Wow!! This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a while. I was gripped from the very start and the pace never let up; I did not want to put this down!

This is a dual timeline story, alternating between 1994 and 2024. Garda Julia Harte, along with her partner Adrian Clancy, attends a noise complaint in Cork in 1994 but what happens that evening haunts her for the rest of her life and had me as the reader gripped!! As we turn the pages, we see the story of a serial killer unfold in 1994 but we also follow Julia in the present as there appears to be a copycat killer on the loose in Cork. Is this revenge? Is what is happening in the present linked to Julia or are the police reading too much into the similarities and can Julia help before it’s too late for the latest missing girl?

This is an absolutely brilliant page turner and if you are a lover of crime novels, I would wholeheartedly recommend this one. I could have easily read it in one sitting it was that good (but couldn’t quite escape real life to be able to do that 😂).

I really enjoyed this compelling read, as debut novels go, it hooked me in right from the first chapter. The plot is quite intricate and well written, a serial killer and a copycat killer, with the dual timeline working really well. The characterisation is strong, especially Julia the retired detective and is quite believable. I was hooked from the first chapter right until the end. An easy 5* from me and a thriller I highly recommend to lovers of the genre. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A well written debut with interesting main characters and believable back stories, but I didn't feel the author bought anything particularly new to the genre. However, I enjoyed the writing and look forward to her next novel
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of this book
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan is an enthralling read that brilliantly intertwines past and present mysteries. This novel set in Ireland links a case that Julia Harte faced as a Garda with desperate consequences in 1994 to a present-day investigation she’s been asked to consult on with her old boss.

The plotting is nothing short of brilliant, seamlessly connecting the two timelines and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The mysteries at the heart of both cases are intriguing and key to maintaining interest throughout the book. Amy Jordan’s skill in crafting these interwoven plots is commendable, ensuring a gripping read.

The characters and their dilemmas are well-developed, Julia is a particularly interesting and unique character and this adds depth to the story. Julia’s journey, both in her past and present, is compelling, and the interaction with her old boss adds an interesting dynamic. The personal and professional challenges they face are portrayed with nuance, keeping the reader engaged and invested in their outcomes.

Overall, The Dark Hours is a captivating novel that deserves four stars for its intricate plotting, engaging characters, and the seamless blend of past and present mysteries. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and crime fiction.

An intense crime thriller set over two timelines. The pace and storytelling were precise and absorbing and the characters impeccably written. Though I guessed the twist two thirds in, this novel was thought provoking and the author a welcome addition to the growing ranks of female Irish noir writers.

In 1994 Gardai Julia Harte and her garda partner Adrian Clancy were responding to a noise complaint late one night. They stumble onto a horrific scene and what happens next haunts Julie for the rest of her days. She will be forever afraid of the dark and suffer nightmares, waking at night in terror. The case they respond to shows that a serial killer is on the loose in Cork, deadly, clever and ready to kill. Julia is not a detective yet, but she fights to remain on the case, and rise through the ranks, fighting against sexism (make me a cup of tea love is what she often hears from other male Gardai), and all other barriers to raise up the ranks, and become the best in her field. The killer, and many others, stand no chance against her dogged determination and investigative talents.

Now, in 2024, Julie has retired, and retreated to a tiny cottage in a remote part of Ireland, where she tries to hide from her demons. She still has no peace, fighting nightmares every night, and struggling to find a sense of calm in her life. Her career may have been her all, but she lost everything in the process, her husband, family and more. She is trying to come to terms with this and the fact that she did good in life, and find peace relaxing with her dog, Mutt. Then she gets a phone call from her old Superintendent. Two women have been murdered. The killings, identical to those of 1994. He needs her on the case. She has to face her ultimate demons, before more women die.

The story that ensues is gripping. Julie has to come out of retirement, and not only face her fears, but come onto a team that resents her presence, and be obstructed by the present day officers, which hinders her progress. The story is told in a mix of timelines, both very detailed and heavy, which draw you into the story, gripping you. The tension keeps building, as the killer is hunted, but you start to realise that there is more to the case than meets the eye.

