At Dusk

At Dusk. AshleyNicole. 2020. 209 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.]

In her latest release, AshleyNicole features Harlan, a seasoned FBI investigator whose career was sparked by a personal tragedy when he was a teen. Now, he finds himself reliving the tragedy when the case is reopened with him as a key investigator. In the process of hunting down a serial killer, he meets Torrah, a woman whose family has also been impacted. The two have a rocky introduction; that they’d turn into romantic interests was definitely not a foregone conclusion, which makes their connection more interesting to follow.

If there are two genres I read voraciously, they’re definitely romance and mystery/suspense. I’m at a point where I can usually suss out the culprit before it’s revealed in the story. While that was the case here, it wasn’t obvious. I enjoyed the author’s approach, which made the investigation feel much like a puzzle being put together. There were several pivots that were unexpected and an eventual revelation that was satisfying. This is absolutely a story that you have to pay attention to — the devil is in the details, literally.

AshleyNicole has been on a release spree recently. Many of the previous releases were shorts, but At Dusk is a standout among others in her catalog. It’s not often easy to successfully juggle two subject areas without shortchanging either. Here, she was able to craft a realistic suspense while simultaneously building a budding relationship. More than that, though, neither completely overpowered the story. The balance was such that if you were tired of reading romance, you would be steered back into the investigation within a few pages. I appreciated that because I was definitely invested in seeing the crime solved.

I give At Dusk my recommendation with a caveat. The plot may be triggering for some readers due to its depiction of violent murder and sexual assault. However, if , you’ll be in for a treat.