4.5 stars
I always know I'm in for a treat with a Laura McHugh novel. This one was no exception. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole book just wanting to read enough to see if I was right. I have no love for people who twist the Bible (or any holy book) to further their own agenda or control people. Pastor Rick and his church were just a vehicle to oppression of women. That makes my heart sad because there are flesh and blood people who still buy into women as second citizens. I encourage anyone who likes well put together suspense to read this one

I was so excited that one of my most favorite authors, Laura McHugh, and her publisher, Penguin Random House, gave me the opportunity to read an early copy of her latest amazing novel that will be coming out in June! If you aren’t familiar with Laura’s work, this is her fourth book, and all her previous books are wonderful. I made my living as a high school English teacher once upon a time, so I can tell you with authority that she is truly something special. So if you haven’t read ALL her books, you are missing a treat. They are all stand-alone books, and the titles are The Weight of Blood, Arrowood, The Wolf Wants In, and this new one will be What’s Done in Darkness.

The book has a main character who thinks she has escaped the worst of her past, but through (never confusing) flashbacks the reader follows her on her harrowing journey into a dangerous religious cult, relives with her a terrifying kidnapping, and then agonizes with her as she has to try to gather the courage to face her past to reach someone she loves who is still trapped in the clutches of the cult. Along the way, McHugh is a master of characterization and setting; I always find myself completely immersed in her stories and very invested in her characters. Laura McHugh can really tell a story! Do yourself a favor and preorder it today (along with her other books while you are at it). Oh, and you might want to read this one with the lights on.

Another excellent offering from Laura McHugh. Atmospheric and fast paced, this is a recommended purchase for all collections where thrillers are popular.

Nobody does atmosphere like Laura McHugh! I've read every one of her books and part of me is a little sad at how hard this was to put down - because it meant that it was over so quickly! As with her bother books, "What's Done in Darkness" has such great character development. You're quickly invested in both the characters and the setting/story. Through the entire book, you feel as if you're there. I cannot recommend this (and McHugh's other books) enough! You won't regret it.

Laura McHugh's novels never disappoint, and this one is fabulous! This novel looks at a young woman who was kidnapped as a teen while working at a food stand in a rural area of the Ozarks. Years, later, when other young women go missing under similar circumstances, she is contacted by authorities. She returns to her family home for her sister's wedding and the hopes of finding out who kidnapped her and who might be doing this to the other missing girls.
The setting of this book is expertly done--so visual and colorful. McHugh is very thoughtful of her characters and they have been crafted so well.
I'm already looking forward to the next book by McHugh!

Disclaimer: As a lifelong resident of the Midwest, my background may influence my opinion.

Alright, so when you drive down roads in the Midwest and see specs of little farmhouses, scattered and widely dispersed in the distance, do you also think about how easy it would be to murder someone there? ...or make drugs? Basically envision a Walter White-Ted Bundy mash-up of possibilities?

No? Well, sue me. I do.

And apparently, McHugh does too (praise gawd!) and writes about it. Enter 'What's Done in Darkness,' her newest novel which is set to release in June from Random House publishers.

Sarabeth is only seventeen when she is taken. Working a fruit stand selling produce from her family's farm, she's snatched up, kept in darkness for a week, then left at a rest stop slightly bloodied but otherwise unharmed.

Her religiously strict parents did not even report her missing, which she writes off as their thinking she ran away. She'd planned to run away, but that's not really the point; they're her parents. Her family is a vice around her worldly desire to get out and do wild things -- use the internet, drink soda, date, go to college, etc. Her parents plan, for instance, to arrange a marriage for her so she can become a housewife, tend to her husband, and make babies. But no one asked her. So, as a teen, *of course she wanted to run away.

Flash forward five years and more girls are missing. Seeing similarities between the girls' home lives and Sarabeth's during her abduction, Det. Farrow gets in touch with Sarah (who changed her name after being taken) to see if she can help the case.

Thus begins the story of Sarah going home. The search for the newly missing girls continues, but perhaps Sarah's search for her own answers bears more weight on her mind as she works through her trauma while also searching for the girls.

A good mystery, a solid plot, and with multiple options for closure McHugh keeps readers guessing until the end. I recommend you check it out!

**This advanced reader copy was granted to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Some family secrets are cloaked in shadow, others in darkness, and some descend into a pitch black abyss. No one is better at exploring these back alleys than Laura McHugh, whose exceptional debut novel The Weight Of Blood won the ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel. What’s Done In Darkness follows a similar theme as we dig into the life story of Sarabeth from her strictly religious upbringing, through her terrifying abduction at age seventeen, to her young adult mission to save her younger sister from an abusive family and an arranged marriage. A mission that requires she return home, a place she had left far behind, and confront her own painful past. A visit complicated by her alliance with investigator Nick Farrow, who believes the disappearance of another young girl is connected to Sarabeth’s own teenage abduction. The story moves seamlessly back and forth in time and the plot twists are many and clever. Sarabeth is a wonderfully drawn character as are the others that populate this story. The setting is vivid, the plot tight, and the dialog spot on. Laura McHugh is one of my favorite storytellers and this book is the perfect example of why. Grab a copy now. You’ll love it. Then reward yourself by reading her other works.

DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series

This kind of plotline is right up my alley-- past and present back-and-forth, religious trauma, mystery-- and I plowed through this slim little book in approximately one afternoon. Ultimately, it lacked a fair amount of depth (in part due to its length) and never really felt particularly mysterious. A solid 3.

WHAT'S DONE IN DARKNESS, by Laura McHugh, follows Sarabeth, abducted at seventeen by an unknown party, who five years later is asked for help by Nick, an investigator who is looking into similar abductions. Nick sees the current abductions as having connections to Sarabeth's. As Sarabeth returns to the life she left five years ago and as she reconnects with her past, assumptions around her abduction start shifting and the truths become lies and secrets start to bubble to the surface. Sarabeth has to determine what is truth, what is a lie, and what is a secret buried so deep it might be better to never reveal it.
As the story begins, Sarabeth has created a life that is completely separate from who she was pre-abduction. When she returns to her family and community to help Nick with his investigation, she immediately throws up emotional walls and is guarded about everything she says and does. McHugh does a good job of depicting the ever-present feeling of Sarabeth teetering on the edge of control and the reader is constantly in doubt whether she will keep it together as she delves deeper and deeper into her past. At a certain point in the book, once Sarabeth's return is established, the pace slows down almost to the point of boredom, but eventually as the reader heads towards the finale, the pace picks up and the revelations start jumping out faster and faster. The end of the book is exciting and rewarding as the whole truth is revealed.
The middle of the book slows down a little to much for my liking, but I still enjoyed WHAT'S DONE IN DARKNESS a lot. McHugh has a real knack for writing uncomfortableness, in a way that readers appreciate and can relate to in their own lives. A pulse-racing, emotional rollercoaster of a tale.

What’s Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh
Rating: 5stars

Summary: A teenage girl living under strict religious family beliefs after her fathers indiscretion, and moved them to a rural farm is abducted at the family’s food stand. She is freed and set free from her family and as she begins her new life she is asked by a state police officer for help looking for similarities is two missing girls. This helps her unravel her own abduction and begin a life.

Comments: McHugh writes a taught rural noir with great efficiency. The story moves a clipped pace and she does a nice job avoiding getting bogged down anywhere in the novel. I was very excited to be able to receive and early copy and review it. Highly recommended.

Years ago, I purchased a previous Laura McHugh novel, The Weight of Blood. It sat in my TBR pile for years before it ended up in a box that went to the resale shop. What an IDIOT I was! After reading this stellar 5 star story I have since gone and repurchased not only that one but anything else I can find from this author! This is an absolutely GRIPPING, atmospheric and emotional page-turner. Sarabeth is kidnapped and held for a week at age 17. No one believes her, as her family are members of an extremely strict, weird church. What follows is a story that flips back and forth between Sarabeth then and Sara (she has dropped the Beth) 5 years later. Another girl is missing and Sara is asked to revisit what happened to her. The author paints a very vivid mental picture of the desperation of a young girl who just wants a normal life and is stuck living in a fanatical household. This story also brings up the question that sometimes blood family is not always the healthiest option. I loved this and am eagerly starting my other Laura McHugh books now!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Laura McHugh and Random House for granting this much appreciated ARC wish for me!

Kids are in bed, house is quiet. Time to settle in for a nice cozy mystery, right? Ha! Nope! It's the perfect time for a page turner that grabs you and locks you in from the get go. That's what I wanted and that's exactly what I got.
Having read Laura McHugh's other books and absolutely loving them, I knew what I was in for, and I was not disappointed.
The scenes in this book are perfectly set and it feels like the reader is watching from just outside the frame. It was packed full of twists and turns and several moments of "Oh, didn't see that coming. Or maybe I did??" There is an ever-present feeling of trust no one with a lingering need to trust someone.
A true must-read and another great book from Laura McHugh!
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Literary social media is my favorite social media. I don't know where I'd be without Twitter and Insta when it comes to finding my favorite contemporary authors. McHugh's work frequently deals with gritty situations told by authentic characters, a trait I can't get enough of. The Weight of Blood is still one of my favorite titles, so I couldn't wait to get started.

