James Scott Bell's Try Darkness ~ Reviewed

Try Darkness
By James Scott Bell
Published by Center Street
ISBN-13: 978-1-59995-685-5

Back Cover:

Ty Buchanan is living on the peaceful grounds of St, Monica's, far away from the glamorous life he led as a rising trail lawyer for a big L.A. firm. Recovering from the death of his fiancée and a false accusation of murder, Buchanan now prefers offering legal services to the poor and the underrepresented from his "office" at a local coffee bar called the Freudian Sip.

A mysterious woman with a six-year-old daughter comes to him for help. She's being illegally evicted from a downtown transient hotel, an interest represented by his old law firm and former best friend, Al Bradshaw. When the woman ends up dead, Buchanan is determined to find the killer and protect the little girl, who has no last name and no other family. But he soon finds that he must depend on skills he never needed in the employ of a civil law firm to keep himself and the girl alive.

Review:

Wow! A master plotter, James Scott Bell is no slouch at character development either. I was drawn into Buchanan's world by the rich descriptions as easily as a child into a candy store. Try Darkness is filled with the twists and turns that mark a JSB novel. Having fallen in love with Ty Buchanan, I chewed more than a few nails to the quick as I turned page after page. He is a character who needs a series. Try Darkness is a must-read for anyone who loves fast-paced legal thrillers.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan

Bonus Review:

Try Darkness is one of the best legal thrillers I've read. Better, than Try Dying because Dying was melancholy and Ty's sarcastic bent was darker. In Try Darkness, Ty is more inclined to hope. He's still cynical but he's beyond the rough grief.

I love Ty and his quirky band of people. Sarcasm, bad guys, legal maneuvering and a hint of romance make this an entertaining read. The influence of those who love God and Ty's struggles with what he believes or doesn't believe make Try Darkness an honest and compelling yet inspirational read.

Murder, violence and evil are very present in the novel. Those who are very sensitive may struggle a bit. Legal thriller lovers, mystery lovers, folks who devour multi-dimensional characters and those looking for a great story will find much to like. Bell is a master. I am looking forward to what happens next in Ty's life. Based on where we left off in Try Darkness, it's going to be good.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer