I was sent a copy of The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan to read and review by NetGalley. This is an engaging and quite twisty procedural crime thriller. It comprises of two timelines with the main protagonist being ‘Call me Julia’. Read the novel and you will see why I have not just called her Julia Harte. The characters are very believable and though there is a good deal of procedural content the story doesn’t get bogged down with it. This isn’t the most edge of the seat novel that I’ve ever read but it does have it’s moments and I don’t believe it needed any more. Not quite the full 5 stars for me but almost!

The Dark Hours introduces Julia Harte, a retired Garda pulled back into the fray in 2024 to consult on a chilling case that echoes the darkest investigation of her career from 1994. The dual timelines are masterfully woven, with each storyline equally compelling and perfectly paced. The reveals in both timelines were skillfully executed, with motivations that were as tragic as they were believable. It’s a clever, emotionally charged thriller that showcases real storytelling talent.

Thank you for the ARC.

In 2024, a reluctant former Garda, Julia Harte is forced out of retirement to consult on a murder case that mirrors one she originally solved over 30 years ago.

The Dark Hours had my heart in my mouth at the beginning and the build up of the plot and mystery generally was something which all whodunnit/thriller fans would devour. Julia, as a self respecting Garda and her boss, Des Riordan were loveable characters, committed, courageous, compassionate and no-nonsense - I was rooting for them from the start.

Unfortunately, the plot lacked the punch in much of the high tension/climax moments, and the confrontation(s), which should have been explosive given the incredible build up in the first two-thirds, fell flat for me. The story felt underdeveloped, confusing and rushed in the last 15% of the book which was a shame as The Dark Hours and the writing does hold a lot of promise.

This is a gripping debut and I am looking forward to more from Amy Jordan as this was a commendable read but avid thriller fans may feel underwhelmed. Thank you Netgalley and HQ Stories for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest unedited review.

I enjoyed this book. It grabbed me from the start. There were lots of twists and turns and was quite fast paced which kept me turning the pages.

Told from the POV of Julia Harte a retired dective, we switch between dual timelines (1994 and now) as she returns to her old station to help with a case that has similarities to one from her past.
The action starts in the first few chapters, and the pace seemed great, but then it slowed right down to the point it got a little repetitive, losing my interest until the second half when it picked up again.
I enjoyed the way we switched back and forth time lines, helping to build intrigue, but I kept finding myself more interested in how many % was left and wishing it would hurry up and get to the point. When we finally did, it all seemed very rushed and random.
To be honest, I don't really have an awful lot to say about this one. The writing was fine, but it felt a bit like I'd come in mid series. I don't really feel the build up was worth the wait, and the reveal fell pretty flat.
Overall, an ok read that was gripping in parts, but unfortunately, not one I could recommend.
3⭐️

It was beautifully written and very tense . A gripping read that I enjoyed so much I didn't really want it to end. Looking forward to reading more from this author, I loved the characters and would like to see more novels featuring them.

It’s 1994 and Guarda Julia Harte arrives at quiet housing estate following a lead, the scene that greets her is far worse than she could ever imagine and haunts the remainder of her career. Fast forward to 2024 and we find Julia in a secluded village called Cuan Beag with her little terrier Mutt for company. Julia is living in fear of the night, each day ending with the same ritual of checking the windows and doors are locked and that her golf club and flashlight are to hand. Until on day a call comes in that opens up her biggest fear and drags her back to 1994. Will she live through this again?
This book was so well written, the suspense was built so well whilst throwing in plenty of twists and turns.
I felt the way the book was written from the two timelines really helped me to get to know Julia, it explained why she became the way she was.
I found this a gripping psychological thriller that I could not put down. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a great police procedural story.

Julia Harte was a Gardaí working on a horrific murder case back in 1994 and the investigation changed her life forever. The impact that it had on not only her own life, but also her partner, colleagues and the victim's families led to Julia retiring to a secluded coastal town where she was living almost as a recluse. One day, her peaceful routine is shattered when she receives a call from an old Superintendent who says that two current murders in Cork have a lot of similarities to the now 30 year-old old case. The last thing Julia wants is to get involved but she desperately wants justice for the victims so reluctantly agrees to be a consultant for the new investigation.

