About the Book
Book: A Cry in the Dark
Author: Jessica R. Patch
Genre: Inspirational Psychological Thriller
Release date: February 28, 2023
Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.
But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.
And they’re not talking…
Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder.
As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.
In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…
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About the Author
Jessica R. Patch is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her dry wit, signatures twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down serial killers in her romantic suspense novels and psychological thrillers.
Jessica loves to encourage and inspire people to forward living through her Forward Friday Blog posts and through her monthly email newsletter. You can join the Patched In community at her website: http://www.jessicarpatch.com.
She resides in the Memphis area with her husband, two young adult children, and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.
More from Jessica
A Cry in the Dark can’t be compared to Scooby Doo, but I can thank Scooby Doo for being my first introduction into the world of mystery and all matter of things that go bump in the night. But, in the end, the masks of darkness are always revealed in the light and are exposed. Justice served. This is why I write gritty crime fiction/psychological thrillers outside of my Love Inspired Suspense books.
In Luke 22:53 NLT, they come to arrest Jesus and crucify Him. “Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”
Darkness gets one moment. Just one. When they crucify and kill Him. But we know what happens next! Light bursts out of that dark tomb and victory is ours. We’re rescued in darkness from darkness into marvelous light.
In a thriller, darkness gets its moment. I don’t shy away from those tough things. The Bible didn’t shy away from it! We read about a Levite who gave cruel men his concubine which they abused all night until she died, and then he cut her up into parts and sent her to the tribes! God never approves of darkness, nor does He edit it out or sanitize the people. We see the depravity of humans when walking apart from God all through the Bible. And honestly, I’m glad He doesn’t edit out things I’d rather not see or read about. God works in broken people’s lives and through brokenness to accomplish His redemptive purposes. I’m broken. You’re broken. He can use the righteous as well as the wicked. I need to be reminded that without Him, I could fall into those same traps (not cutting up women but… you know) and I need to know that despite my weakness and brokenness, God can and will still use me!
A Cry in the Dark has some violence and darker subject matter (though it is not graphic in real time) because darkness gets a moment…and then hope reaches in, hears the cries in the dark of broken people, and rescues them. And in the end, that’s what this book is about. A great and powerful rescue mission out of darkness and into light!
My Impressions
“And Reeva knew in that moment, she’d birthed a monster.”
“Monsters can’t be fixed.”
Whew! I made it out of Jessica R Patch’s latest book, A Cry in the Dark, alive! Some characters, due to the nature of this thriller-chiller, won’t.
Violet Rainwater, part of the Strange Crimes Unit, joins her teammates in the hollers of Kentucky to ferret out “The Blind Eye Killer,” who is tormenting his victims before he ends their lives. Violet is good at profiling killers, but her real reason for her career choice is to have better access to tools to find her father. Her background closes her off from everyone, and God wasn’t around when she needed Him, either. She believes the lies she has been told about herself all her life. Will she always be “unloved and unwanted”?
John Orlando is part of the Memphis Missing Persons Unit. He offers his services to the team, knowing he may be able to discover information about his late wife’s tragic death. Will the truth be more than he can handle?
This is the first novel I have read by Jessica Patch. It can stand alone well. Oh, but the willies!! I didn’t bargain for quite so many when I chose this book. But Patch has a way of luring the reader in deeper, into the dark recesses of the human psyche, until you simply MUST place yourself in the heroine’s shoes and figure out the mystery. I loved that a wide variety of suspects is offered up like a smorgasbord. All seem like viable candidates. Patch will have your mind and heart twisting and turning like a wild coaster ride as you attempt to follow the action.
Best of all, though, light breaks through the darkness at the end. God does not stay silent, but as Violet discovers, He was there waiting all the time. “But I couldn’t reach out until I recognized that I needed to reach…and then…I found God had already stretched out His arm to meet mine. He grabbed ahold, and He didn’t let go.”
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
She had never been smart enough, good enough, kind enough, behaved enough…nothing. Even when she went into law enforcement, it wasn’t enough for Reeva. For Grandmother.
“We might start out havin’ to survive, Agent. But we can turn survivin’ into thrivin’.”- Mother
It’s hard to know who you are when you’ve been told for so long who you’re supposed to be.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! Incomparable Psychological Thriller!
Blog Stops
The Sacred Line, May 23
Genesis 5020, May 23
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 24
Walking Fruitfully, May 24
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 25
Betti Mace, May 26
Cover Lover Book Review, May 26
Pause for Tales, May 27
Texas Book-aholic, May 28
For Him and My Family, May 28
Simple Harvest Reads, May 29 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Blogging With Carol, May 30
Blossoms and Blessings, May 30
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 31
Splashes of Joy, May 31
Godly Book Reviews, June 1
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, June 1
Holly’s Book Corner, June 2
Locks, Hooks and Books, June 3
amandainpa, June 3
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 4
JESUS in the EVERYDAY, June 4
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 5
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jessica is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed paperback of Her Darkest Secret!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
father in prison, private investigator Dory Winslow’s determined to look into it. But now someone’s dead set on silencing her. And working with Chad Jaggert—the father of her secret child—may be the only way to survive the treacherous truth about the tragedy that once tore them apart.
Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is a national bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Sourcebooks. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, teen bear cubs affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo, Junie, the nutty terrier, and a chubby box turtle. You can connect with Dana via her website at 
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 