This is such a well written piece, it is hard to believe it is a debut novel. The story starts off strong, and only proceeds to get more intense. The opening is chilling, with any pause in pace afterwards only serving to let the reader catch their breath before rushing on to the suspense filled finale. And what an ending! Definitely recommend this as one to read, a definite 5 stars!

*I received this book from NetGalley for review, but all opinions are my own.

Cox is dead. These are the words that Julia repeats, as a mantra, to still the escalating horror. He is dead, and yet.....Julia has retired, away from life, away from the past. A safe little burrow where she can live with Mutt, her saviour dog - and keep the world at bay. But. He kills again. Same exact manner. Same meticulous detail. Suddenly, Julia is no longer retired, but pulled kicking and screaming back to the present.

I do love a thriller set over two time periods. Each one is delectable in itself but work well to explain what is happening in the other. It's split between 1994 and 2024, and Amy has done a really good job of making them very separate but kept enough links in them not to be two different stories. Normally in books like this, I prefer one time period to another, and I did give it some thought but for once, I think they were actually of equal merit. I got something different out of each time period, and yet it also gave me a chance to get to know these characters over a 30 year period.

She has pitched the location perfectly to show this sense of isolation and claustrophobia which adds to the tension of the story.

I have a funny thing with accents, as soon as I hear one, all my thoughts then get spoke in that accent. Which is often funny, except for when we went to see my Dad after he'd passed and one of the nurses had a really strong Scottish accent, and I couldn't help but giggle at his voice in my head. Anyway, moving on, knowing the characters in this were Irish, I kept reading it in that way. I don't know if it's important to this review but it made me smile so thought I'd note it down anyway. But I think reading it in the accent it's meant to be spoken in really helped me connect to the characters more.

I have read a lot of thrillers and crime novels in my time and there was something about this, something so accomplished that it reminded me of traditional crime novels, a proper thriller. But it still had something a little different to set it apart from the other thrillers out there.

I read it in less than a day it was so addictive. It ends satisfyingly enough but I hope she might revisit these characters again because I can definitely see scope for more stories, and if they're as good as this one then it'll be a treat.

I say this about every thriller I read and I will repeat it again because it's still true. Thrillers are probably my most read genre, and so you would think I'd have learnt how to read between the lines adn work out the reveal by now, but I never do. It's so frustrating but impressive at the same time. I guessed a couple of things in this but not the big reveal and so I commend her for that.

It was well paced; quick enough to be enticing and exciting but not rushed, but slow enough to give the reader time to get invested without it being boring.

I thought this was her debut novel, but after some Googling I have come across some previous novels written under a different name. But still, this is her debut novel as Amy Jordan and so I will continue to see it as a debut., in a way. And what a story it was.

Two police officers are bought out of retirement to solve a copy cat murder. The reason? One of the murder victims has a copy of a book written by Julia Harte, one of the police officers. Set over two separate timelines this story slowly unravels to solve both cases.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the advance copy of this book.

The past returns.
Two retired police officers who were instrumental in solving a series of brutal killings in 1994 are brought out of retirement in the present day to consult on a rash of copycat killings. Their presence is resented and obstructed by some of the present-day officers, which causes them frustration and hinders the investigation.
Amy Jordan weaves a complicated tale, switching between the two cas3s, but it would perhaps have been easier on readers, and definitely this one, if the two had been kept separate. That said, I like her style and after a bit of a slow start it really held my interest as it builds to a tense, exciting and totally unexpected crescendo.

Guarda Julia Harte, along with her partner, are called to a Cork neighbourhood to investigate a noise complaint. What happens next creates an ongoing nightmare. Years later Julia is retired but when events unfold that relate to the incident all that time ago. It is down to Julia to return to Cork and face her demons.

This sounded like an intriguing police procedural and I was drawn to the cover. I am glad that I gave this a chance as this was a well accomplished debut. The story started strongly and you immediately pick up on the dark, haunted atmosphere. The intricate plot slowly unravels until reaching the suspenseful finale.

The characters are well written and I liked the idea of retired detectives taking centre stage. However, I didn’t find an instant connection with Julia. I enjoyed that the story was told in two timelines and found it compelling that similar crimes were running through each. I found it too much of a slow burn at times, however overall I did enjoy this complex story and would certainly read more by this author. 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Retired detective “Call me Julia” Harte is asked to come back to the force to assist with an investigation that mirrors one she worked on 30 years previously.

