This is definitely one of the best books I have read in a long time. Darlene L Turner is one of my must-read authors, and has surpassed my expectations for her first trade book. This story is darker than her normal Love Inspired Suspense books, but there is enough faith and light woven throughout to prevent the darkness from overwhelming you. The intrigue and mystery is on-point. The friction between the main characters is engaging, while their attraction is captivating. Ms. Turner did an excellent job of concealing the identity of the killer until the appropriate moment.

Outstanding and fantastic are the first words to come to mind in describing this book. I recommend Echoes of Darkness for anyone who enjoys reading suspense thrillers with a touch of faith. "I could not put it down" is a phrase that honestly applies to this book. You don't want to miss it!

Darlene L. Turner’s best work yet. Definitely my favorite from her. A serial killer in a small Canadian town and the one’s working to bring them to justice will keep you up well past your bedtime.

I received an advanced reader’s copy from Harlequin and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: Canadian Constable Oaklynn Brock was raised by a serial killer, and now she fears a copycat is blazing a new violent trail. Caleb Greene is in a special task force assigned to work with Oaklynn, but he doesn’t trust her because of their previous association. They work together to try and put the past behind them and solve the case.
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Quick Thoughts: For an Intrigue title, this story lacks the true tension that I am looking for in a satisfying Romantic Suspense novel. The killer is essentially revealed in Chapter 1 to allow us to be in their head as a POV character. Problem is, a story with almost zero romantic tension needs something mysterious to drive the reader forward.

Add in that this is Christian fiction so often moments of big emotions and development between a couple are diverted to talking about their relationship with God instead. I know this category line is focused on that, but to a reader who just wants a good Romance, the inclusion of Christianity here doesn’t feel organic as much as awkwardly shoehorned into a totally different kind of narrative.

In spite of the high drama backstories, neither character was very compelling. I struggled to find why they were a believable couple at all. Their love story felt contrived as a necessity of genre instead of a deep attraction. If the romance fails to grip me, the rest has to hit a grand slam - and this one was a strike out.
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Harlequin Love Inspired Intrigue (July 2025)

LEO: yes, FMC is a Constable and MMC is in some Canadian special task force

Setting: Ontario, Canada

Steam/Spice Level: zero

POV: third past, multi POV including antagonist

Standalone or Series: standalone

Religion: This is heavily Christian content. Also includes a religious cult.
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Suspenseful story that may keep you up all night. The good characters against the evil ones. Light vs dark in this page turner not for the faint of heart. This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for me to read. The opinions expressed here are my own thoughts.

Darkness and light fight to be forerunner in this page turning, edge of your seat, gripping, story full of juxtaposition.
While this is not Darlene Turner's usual genre, I sincerely hope she continues to write more faith based thrillers while keeping her LIS stories going.
"We all have darkness within us. We just have to choose to snuff it out!" (Oakland

This Christian suspense story has the main character battling her doubts about God, while the male lead has a steady faith offering a realistic counterpoint between the two. The cult and serial killer threads are compelling, but I would have loved more focus on the cult storyline.

I found this story to be deeper than some of the Love Inspired works I have previously read. It was nice to see Canada as setting for this story. I look forward to reading more works from this author. These are my personal opinions about this book.

For those who've enjoyed Jessica Patch this will be up your alley. It's a Criminal Minds type story with a strong focus on Christian faith.

Oaklynn Brock is a police constable, but she's also secretly the daughter of a renowned serial killer. And after he dies, his protege steps up to continue the work. She's assigned the case along with the help of an outside consulting group called the Watchers Squad. Caleb previously in special forces, arrives to help her with the case, as his background in a cult gives him a special insight into he case. He tries to understand what makes her tick, and what she's hiding from him. When the protege discovers who she really is, the danger amps up for them both.

The trauma and suffering both these characters have been through is immense. There were times I felt like dealt with a little glibly and passed over too quick. I'm often very interested in how the characters process their emotions and hurt. Caleb has a strong faith in Christ, Oaklynn's journey to faith is raw, slow yet very real. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and witness their growth and healing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

A serial killer stalks a small town, and a police officer must face her family’s dark past to catch him! Good book! This book is definitely a Christian thriller! It had the usual, it had good suspense, brutal murders, good characters, mysterious, intriguing, action, and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

When is the last time you finished a story as soon as you could so you could find out what happened ?
As soon as Constable Oaklynn Brock read the article about Doctor Aaron Crowder, the Suicide Slayers' suicide, she dropped her coffee cup - 15 years ago she had turned him into the police.
Oaklynn knew the Suicide Slayer, he was her father, when she turned him in she had moved to Kenorapeake Falls, Ontario and changed her name from Lynn to Oaklynn and dyer her hair blonde.
But now Kenorapeake was having a streak of suicides and Oaklynn was called out to a church where a young 17 year old girl was found with cuts on her upper arm with a note next to her that said "The Light Paragons - join us and spread God's light."
Who is killing young people just like the Suicide Slayer

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I've never read anything by this author before. It was overall a good mystery set in Canada and involving cult activity. It is worth reading and I'll be looking to read more written by her.

Darlene L. Turner (Love Inspired Suspense) steps confidently into full-length fiction with Echoes of Darkness (Love Inspired Trade), an exploration of childhood trauma, survival, and the call to forgive. Constable Oaklynn Brock, once Lynn Jenna Crowder, renamed herself as a child to escape her father’s shadow—the notorious Suicide Slayer. Now in Kenorapeake Falls, she faces a copycat killer, forcing her to grapple with a haunting fear: “Only she could stop them, but first she had to go to a place she’d tried hard to avoid—her father’s serial killer mind.” Teamed with Caleb Greene of the Canadian Watchers Squad, she unravels a cult’s dark influence.

Turner’s pacing is deliberate, layering suspense with an overt Christian lens—Oaklynn battles doubts about God, while Caleb’s steady faith offers a counterpoint. The cult and serial killer threads are compelling, though the perpetrator’s reveal lacks surprise. As a reader who enjoys the Love Inspired Trade line, I appreciated Turner’s shift to deeper storytelling. I would caution that there is an allusion to past child abuse. Echoes of Darkness is a thoughtful story about overcoming evil’s legacy, and I look forward to reading more from this evolving author. (I received a complimentary audiobook for review purposes; all opinions are my own.)