I had no expectations at all when I started reading The Dark Hours, but I was totally gripped by the creepy and violent murder scene that Julia witnesses early on in the story. The dual timeline aspect meant that there was never a dull moment, switching between two similar murder cases from 1994 and 2024, building up the backstory and looking at the disastrous effect that the case had on Julia's relationship and her career. I loved the police procedural side of the plot but I also thought that the way the story focussed on the relationships between the different characters gave such a strong sense of reality to it, they were so relatable and the scenes where Julia visited Adrian's family were really emotional.

This was a devastating story, with an unusual setup - elements of classic police procedural, but with a darker psychological thriller feel. Two of the main characters, Julia and Chief Superintendent Des Riordon are at the heart of the investigation in the earlier timeline, but are both retired when we reach the 2024 murders, so that was an interesting twist to a more typical police investigation. Full of twists, full of detail, a complex case with lots of emotion and grit. A fantastic debut!

This is a must read for fans of Ann Cleeves, Lisa Regan and Karin Slaughter - a brilliant book by new author Amy Jordan. This police thriller grabs you at the start and doesn’t let up!
In 1994 Garde Julia Harte and her colleague attend a noise complaint in a sleepy town in Ireland - what happens next changes both of their lives.
Thirty years later, Julia is retired from the police but is still haunted by that day, even living in a very remote village. Then, within days, a convicted murderer is released, and there is what seems to be a copycat killing.
Julia is called in to help consult on this new case. It can’t be linked to the old one. Can it?
This book keeps you turning the pages wanting to know what is going to happen.
Thank you to @Netgalley for the ARC of #TheDarkHours.

Julie Harte has found a perfect place to disappear to. She is living in a quiet coastal town where she feels she can disappear. Thirty years ago she helped bring down and put behind bars one of the most prolific serial killers in Ireland. When she hears about his death in prison she knows he's gone finally. That is until a copycat killer starts murdering people but they left her book at the scene. Who is it and why was her book there? The timeline of the story goes back and forward from present day to thirty years ago.

In 1994 , Julia Harte was a Garda in Ireland who with her partner got a call out to what turns out to be a serial Killer’s murder scene, whilst trying to help one of the victims, her partner becomes another victim of the killer. Fast forward 30 years and Julia has retired and is trying to live a quiet life when the killings begin again. A Great read, real edge of the seat plot !!

This is everything you want in a thriller, it’s dark; twisty & full of suspense. It reels you in from the very first chapter.
One of the better debut novels I’ve read and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Wow! What a book. Full of twists and turns. I loved the switching between time lines, made you think you had it sussed until the end and what a twist. I really felt for Julia and everything she went through, the people she lost along the way.

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for ARC.

Retired Gardai Julia Harte is living a secluded life when she is called by an old colleague. A recent murder in Cork has all the hallmarks of a notorious case from her early years in the force, one that had far reaching effects on her life and career, as well as some of her loved ones. She reluctantly agrees to go as a consultant on the case, and the local force equally reluctantly agree to accept her expertise.
This is so well crafted, with a great exploration of the impact of policing on the detectives involved, their families and the wider public. The strands weave together very well, I think Jordan is to be welcomed as a strong new voice in a very strong field of Irish thriller/police procedural authors.

Word of advice - Don't read at night!!!
This is a fabulous detective novel set in Cork and told over two timelines set 30 years apart (1994 and 2024) and featuring a now retired detective Julia Harte who was in the early stages of her career in 1994 and was on the periphery of the investigation into a serial killer/abductor operating in Cork. Well, when I say periphery... that doesn't last long,
Compelled to return to Cork when a new serial killer seemingly replicating the 1994 murders surfaces and Julia is convinced that there is a link between the two cases.