Five years ago, Sarabeth was abducted from the side of her family's farm stand. She was held in darkness and mysteriously released days later, but no one believed her story. Now, forging a new life, Sara finds herself thrust into the past when another girl goes missing under similar circumstances. Farrow wants her to assist with the investigation, but doing so may bring her closer to danger than she's ever been before.

I loved this book.

Told in alternating past and present perspectives, this is really a character study in recovery, faith, and identity. Sarabeth is not trying to be a hero, even though heroic feats are asked of her. She doesn't want fame, recognition, or vengeance. She's not on a mission to bring the person who hurt her to justice. What she wants is peace, to be able to exist in her life without having to triple check locks and distance herself from every person who attempts to get to know her. So often in this genre, we see the bigger, climactic moments: scorned women overcoming obstacles to murder the bad guy. Intricate plots to teach lessons in morality. Revenge, in all its forms. And while there is that desire for answers, Sarabeth's fortitude is much more accessible, and for that reason, I found her to situation to be simultaneously endearing and terrifying. She could be anyone--this could happen to anyone--and safety is a construct.

This is more than just a suspenseful tale of the link between abductions. McHugh's commentary on social issues really struck me in the gut. From poverty to gender roles, we get a stark view of this southern Arkansas community. The examination of religion and its role in shaping not only Sarabeth's identity, but her sister's, mother's, father's, and brother's, is honest and conflicted. The same beliefs that bring joy to some repress others; and what some readers might interpret as "extreme," others will read as normal. Mundane. Part of life. I think this aspect, the polarizing normalities, will be a key discussion point for many readers--and I am invested in that analysis.

Overall, What's Done in Darkness is a taut, smart, read with a bleeding heart. Out in June, add this to your TBRs now.

Big thanks to Random House and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I have read several by Laura McHugh, and she did not disappoint with What's Done in Darkness! Storyline had several twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end.

Another cult type book that is a five star read! I just don’t tire of reading these types of books. This is definitely my favorite book by this author. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next.
The book is creepy and mesmerizing and I loved every word.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advanced ebook copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of What's Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh. Every time I read a Laura McHugh book I devour it quickly and completely, and this time it is no exception. McHugh's writing strikes such a cord; it's prosaic (in an excellent way) that the story is relatable and draws you in, like a familiar friend who is caught up in a mystery and you WANT to solve it for her. What's Done in Darkness will keep you guessing and rooting for the main character as she navigates her strange family and the life she once had versus the life she wishes she could pursue in the future.

I’ve enjoyed all of McHugh’s books and this had an intriguing plot line. Sarah was abducted and then released as a girl 5 years earlier and is called upon by police to help solve the disappearances of 2 other missing girls. As Sarah begins to face her very difficult past, she unwittingly unleashes forces that put her life in peril. This is a definite page-turner with alternate time periods creating an abundance of suspense. The reader encounters many complex characters and it is impossible to figure out who to trust. McHugh is a skillful writer and she successfully puts an original spin on the commonly used kidnapping plot line.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title.

What's Done in Darkness is another great read from Laura McHugh. The store revolves around Sarabeth who was kidnapped when she was 17, and five years later is still reeling from what happened. To make matters more challenging, she was struggling with being a part of her highly religious family, so no one believes that she was kidnapped and that it was her ploy to get away from her family. When five years later more girls disappear that fit the pattern of her kidnapping, she is forced to revisit her trauma and the secrets of what really happened are finally revealed.

The tension created by alternating between Sarabeth at 17 and the mystery of the missing girls five years later makes for a compelling read that had me turning pages late into the night. Highly recommend!

Once again, McHugh has given us a compelling story that is both suspenseful and compassionate. From adolescence, Sarabeth was raised in a strictly religious family. they abandoned the trappings of modern life and moved to a farming community. Sarabeth chafes at the new life in which there is no TV, social media or even the ability to wear jeans. One day, as she is tending her family's farm stand, Sarabeth is kidnapped and, after a period of time, found alone and bleeding by the side of the road. Five years later, Sara (no longer Sarabeth) is still trying to find her place in the world when she is approached by law enforcement to aid in the investigation of another missing girl. While Sara is more than reluctant to get involved, she eventually agrees, and has to revisit her past demons. There are some good twists in the plot and the ending was satisfying. I really enjoyed McHugh's last two books, THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD and THE WOLF WANTS IN and I eagerly look forward to what she writes next.

Seventeen year old Sarabeth is kidnapped from her family farm, only to be found alive on the side of a road several days later. Several years later, a series of similar kidnappings bring Sarabeth back to her hometown to assist investigators. What’s Done in Darkness has a lot of interesting concepts including a deeply religious family bordering on cult-like behavior, a teenage girl who strives for a more normal life, kidnapping and missing girls, to name a few. All of which pull together to deliver an engrossing, quickly paced novel that will keep you hooked.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.