A remarkable conclusion to a series that will be missed.
When Ryan DeMarco agreed to a client's request in determining the paternity of a child that might be his, he had no idea the assignment would turn into a life changing commitment. The history behind the request did not match the conditions as they were observed. As he works toward the truth, DeMarco will display his usual expert skills to do what's best in his judgement and save the innocents. Silvis is well known for keeping his readers anticipating the next book, fans can only hope he's working on another great series.

This is part of a five-book series which I didn't know initially. It is okay as a stand alone book and I feel like there are better crime fiction books out there in comparison. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I should have read the description a little closer because I am not the biggest fan of crime fiction and I felt like the pacing was too slow for my tastes. For someone else this would work

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good mystery/suspense/thriller novel. Recommend

A nine-year-old Michigan girl pleading for assistance in locating her biological father is the only thing that can persuade retired police sergeant Ryan DeMarco to take on another private investigation case. DeMarco and Jayme and their team-mates search more and deeper into the truth. DeMarco and Jayme's investigation may be the most emotionally taxing one yet since there are many individuals who would do everything to stop them from uncovering the truth. This is book 5 in a series and it was the first one I read so I was a bit confused with certain things but it was overall a great mystery.

This was really well written and suspenseful, however I didn't realize it was 5th in a series when I started reading it and I kind of felt like I was missing out on whatever happened previously and also missing out on so much character depth that had already been introduced. But, that was my fault. This book was really an emotional roller coaster and full of twists and turns and powerful moments of jaw dropping.
I wish the author best of luck with this book.

I didn’t know this was the fifth book in a series when I received it. While it worked “ok” as a stand-alone, I probably would have enjoyed it more had I read the first 4 books to have some back story. We follow Ryan DeMarco, an investigator who gets involved in finding the unknown father of a nine-year-old girl in Michigan. He and his partner Jayme begin the search. They are struck by tragedy almost immediately. This thriller is well-written.. The plot is original, I’ll give them that, and keeps the suspense alive. I just wish I had known before requesting the eArc that it was in the middle of a series.

Not a bad read. I have not previously read any books by Randall Silvis but if I did I may have been more into this one. There were interesting characters and it was a quick read. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

This was a very well written novel that really gave me an opportunity to feel the characters and really get to know them. The investigation part was particularly well done. I found myself turning the pages just wanting to read one more chapter. I have never previously read anything by Randall Silvis, but now that I have, I want to read more! I learned this is the 5th book in the series, and now I want to go back and read the others.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free early copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.

I just finished up When All Light Fails (5th Ryan DeMarco Mystery). I was looking for a departure from my last couple of reads, and this one didn’t disappoint. If you are looking for a gritty thriller, check this one out on August 3rd!

Thank you publisher and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I need to stop requesting for books in a series. This is the fifth book in the Ryan DeMarco series, and I haven't read the previous books in the series.

It is a well written story especially the investigation. Gripping and suspenseful! The characters are well drawn too! But the references to past events didn't help. That's on me ofcourse but I would recommend reading it in order. I also felt some parts dragged a bit. It was an okay read.

When All Light Fails by Randall Silvis is fifth in the Ryan DeMarco series but it works well as a stand-alone. However, reading this one is a great incentive to read the other books in the series as well as other novels written by Randall Silvis. Ryan DeMarco is an investigator who gets involved in finding the unknown father of a nine-year-old girl in Michigan. This is a case he cannot resist and, along with his life partner Jayme, he begins the search. Tragedy strikes almost immediately and the case becomes even more urgent. This thriller is beautifully written and is above and beyond the usual mystery: the author deals with near death experience, philosophy etc., making this a thoughtful novel. The plot is original and keeps the suspense alive throughout. Just when you think you have solved the mystery, off you go on another tangent. The characters are compassionate, believable and provocative, making the book realistic. When All Light Fails is a novel not to be missed. Highly recommended. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A complicated case involving DNA and paternity

“When All Light Fails” is book five in the “Ryan DeMarco Mystery” series. I had not read previous books, and past events are mentioned in the current narrative. I was able to follow along with minimal difficulty, but I am sure regular readers will easily plunge into the story. Ryan DeMarco, retired from the police department, now does private investigations. This time a young girl becomes embroiled in a search for DNA proof of paternity.

“When All Light Fails” is a character-driven story; they have depth and purpose, and readers get to know them well. The plot evolves slowly and methodically, but this seemingly easy case becomes complicated, sensitive, and emotional. Secrets from the past emerge that have implications in the present, and there are powerful people who want the past buried forever. The narrative smoothly transitions from one chapter to the next, and the suspense heightens right to the end.

