I first off want to thank Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of What Darkness Does for reviewing.

At first, I was skeptical of this book based on knowing who the killer is right away, but it actually surprised me! I was more drawn to this book than I realized. Once I put it down to take a break, I felt the need to pick it up again to find out what was going to happen on the next page. The book has pros and cons.

Pros
- Short chapters. As a mom I benefit greatly from short chapters and truly appreciate them.
- I am drawn to each character and their part in the story
- I liked the writing style
Cons
- Grammar issues throughout the book (hopefully these will be fixed before release date)
-Multiple viewpoints. When I say multiple, I mean multiple (over 5). But, unlike other books, it kind of works in this story.
-No backstory when introducing new characters. At first this was confusing to me because I was like "wait, who is this now?!" but with how the book flowed, it made sense, and I came to terms with accepting it. Just know, going in, that this is a thing. It'll make reading and understanding it easier.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to someone who loves investigative novels!

#WhatDarknessDoes #NetGally #BlackstonePublishing

“What Darkness Does,” by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush, is book 5 in her Coroner’s Daughter series. Although this book can be read as a standalone, it is helpful to have read the previous books since
It helps to more fully explain the various ongoing relationships. Coroner Dr. Emily Hartford investigates a string of murders in the vicinity of her small town in Michigan. The murderer is rather relentless and at one point I started to feel a little overwhelmed by his rampage. Eventually, the book develops the story of Emily’s longtime boyfriend Nick, who has escaped a harrowing experience while working for the FBI. There are some lighter moments when Emily helps her niece Flora to learn more about forensic investigation. Unlike previous books, I feel this book is more gruesome but it’s inspired by a true crime. As with her other books, this one does explain some interesting technical details, specifically about conducting an autopsy, performing a grid search, and genetic investigation. This book was a page turner and had plenty of action. I enjoyed the book and will continue to read this series.

I enjoyed the story and the main character, Dr Emily Hartford. It's a huge cast of characters rotating in and out and it was somewhat confusing til it started to come together. The only character I had trouble with was the FBI agent. I didn't care for him at all. Otherwise, this was an entertaining mystery that held my attention til I finished it.

Thank you, Blackstone Publishing, for providing the copy of What Darkness Does by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush. This book was uneven for me, both in the story and the writing style. I wavered between loving it and being bored. I wasn’t thrilled with how the book started with a bunch of character introductions without much context, because it was confusing, and those characters didn’t make much of an impression. I loved Emily’s relationship with her niece, and how she was interested in learning about forensics. It felt like the book ended abruptly and too easily after everything they did to find him. If you’re already reading this series, you will love this book. 3 stars

What Darkness Does by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is a thriller novel that I really enjoyed. However, as a word of caution, there are some scenes that are graphic and brutal to read and a couple of bad language words. One thing I enjoy about mysteries is discovering who the villain is. What feels cheap to me is when the author shows who the villain is. Personally, I like to see clues and see if I can find out who this person is before the end of the novel. What Darkness Does is a novel where early on, the readers will know who the person is and will watch him brutally hurt several people along the way. Even though I prefer to guess, the readers will have the chase of wondering if the villain will be captured and how. As for the heroine, Emily, it was nice to catch up with her again. This time, if readers are familiar with all the stories in this series, Nick takes on more of an important role in capturing the villain. I enjoyed the story and the chance to capture the villain because there were plenty of moments of action and suspense, which is the way I like my thriller stories. I do recommend this book, and I am excited that there are more to come.

I received a complimentary copy of What Darkness Does by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush from Blackstone Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

I don't have the correct words for how much I love this series by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush. She has developed Dr. Emily Hartford into such a compelling and emotional lead character. After getting the shock of her life (Nick!), Emily is back at work serving as the county medical examiner. At a secluded lake, she determines that the victim drowned under suspicious circumstances... as she investigates further, she learns the victim, Samantha, had an infant daughter who is now missing. As always, Emily dives into the case with Detective Aditson whilst dealing with her emotions of Nick's re-appearance and the trauma he's been through. In addition, Emily's niece is interested in following in her footsteps as Emily helps train her, as her Dad trained her. I am so grateful to Blackstone Publishing for an advanced reader of this book. The opinions expressed are my own. Do yourself a favor and get hooked on Dr. Emily Hartford!

Called in to investigate the body of a young mother found floating in a small Michigan lake, Freeport coroner Dr. Emily Hartford quickly determines that Samantha Browdey was murdered. Among the many questions circling this horrifying event is one that yanks hard on Emily’s heartstrings: Where is Samantha’s infant daughter? Working alongside police detective Isode Aditson, Emily becomes ferociously determined to find the missing baby, Brooklyn! Great book and series! This book had chilling suspense, mystery, murder, dark secrets, and some shocking twists! The storyline was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

In her job as a coroner, Emily has to deal with many tragic situations, but the death of a young mother and that woman’s missing infant has knocked her for a loop. If that wasn’t enough, her boyfriend, an FBI agent believed, dead, has returned after a year of being imprisoned and tortured by a serial killer. Changed by his horrific ordeal, he’s not the man she remembered, and he is out for vengeance. This is an intense and emotional thriller.