THE DARKER SIDE
Cody McFadyen
Bantam
Thriller
ISBN: 9780553806946
It is possible that the topics of Cody McFadyen’s first two novels, SHADOW MAN and THE FACE OF DEATH, deterred some readers from exploring the depth, the richness and, yes, the wisdom with which he infuses his work. I’ll get to that in due time, but I wholeheartedly would recommend all of McFadyen’s titles, including THE DARKER SIDE, even if your literary tastes run to a gentler prose.
A warning here: everyone in McFadyen’s books is damaged or flawed in some way, and none more so than protagonist Smoky Barrett, an FBI special agent tasked with apprehending serial killers. She does the job well but at great physical and emotional cost. Her face and body are scarred, and her husband and child were murdered before her eyes. Barrett leads a team of interesting characters, all of whom have their share of pain, weaknesses, scars and secrets. It has been McFadyen’s practice to reveal each of these slowly and vividly. Everyone gets a turn at self-revelation in THE DARKER SIDE, but none more so than Barrett. What is interesting is the manner in which McFadyen carries this out. I cannot imagine anyone reading this book and not seeing themselves in at least a few of the characters, whether they be members of law enforcement, victims, bystanders, or even the eventual murderer. The revelation is painful, but you won’t want to look away.
What is amazing about THE DARKER SIDE is the manner in which this groundbreaking work begins. It is, as noted in the narrative, a variation on the locked room mystery. The adult child of a presidential hopeful is found murdered on an airplane, which occurred during the flight. Barrett’s team, with the FBI Director himself peering over their shoulders, begins its investigation, only to find that this assailant has killed before. His trademark: a silver cross inserted into the wound. Barrett quickly attracts the murderer’s attention. The man, known as The Preacher, has been doing this for a long time, somehow learning the deepest secrets of his victims, then giving them the opportunity to confess and repent before he ends their lives.
Roman Catholics will recognize elements of what was once called the Sacrament of Penance, or Reconciliation. Had he an ax to grind, McFadyen could have turned THE DARKER SIDE into a blasphemous exercise. He does not. It is in fact a priest who not only helps to lead Barrett and her team to the identity of the Preacher, but also provides her with the means to take a few small steps toward reconciling her own actions in the past with the possibility of happiness.
What is stunning is that McFadyen uses a few simple sentences that import a wisdom not just to Barrett but also to the reader. I won’t reveal those sentences --- they belong to the author --- but I will tell you that they have to do with forgiveness. I wish I had read those words 20 years ago, though I am grateful for the opportunity to read them now. At heart, however, THE DARKER SIDE is ultimately a mystery --- a frightening, riveting mystery --- that by its own force of impetus will keep you reading deep into the night.
By turns frightening, inspirational and --- dare I say it? --- heartwarming, THE DARKER SIDE is a study in contrasts and comparisons that will have you considering, and reconsidering, your core beliefs.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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