I loved the two narrative strands as it allowed me to see how Julia developed as a character over those years and to understand how she is today and the long-lasting impact of such a traumatic case on a young inexperienced officer. We aren't often privy to that element of the impact of trauma on lifelong detectives. and it really drew me in.

A strong woman with her own vulnerabilities, Julia, over the years has adopted strategies to look after her mental health and to keep her safe. I mean you gotta love a woman who hates the dark, but keeps a golf club close at hand.... just in case.

This is a combination of a psychological thriller (and boy does it thrill) and a police investigation. It was a delight to see older characters in the lead rolls and the combination of action which propelled the plot forward, high stakes and the tug of heartstrings at the emotional impact of Julia's decision making.
Absolutely loved it!

It's a shame that this is Amy Jordan's debut novel as I really want to read more of her novels! This is a brilliant story that weaves together two horrific murder plots with the personal life of Julia Harte. We meet Julia as she's a retired detective inspector, having relocated from Cork to a smaller, sleepier village in Ireland in a bid to have a quiet, peaceful life. However, the killing of two young women with strong similarities to one of Julia's past cases drags her back to investigating.

She returns to Cork after an appeal from her former boss, Des, despite her misgivings. Her return is the opportunity for us to learn more about her past, the breakdown of her marriage to Phili[p, and how she was personally targeted by a serial killer 30 years previously.

It's such a poignant and bittersweet story. I really enjoyed reading the unfolding of Julia and Philip's relationship in particular because it was so well written and real. Philip, a doctor, wants children and it seems that at some point Julia did too. But as her career in the Garda is developing, she is coming to realise that she doesn't really want to leave all that behind, and so is trying to put off having a big discussion about it. This tension at the heart of their marriage deepens when Julia comes under direct threat as a result of her job, leading to Philip pressuring her to leave the case alone.

A devastating turn of events sees him leave her for good - something that seems absolutely staggering when you read it but manages at the same time to be completely believable.

As with so many crime novels, I think I am more taken by the characters' personal lives and relationships than with the plot itself! However, the plot here is fine and is interesting - as we have two mysteries in one, the first being of the first killer in 1994 and the second being with the motivations of the copycat in 2024. So there is a lot going on and it's utterly readable.

All of the characters are well-founded and, despite the fact that this is a crime/mystery novel, it's also a story of lost love and regret. I loved the ending. And am hoping that Amy Jordan writes some more novels very soon.

The Dark Hours is a psychological thriller set in 1994 and 2004. Julia Harte Is a retired detective, living in a small Irish village with her dog Mutt. When a serial killer dies in the secure psychiatric facility she helped place him in, memories resurface of what she lost ensuring he was brought to justice. Her old Superintendent then calls as a copy cat killer appears to be operating and Julia’s help is needed to stop the murders.
This book is a cut above other novels of the genre I have recently read. The back story of Julia and the trauma she suffered added another level to the already gripping storyline and I hope this will be the first book of a series.

The Dark Hours is a gripping psychological thriller that goes into the complexities of trauma, memory, and survival.
I loved the way it felt like both you and the protagonist can’t distinguish reality from nightmares whilst trying to solve the mystery at the centre of the plot. This book is atmospheric and suspenseful, it kept me on edge with unexpected twists and turns throughout. Some of it felt like a slightly slower burn but you get a satisfying conclusion at the end which thriller fans will enjoy!
Really like this one and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another Amy Jordan!

This detective thriller is set in modern day Ireland where a retired detective is forced to revisit a case from the 90’s that she was at the centre of. I found the switching between timelines well done, it was easy to keep up with them both. I did see one of the big twists coming quite early on, however this did not take away from the reading experience. A solid thriller!

A compelling story about a retired detective being called upon to help with an investigation into a murder which looks like a copy cat of a series of murders from her career past. Having also written an acclaimed book about many of her cases, which is now a required reading text, it soon becomes clear that whoever is behind these killings is targeting her and has committed them in order to smoke her out. Set in Ireland, with flashbacks to the 1990s, the book is engaging, with a good plot and interesting characters.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel in advance in exchange for an honest review.