“When All Light Fails” is not exactly action-packed, but there is plenty of drama as well as some romance. I received a review copy of “When All Light Fails” from Randall Silvis and Poisoned Pen Press. This is the first book I have read in this series. I enjoyed the characters, and I am sure I would have liked them better if I had read the previous books; now I have the four previous books added to my reading list.

This is the fifth book in the Ryan DeMarco series, and unfortunately I haven't read the previous books in the series. This book does read nicely as a standalone, but I think I will go read the previous books as well. The book was very well written, and I hope there is a sixth book in the works!

I am a big fan of Randall Silvis and this series but I struggled a little with this one. Silvis’ outstanding writing skills are clearly evident but I found that the philosophical musings of the main character, Ryan, caused the story to drag for me. For those who prefer very in-depth character development to a fast moving plot, this hits the mark. I happen to grow bored when a character’s thoughts go on and on and aren’t necessarily pertinent to the plot. As an example, Ryan experiences a very traumatic near-death experience, which understandably (and realistically) causes him to evaluate his entire life and and purpose and has him also questioning his relationships with others, both alive and dead. I get it and it makes sense, but it was a lot for me. In addition, I found that the resolution of the mystery itself wasn’t the most suspenseful and there were no real twists to give it a wow factor. With that said, Silvis’ writing does speak for itself and the series as a whole is excellent.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Randall Silvis for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was my first Randall Silvia book and the 5th in the Ryan DeMarco series. I wish I had read the other books first, especially the one right before as it ends on a cliffhanger and picks right back up at the start of this one. I feel without reading the previous book(s) that may skew my review as the events of this book, particularly in the beginning, were quite intense for me and I had yet to develop any sort of emotional connection to the characters.
*Spoilers* This crime fiction story is dark and moody. We start with DeMarco and a member of his team getting gravely injured. DeMarco refers to this as his NDE (near death experience) throughout the rest of the book and we get to see how deeply this affected DeMarco and his outlook on life. Flores, the other team member, is now permanently disabled and trying to figure out how she fits in in the world. We get both DeMarco and Flores’ perspectives and I appreciated the realistic mental health issues they both faced.
The case of this book begins with a judge asking DeMarco to find out the paternity of a nine year old girl. But when Jayme and DeMarco meet Emma in person they both feel it’s in everybody’s best interest for them to work for Emma and not the judge. When Emma’s mother passes away both are ready to step in to parenthood, but when both Emma and her grandmother are killed in a targeted carbon monoxide poisoning, the team will still at nothing to find out what happened.
Even though DeMarco no longer works for the Pennsylvania state police, I would still classify this as crime fiction. Silvis focuses on DeMarco and his character development just as much as the plot, at times even more so. If you’re looking for pure crime fiction without the emotional aspect this one is not for you. I felt throughout this whole book, and even had a bit of an emotional hangover after.
I will say this seemed more geared toward a masculine audience, but that could simply be from both a male author and main character.
This book was gritty and without the typical twists of a normal thriller. The plot developed slowly but strongly. I found this to be more slow-paced and there were times I felt it dragged on. Silvis didn’t shy away from the dark reality of life, but showed what everyone involved has to go through in the pursuit of justice.

Thank you NetGalley, author Randall Silvis, and Poisoned Pen Press publishing for giving me a free arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
This is the final installment within this amazingly thrilling series.
The premise of this novel captured my interest and I as a began to read the story, I was hooked from the very beginning! The story surrounds a private investigator, Ryan DeMarco, as he tries to solve a new case involving a 9-year-old girl searching for her birth father. As investigator DeMarco begins his investigation, the cases shifts from a seemingly simple case of finding a parent investigation into a more deadly mystery.
The author did a great job balancing out the mystery and the action throughout the story. I had not read any of the previous novels within this series. With that being said, I had no problems connecting to the characters and investing in the story. While this book seemed to be a little long, the writing and pacing made the story seemed fast-moving and held my interest until the very end. I was continually trying to guess where the investigation would lead as well as how it was going to be revealed and solved. I would recommend this book to those who like investigative mysteries. I am definitely going to read the other books in this series. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

I wish I had read every book in this series before taking on the final one. I did read the first and the penultimate books, so the characters and the situation were familiar. This book had a different feel than either of the other two I read. This book takes up exactly where the last left off and I kept thinking it would have been more effective as one long book. This was the ending of that book. What happens after. An epilogue in full book form. Every decision made was directly related to those last/first moments of the two books. DeMarco sees makes decisions throuhgout this book that finally decide who he is going to be for the rest of his life. So, in that way, it seemed like a new beginning instead of an end.

As you can see, there is a depth to this book I was not expecting but was thrilled to read. I wish there was more to this series coming.

This book has everything - thrills, great characters, evocative setting and a wonderful pace. I really enjoyed the writing style, which drew me in and had me turning the pages so I literally finished it in a sitting. Highly recommended for thriller fans.