud her for it, they are thoughtfully and sensitively handled and my heart broke at times.

It is well-paced, well-plotted, clever and a brilliant read. I don’t want to say too much about the plot as this is one of those books that deserves a fresh read, but this isn’t a whodunnit necessarily, it is more a tale of broken and fragile people and the paths that they take. If you are a fan of Peter Swanson or Tana French then A Map of the Dark could be right up your street.

Excellent story line and great main characters. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend.

This is the first in a new series featuring FBI agent Elsa Myers... and its a great start!

A girl has gone missing and Elsa has been called in to help local police who are not inexperienced in dealing with missing kids. However it soon becomes clear that this isnt an isolated case and they have a 'repeater' on their hands. Difficult to say more without giving any spoilers away!

This is a great storyline and had me hooked well into the night... I particularly liked Elsa who, as is the case with all great crime fighters, has a lot of history and personal battles of her own to deal with. Im looking forward to seeing how her character develops.

I have dropped the rating by one star simply because the final 'showdown' felt rushed compared to the steady but balanced pace of the rest of the book.

Cant wait for book 2!

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in two breathless sittings as it was really compelling and easy to read. The characters of Elsa and Lex were interesting and I enjoyed their dynamic a lot. There are a few parts of this novel which are a bit far-fetched and unbelievable - I don’t want to give too much away but I’m sure you’ll know what I mean if you read this - and I wasn’t totally on board with some of the twists but it was such a fun, exciting journey I was willing to accept and suspend my disbelief for a while. This is billed on Goodreads as number 1 in a series and I’d totally check out further instalments. The book nicely sets up the characters to be revisited in the future. If you are looking for a fast-paced, exciting read that’s not too taxing on the old grey matter, I’d recommend this book.

I was instantly drawn in by this book however I lost interest half way through. Whilst I was happy to keep reading I found myself skimming the pages and as a result I found it hard to keep track of what was going on, I think this is also due to the fact that I wasn't particularly interested in any of the characters,

That said, Elsa is a complex and intriguing character, her back story made for an interesting reading.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Karen Ellis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a slow burner for me but I really enjoyed the final few chapters.
Elsa is asked to help out when a teenage girl goes missing and has to leave her dying father’s bedside to go and help with the investigation.
Elsa finds herself torn between the case and her father and then there are flashbacks to her childhood. Elsa had a difficult relationship with her mother and this has had an effect on her adult life.
As the story unwinds I found myself warming to Elsa and I’m looking forward to other books in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for sending me a copy to read and review.

This book is the first involving FBI Agent Elsa Myers. Karen Ellis is developing the characters well. Elsa may be a bit difficult to empathise with initially but she grows on you. The other characters Lex, the detective she is partnered with; The other members of the task force; Mel, Elsa’s niece; Elsa’s father and sister they all need to grow if they are to feature in what will surely become a series.

Elsa is part of an FBI rapid response unit who work missing child cases alongside the relevant police force. Although she is at the bedside of her terminally sick father she is still called in on a case of a girl, Ruby, who has gone missing.

Elsa lives for her work, she lives to find missing children so barely hesitates to accept the case but it proves to be difficult to keep work and her private life, especially her dark past, separate and Lex is quite intrusive and that is blurring the lines even more.

This book is gripping, tense and deals with difficult themes but there are also some lighter moments. It is well written by Karen Ellis.

With thanks to the publisher for this eARC in return for an honest review.

This was a compelling psychological storey. From the beginning it holds you transfixed by the story of the missing girls. But also the trauma of Elsa the FBI young life, and coping with the impending death of her father. There are many questions to be answered on both fronts. Elsa is determined to find the missing girls, while dealing with her traumatic life. I look forward to seeing where this series will go.

This book was slow to start but had me completely gripped by the end. Strong characters, all fully fleshed out with proper personalities, not the 2 dimensional versions in some crime novels. Elsa makes a good FBI agent, though I thought her personal history was a bit too tragic. I look forward to more in this series.

I enjoyed this book. Totally surprised by the twist in perspective. Good job by the writer. I was pulled in from the beginning and interested in both the past and present stories. Yes saw some stuff coming but I believe you were meant to. Honest review of an ARC copy

A thrilling new FBI series

FBI Agent Elsa Myers finds missing people. Though her father lies dying in a hospital, Elsa cannot refuse a call for help. A teenage girl has gone missing and during the critical first hours of the case, a series leads indicate that she did not go willingly. With each passing hour, as the hunt for Ruby Haverstock the missing 17-year-old girl deepens into a search for a man who may have been killing for years, the case starts to get underneath Elsa's skin.

Everything she has buried - her fraught relationship with her sister and niece, her self-destructive past, her mother's death threatens to resurface, with devastating consequences. Elsa loves her father but resents him for not shielding her from the vicious punishments meted out by her mother, who was killed when Elsa was 16

Elsa Meyers, who works for the Child Abduction Unit pairs up with Detective Lex Cole in the case of a missing teenage girl. Their search leads them towards older cases and possibly of a serial killer.

A Map of the Dark which has several interesting twists and turns. It is not, however, a straightforward missing person novel as it spends a lot of time in Elsa's past than looking for Ruby. It has several points of view and timelines. Mostly it is Elsa's present and past but there are points of view from the missing teenager. It gets confusing occasionally as it jumps from one to the other. This is a slow starter, most of the early chapters look back on Elsa’s early years and that of her sister, her abusive mother and a helpless father.

One of the most compelling psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time…grabs you from the very first page and there is a twist in the tale right at the very end

would like to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

A deliciously dark tale, with a myriad of twists, turns and unguessed happenings. A real page turner.

Thank you Hodder and Stoughton and Mulholland Books for a copy of this book.
FBI Agent Elsa Myers finds missing people when she is asked to go on a case, while her Father is dying of Cancer in hospital. She is joined on the case by Detective Lex Cole.
The case is of Seventeen-year-old Missing Teenager Ruby Haverstock when she was working in a local café and suddenly the CCTV went off. She hasn’t been seen since. That was last Friday. She is not a troubled teen or in a habit of running away so this is why the case more urgent.
After some digging a round, they find out that Ruby is not the only girl that has gone missing. And also when the Killer is identified after tracing a number plate last seen at the café. They realise that they are hunting for a serial killer.
The story also tells of Elsa’s childhood, the relationship she had with her abusive mother and the relationship with her dying father.
I thought this was a very good start for a new police procedural series. It was told in a different perspective than others that I have read. You can tell that the author is very passionate about their writing. I will look forward to the next instalment in this series.

Elsa works for the FBI specialising in child abduction cases. While visiting her father who is in hospital dying from cancer, she is assigned to help a police department investigate the case of missing teenager Rosy. In many respects, this book could be argued to be a routine serial abduction thriller but the excellent story telling together with the back story of Elsa's own troubled upbringing and resultant psychological issues, raises it to a higher level. The twist at the end of the back story only adds to the reader experience..

This book took me a while to get in to but never actually gripped me. I enjoyed the back story of the main character but the 'twist' at the end didn't surprise me at all. The search for the missing girl was predictable and the kidnapper obvious. I'd like to know more about the characters but not sure I'll read the next one.

This was an ok book for me. I felt rather confused at times and many times I felt that the story was not about Ruby enough. It was enjoyable enough but that was all. I was looking for more and hoping to find a new series. I’m sure that there will be more but sadly, I don’t think that I will be reading any follow up books.
Having said that, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it for anyone who enjoys a more in-depth look into police procedures.

My thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.