Once again, H.K. Christie proves she’s a master of the genre with her latest book, Hidden in the Dark—a story that’s impossible to put down. Her storytelling mastery shines in every chapter, weaving intricate plots and keeping readers guessing until the very end.

The book opens with a heart-wrenching scene: Mike Jr. and his father, Mike, share a lighthearted moment before dinner, only for their lives to be violently shattered by an unexpected visitor. The family is left broken, with only the mother surviving.

The narrative alternates between Val, Brady, the killer, and a mysterious secret admirer. These shifting perspectives heighten the tension and pull readers deeper into the unfolding mystery.

This series is tailor-made for fans of gritty, intelligent thrillers. Christie’s writing rivals—and even surpasses—many popular TV crime dramas, making Hidden in the Dark feel ripe for adaptation. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, you’re missing out on one of the best thrillers in recent times.

A family sits down to dinner, only to have it interrupted by an unusual knock at their door. The entire family, including a 12 year old boy, have been shot, though the mom is clinging to life by a thread. Retired FBI agent Val Costa is called in to assist the local police in learning the truth about who would want to kill the family. As she discovers more of the dad's dark secrets, the mom regains consciousness and begins to remember bit and pieces of the night of the attack.

Though this is the third book in the Val Costa series, it stands alone fine without having to be familiar with the first two titles. There is plenty of suspense as the investigation proceeds, and not everyone is who they claim to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

WOW! This was such a fannnnntastic read! This book had me from the beginning and I could not put it down! Packed full of thrills and chills! I loved this book and will be purchasing this copy as soon as it comes out!

Fast-paced crime-solving thriller. Easy read, though I felt the dialogue was boring and the writing kind of mundane. Val is great, except for the fact she is constantly telling people that don’t work in law enforcement all the details of a case. I don’t know if I would recommend this book to others, unless they already liked the author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Hidden in the Dark is the third novel in the Val Costa series and although I haven’t read the previous two, I was given enough of a back story that I could still enjoy this novel. It started off as a pacy thriller, a family is attacked in their home and Val is seconded back into the sheriff’s department of Red Rose County to assist with finding the perpetrator of this brutal attack. I felt the pace dropped off slightly in the middle section but I was still keen to read on. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

This one starts off just ripping your heart out. I look forward to Val Costas life coming back into mine. I love the foundation that has been built with these characters. There are several undercurrent story lines that we are unraveling book by book and it really gives these books something extra.
This one was terrifying and full of suspense throughout. A fantastic read and I can’t wait for the next

H.K. Christie does it again! This novel grabbed me from the beginning and even when the unraveling came together – my mind was like noooo way!! I love the main character Val – she thinks on situations and then pieces them together before you. She is also a family person intwined in her sons and mothers lives, and doesn’t kick them to the curb for the sake of a career – shows you can have both. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC #HKChristie #ValCosta #HiddenintheDark #NetGalley

Just another amazing read by H.K. Christie! You will fall in LOVE with her series if you take the chance, I promise you! Law & Order type vibes, but with characters you fall in love with and can’t WAIT to see what happens next in their lives.

•brutal murder
•obsession/stalking
•mob hitman
•new identity

Val Costa gets to join the Red Rose County Sheriff Crew yet again in solving another local murder in their small town. A family of three was murdered, but the wife/mom Shannon, ends up surviving. No one knows why someone would want to kill this quiet, suburban family— a father and their teenage son. There’s something strange of how the father, Mike, was murdered. He was murdered brutally, but his wife and son were drugged and then shot to make it a quick death. At first Val and head sheriff Brady think it’s drug related. Once they come to a dead end with the drug cartel, they are lost on where to go. That’s until they do some digging into Mike’s past, and that’s when they find the hard truth about his early life. It’s a crazy plot twist that’ll keep you guessing!! (I don’t want to give too many spoilers away)

Thank you for the opportunity to allow me to read an ARC on this, H.K. & NetGalley! Keep them coming!! 😻

After reading the 2nd Val Costa book, I felt the plot was too similar to the first book. I’m happy to report that this book had a fresh new plot! All of her books have an easy writing style especially given the tough topics. All of the characters, except the bad guys, have redeeming qualities. I’m especially glad that Val isn’t a narcissistic, self-entitled drunk like so many of the female law enforcement figures portrayed in other books! I feel like one, important underlying theme has outlived itself, but that’s no biggie. I will continue to read her books!

This is the third book to the Val Costa FBI agent series and just keeps getting better! From the very first page of this book, I was stunned, mesmerised. Written with a ferocious passion that'll knock the wind out of you!