Told across dual timelines, from the present day where Julia lives a life of solitude, and in 1994, when she fights the system to be involved in the original case, against all odds, and goes on to become a respected detective and author.

I really enjoyed this brilliant read, the plot is very well thought out and I had no inkling of how it would play out until the reveal hit and had me stunned! I liked the writing style and was surprised to discover that this is a debut novel - great job Amy Jordan 👏🏻

My only criticism is that the constant “call me Julia” became tiresome very quickly. It’s mentioned many, MANY times - yes, yes, we get it!

4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Amy Jordan and HQ for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was an exceptionall well written story. It is a thriller with many humorous parts, including Julie's dog called simply Mutt! The plot is great and very fast paced, no time for breathing before more happens. The two timeframes, past and present, were handled very well and were easy to follow. The characters were well described and I could relate to them and the emotions that they portrayed.
This is a debut novel I cannot wait to read more by this very talented authour.

We first meet Julia hiding away in a small village in 2024 having retired from her career as a DI. She is approached to return to Cork because there appears to be a copycat killer in which she was deeply involved in 1994. The sections set in 1994 have Julia fighting to be accepted as an equal with the male detectives even though she is a Garda. Her character in 1994 is rather unrealistic as she pushes to be more involved than her rank would allow.
Her character in 2024 is more believable but it is wearing that she repeatedly asks serving officers to 'call me Julia'.
Julia is portrayed very much as a character married to her job. Having retired she is a very insular character.
Having said all this the plot is fast moving and quite a page turner. Will be interested to read more by this author.
Three and a half stars for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley./Amy Jordan/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Creepy, chilling and captivating.

Set in Ireland, this character driven police procedural is a must read for crime-thriller fans. Told in two clearly defined and easy to follow timelines 1994 and present day 2024, the story slowly unfolds revealing the similarities in two cases.

The characters are well developed and complex. Julia, the main character is very relatable. This book is suspenseful, well-paced and expertly written. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

Thank you to #Netgalley and the Publishers for the ARC in exchange for a review.

It's 2024, and retired Detective Julia Harte is contacted by a voice from the past when crimes are committed which bear an uncanny resemblance to murders she investigated in 1994. On that night and after, the most terrible things happened which haunted Julia forever. Now, it all seems to be happening again and Julia gets drawn back in to this dangerous situation.

The story is revealed through the different time periods which make for great reader experience as you learn more about characters as well as seeing how the murders connect. The 1994 serial murders and investigation make for compelling reading and there are some subtle red herrings which had me second guessing characters throughout and thinking I had spotted the serial killer when I clearly hadn't. The modern murder story is also good, but it's made by the characters of Julia, Mutt the dog, and her former Superintendent. I love that it is 'older' characters who take the lead here. This is a fast-paced and exciting book, with good characters and plot. Well worth a read.

Excellent thriller. I understand this is a debut and that makes it even more special-so well written.

I couldn’t put it down, we worth a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now THIS is how you write a crime thriller! I am genuinely shocked that this is Amy Jordan’s debut novel - it is so compelling.

We meet retired Detective Julia Harte who has moved to Cuan Beag to escape the nightmares that her career in Cork Gardaí brought her. But with a copycat killer at large, she’s suddenly back in the middle of it all and will stop at nothing to bring them to justice.

The dual-timeline really built the suspense and had me gripped - I didn’t want to put this book down!

Really enjoyed this tense and well-written story. Well developed characters and a twisty plot kept me turning the pages. Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed this police procedural and was amazed to read it’s a debut novel as it kept me on my toes throughout. The plot is an intricate and intriguing one told in both the past and the present and to be honest I enjoyed the parts in the past more than the future ones. The characters were extremely well written and not all likeable and for me that’s always the sign that I’m going to enjoy the read ! I did however get a bit confused at times as who was who but by rereading certain parts all soon became clear and the pace of the book was very good also keeping me guessing throughout.
There are a lot of twists in the story most of which I didn’t see coming and that again is a good sign as when you read a lot of mystery thrillers things can become a bit stale but not in this read I’m pleased to say.
So a read I really did enjoy and I look forward to more from Amy Jordan in the future and can highly recommend this one also.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.