Recently in
a Sisters in Crime presentation held in a local library, I chanced upon Laurie
Stevens who authors the Gabriel McRay series of psychological mysteries. “Dark
before Dawn” is the first in the series. Her main character is male and broken
by past events in his life. This story is told in multiple viewpoints.
This is done
in the suspense genre, a sub-genre of the mystery/crime family. A suspense
story has a strong and logical structure. This is so to be able to hold an
inner and outer story. The outer is the series of events presented to the
reader with the secondary inner story showing the conflict within.
Stevens has
chosen to use the male viewpoint. She does a fair job. She must have spent time
observing and trying to figure out what maleness is. Femaleness and maleness
are not interchangeable in my opinion.
It is a bit
choppy on transitions in places.
Stevens is
writing in the genre of psychological suspense. Her characters are flawed not
super heroes. That fact makes for an interesting story. You will get
emotionally involved and start to root for the characters.
Every
suspense story should have a crisis. The crisis here is enhanced by the
psychological state of the main character as I have mentioned above. We are fighting the monster within and the monster without. It grips you and is hard to read just one
chapter. You must find out wat happens next.
As required
for suspense writing she starts with a crisis and intensifies the pressure on
the main character. Her secondary characters: the psychiatrist, the girl friend,
the boss, are well developed. The
viewpoints of the protagonist and the antagonist are given, heightening the
suspense. This makes it a can’t put down type of a story.
Stevens seems to have control.
As this is
the first in a series it may seem to be heavy on the background of the
situation, but most if not all first books in a series must provide the
foundation on which the rest of the books will grow. I feel Stevens does a good
job in this area.
I would recommend
this series based on this one book. I plan to read through the series, so I am
looking for a good long period of enjoyment.
Still she
has done three in this series, so someone must be doing okay. And somehow, they
are finding their way into libraries.
She used
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform to handle this book. I advise
against self-publishing, As I see it, it is done by people who lack confidence
in their skills. That may explain the gaps in transition and the flashbacks in
strange places.
The
copyright is 2011.