Five out of stars , there's just something about this series that I'm loving and can't wait for the next book, wither it's the story line , the characters, or how the author tells her story , it just reaches out and grabs you and the next ring you know your hooked .

5/5 ⭐️

HK Christie has done it again. Another fast pace fbi crime thriller. This is the third book to the Val Costa FBI agent series. Where Val who in this book is former fbi agent and is contracting with Red Rose county sheriffs department and working along side Deputy Brady.

She helps work on cases also while trying to find out who the bear is from the first book.

This book kept me interested the whole time which I absolutely loved. And the ending makes me feel all kinds of emotions because there has to be a fourth book to the series coming??!!!!

Definitely recommend this series if you are a thriller and fbi crime junkie.

I was gifted this ARC. HK Christie does it again with book three of the Val Costa series! I CANNOT wait for book four.

Val and Brady team up again for a gruesome murder of a local father and son and attempted murder of the wife. This case had *layers*. Val kicked butt yet again. The twists were twisting. I am so excited to see where this series goes. I need more of the admirer. I thought we were finally going to get some action from that guy. I don’t want to give away any more details but #teamvady #teambral. Give the people what they want Christie!

Former FBI Agent Val Costa has settled nicely - and maybe a little bored - into her Mom's home. Helping her recover , she's aided by her Mom's best friends. However, she's searching for something to do with her time, and also track down the serial killer she managed to escape from. Just then, Brady (the deputy sheriff) knocks on her door to call her back into investigative mode. A family has been brutally murdered in a nearby county, and the mother is clinging to life. Val jumps in leading the investigation with Brady and learns about the family... they kept to themselves, seem like good neighbors, and no one has any idea why someone with so brutally murder this family. Then, a burner phone is located in the father's car - and the case takes off full speed ahead. H.K. Christie has such a deep and smart character in Val Costa - I keep hoping the author with link her with Martina Monroe at some point. Absolutely a fabulous read - and I cannot wait for the next installment! Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

Hidden in the Dark is a fast paced detective mystery set in Northern California. Val Costa, former FBI, gets pulled into a case with the local sheriff department when a grizzly murder of a family is found. The young son and wife are found with single gun shoots, the wife clinging to life unconscious.

So begins the case, Sheriff Brady tapping into his friendship and feelings for Val to get assistance in tracking down the killers. It is a good puzzler, unpredictable bad guys, and a win for the lawmen in the end. This short book includes a side story about a past case involving Val, coming back to haunt her leaving a cliffhanger ending. A definite hook to get you into the next book.

Val Costa is drawn out of retirement once again to help out on a horrific case. A man murdered, a child murdered and a mother is fighting for her life. Well holy damn she has done it again. I am completely sleep deprived because I couldn't put the book down and even after I finished reading my mind was still processing everything that happened! I absolutely LOVE this series! I can't seem to get enough of Val Costa and family/friends and the author always keeps the cases high suspense building and fresh.

This is the first book I've read featuring Val Costa and I shall be going back to read the previous two in the series. It can be read as a standalone book with no problem at all.

It is a disturbing crime which shocks law enforcement and the community alike. There is also an ongoing back story which is explained in enough detail so as not to confuse.

On the whole I did enjoy this read although at times I found my attention wandering, I couldn't put my finger on why although Val does appear quite indiscreet which I did find irritating.

There is plenty of detail and red herrings to keep you turning the pages on the whole.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC which was very much appreciated.

the third book in the series

I have loved going back into following Val in Rose County this time shes dragged into working on another case a murder on a family. I like how in the frist few chapters we have a recap of sorts of what has happen in the previous books. I like how Brady has come along and his development in this book made me smile.

I love seeing The Sercret Admiers view of all the going on evne thought at times this creeps me out knwoing how close he is.

I couldn't but this book down once i started it


Trigger Child Death, Drugs, Violence,Stalker
#BookSeries #ThrillerReads #CharacterDevelopment #MysteryNovel #RoseCounty #PageTurner #CrimeFiction #Suspenseful #IntensePlot #MustRead
growth

This is the 3rd book in the series, but the second I've read (somehow missed book 2, but it's on my wishlist). I don't think it mattered as apart from a couple of sentences regarding the case previously it was a standalone case. It does have a recurring villain as a back story, but it tells you basics of him. This book was sad at times, but the team searched for clues to the murders, though the killer wasn't obvious, nor was the motive. I enjoyed the first book and this book didn't disappoint. I will be going back to read book 2

Third book in this series featuring Val Costa,now retired from the FBI.. A good read with plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing.