⋙ [PDF] Gratis Into the Black Nowhere An UNSUB Novel Meg Gardiner Books

Into the Black Nowhere An UNSUB Novel Meg Gardiner Books

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Into the Black Nowhere An UNSUB Novel Meg Gardiner Books

I've read every single Meg Gardiner book, starting with her first publication ("China Lake") back in 2008. I devoured her two series, with Evan Delaney and Jo Beckett, and then her standalone books (though I preferred the ongoing characters in the series). And now we have a new series, the Caitlin Hendrix series. Can I get a "yahoo" from y'all? We met Caitlin in "UNSUB," the gripping and gritty first book of the series, which introduced Gardiner's new star, a cop soon to be an FBI agent. "UNSUB" took our breath away with the gruesome murders reminiscent of the famed, and still-unapprehended, Zodiak Killer. But this second book in the Caitlin Hendrix series dazzles for another reason. Simply put, Gardiner has written a flawless piece of thriller fiction. There is murder, of course, but that isn't the hallmark of the book. It's the psychological tension that carries the book. There is a new villain in town, and Hendrix has his number. She just has to nail him. Well, enough of that. Read the book. Gardiner continues to hone her craft and artistry. This is Gardiner's best book yet.


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Into the Black Nowhere An UNSUB Novel Meg Gardiner Books Reviews

If you're a fan of “Criminal Minds” or seen the movie “Silence of the Lambs” you're familiar with the BAU and the term “unsub”. Meg Gardiner has authored an UNSUB series using the FBI profilers as her major characters.

Unlike “Criminal Minds” Gardiner doesn't spend a lot of time focusing on the personal lives of the FBI agents, although there is some of that. Caitlin Hendrix is the Clarice Starling of this novel. She's a rookie FBI agent recently assigned to the BAU, which basically hunts serial killers. Her boyfriend is a fellow agent working on a bombing case in California. She doesn't see him often enough.

Blond women are being killed, centering on Texas and New Mexico, but gradually moving north. Caitlin gets a tip from a woman who thinks an ex-boyfriend may be the killer. She says he set fire to his apartment after an argument; she was saved by his roommate.

The bad guy likes to clothe the bodies in baby doll nightgowns, and this guy had a picture of the woman asleep with a white nightgown cloaked over her body. Gotta be the guy, right?

Let's skip ahead to a preliminary hearing where Ted Bundy seems to have risen from the dead. If you remember that case, Bundy, a law student, was so good looking he had groupies at the trial. I don't think they were willing to overlook murder, though, so this part of the book seems like kind of a stretch. This hearing occurs about half way through the book so you know a twist is coming. The guy also seems able to be in two places at the same time; the BAU thinks he might have a partner. If you watch closely you may be able to guess who that is.

The woman who sent the tip, eventually becomes a target as does her daughter, who's in college in Portland, Oregon. Emily just happens to be a member of a female rugby team. Have you watched a rugby game? Do you know what a scrum is? Gardiner seems to have an agenda. Her female characters aren't afraid to take on guys in physical confrontations. There's a scene toward the end that'll have you on the edge of your seat, and it's between a female FBI agent and the serial killer.

There's one thing wrong with a mystery series. If you've seen a likable character for several books in a row, you're not too worried about he or she getting snuffed, unless Cormac MacCarthy is doing the writing, and he doesn't write serials.
This is the second book I've read by Meg Gardiner and it's the second book with a serious case of too-muchness. 

To be fair, Into the Black Nowhere is toned down compared to its predecessor, Unsub, which introduced us to the character of Caitlin Hendrix as she faced down a serial killer who enjoys antagonizing her family almost as much as committing horrible crimes. Unsub works like a checklist for overblown finales (1) a connection with the serial killer that makes it personal, (2) an isolated showdown in an improbable setting, (3) family members or loved ones in grave danger, (4) a final twist to jolt readers, and (5) leave the door open for something about this killer to come back to antagonize our hero again like her own personal Lex Luthor. 

Perhaps Into the Black Nowhere feels more subdued than the overly theatrical Unsub because its finale isn't trying to do (2) or (5), and it only does (3) in a tangential way. It still only feels like half of a really good mystery/thriller--which is exceedingly frustrating. Gardiner has it in her to write a book on the level of Red Dragon or The Silence of the Lambs, but she always spoils it by overreaching in the end (Michael Connelly did the same thing with The Poet, which is almost a perfect mystery/thriller until it goes for too many final twists). 

Into the Black Nowhere is also unlike most mystery/thrillers because Hendrix identifies the bad guy within the first hundred pages (that's not a spoiler, by the way. It's in the description on the dust jacket). The suspense comes from whether or not she's going to prove it or whether or not the bad guy will be able to get revenge on her. But with more than two hundred pages left, I thought to myself "either there's going to be a twist about who the killer is (or how many of them there are), or he's going to escape and lead police in a race against time, or both." You can probably guess which route Gardiner goes, and the book suffers for it. 

Still, Gardiner is a solid writer for the most part, and Caitlin Hendrix is a solid protagonist. Both books in the series have been good enough for me to put aside my quibbles and look forward to the next installment. I confess that I'm nervous the next book will be very overblown given the way it's set up here (and the promise to return to Unsub's unresolved antagonist), but I'll definitely be reading it--and ultimately, that's all that matters. 

If you like procedurals like Criminal Minds, the Unsub series will be right up your alley. The DNA is very much the same, which makes it unsurprising that CBS has optioned it to adapt into a television series. 

Grade B-

You can check out more of my reviews on SupposedlyFun.com
I've read every single Meg Gardiner book, starting with her first publication ("China Lake") back in 2008. I devoured her two series, with Evan Delaney and Jo Beckett, and then her standalone books (though I preferred the ongoing characters in the series). And now we have a new series, the Caitlin Hendrix series. Can I get a "yahoo" from y'all? We met Caitlin in "UNSUB," the gripping and gritty first book of the series, which introduced Gardiner's new star, a cop soon to be an FBI agent. "UNSUB" took our breath away with the gruesome murders reminiscent of the famed, and still-unapprehended, Zodiak Killer. But this second book in the Caitlin Hendrix series dazzles for another reason. Simply put, Gardiner has written a flawless piece of thriller fiction. There is murder, of course, but that isn't the hallmark of the book. It's the psychological tension that carries the book. There is a new villain in town, and Hendrix has his number. She just has to nail him. Well, enough of that. Read the book. Gardiner continues to hone her craft and artistry. This is Gardiner's best book yet.