Audiobook10 hours
The Darkness Knows
Written by Cheryl Honigford
Narrated by Julie McKay
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
Bright lights. Big city. Brutal murder. Chicago, 1938. Late one night before the ten o'clock show, the body of a prominent radio actress is found dead in the station's lounge. All the evidence points to murder.and one young, up-and-coming radio actress, Vivian Witchell, as the next victim. But Viv isn't the type to leave her fate in the hands of others-she's used to stealing the show. Alongside charming private detective Charlie Haverman, Vivian is thrust into a world of clues and motives, suspects and secrets. And with so much on the line, Viv finds her detective work doesn't end when the "On-Air" lights go out. The gripping first novel in a new series from debut author Cheryl Honigford, The Darkness Knows is a thrilling mystery that evokes the drama and scandal of radio stardom in prewar Chicago.
Author
Cheryl Honigford
Cheryl Honigford was born and raised in the Midwest and currently lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her family. The Darkness Knows is her first novel.
Related to The Darkness Knows
Titles in the series (3)
The Darkness Knows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Homicide for the Holidays Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dig Deep My Grave Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for The Darkness Knows
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
26 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cheryl Honigford's first Viv and Charlie mystery brings to life the days of radio serials. As a child, my mother would sit with my grandmother in the dark listening to their favorite radio programs. My mother's was The Shadow Knows, which reminds me of the title of this book, so I was favorably inclined toward The Darkness Knows from the beginning. I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed.As I've already said, Honigford added just the right amount of historical detail to put me right in the middle of the golden days of radio. Radio stars aren't any different from Hollywood stars. Those starting out in their careers are cutthroat when it comes to obtaining the right parts that will get them noticed and lead to fame and larger paychecks. Viv had to deal with this just as much as she had to deal with finding a killer.This leads me to Viv's character. She's a likable enough person, but she's not the girl next door. She's ambitious. She's self-centered. A lot of the things she does in The Darkness Knows are publicity stunts aimed at furthering her career, and she does them cheerfully. Honigford does an excellent job walking a tightrope with Viv's characterization. Viv is nice... but not "too" nice. On the other hand, working class Charlie the private detective I thought was completely likable. If there was anything about these two characters that I really didn't care for, it was the amount of romance between them in the story. That's just not my thing, although I know I'm probably in the minority.Even though I knew the bad guy from the start, I still enjoyed reading this first Viv and Charlie mystery. The period Chicago "radio days" detail drew me right in, and I enjoyed watching how long it took the others to figure out whodunit. Shame on me!
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I received this book as a gift and it looked like it would be right up my alley. A mystery set in 1930's Chicago in the height of the radio age. The lead character is a radio actress, so I thought, "Great, this will be enjoyable." I'm sorry to say that I didn't care for it much. The mystery isn't very difficult at all to figure out. The lead character, I thought, was totally unlikeable and very childish and the writing and plot are both weak. Not to mention that I don't like my mysteries mixed up with romance and all the "sweaty palms and bated breaths" that usually go hand in hand with the genre. I have given the book 2 stars instead of 1 because I did finish it, and I do enjoy that era.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved this quick and light historical mystery. I loved how it took place in a radio station. That was fun to learn more about some of the stars that began in radio. I look forward to learning more about Viv and Charlie in more stories. They were so good together. It was sad to see Viv falling for the slimy actor and she had to learn there is more than just acting. This has a great mystery and is fun and light hearted. I received this from Sourcebook for a fair and honest opinion.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An atmospheric novel set in 1930's Chicago.A radio station broadcasts the serial "The Darkness Knows".One of the stars, Viv, stumbles upon the body of a not very well liked colleague who has a note saying that Viv will be next clutched in her hand.So begins a mystery that Viv and private detective Charlie Haverman must solve before the prediction comes true.Great read!I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Sourcebooks / Landmark via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Darkness Knows by Cheryl Honigford is a Viv and Charlie mystery novel. Vivian Witchell is a radio actress in Chicago, Illinois in 1938. Vivian was a secretary at the station (for Mr. Hart) before she made the move into acting. Vivian is determined to be independent and a big star. One evening Vivian forgot her umbrella and had return to the lounge. She walks into the lounge and finds a body. Vivian screams which alerts the elevator operator and then faints dead away. She awakens in the office of Mr. Hart, the station owner. The body was that of radio star, Marjorie Fox. She was the main character in The Golden Years. After Vivian gets threatened, Mr. Hart hires Charlie Haverman, Jr., a private investigator, to keep her safe and look into the crime. Vivian wants to help Charlie with the investigation. She does not want to stay safe at home with her mother (Vivian comes from a well-to-do family). Can they find the killer before Vivian ends up the next victim?The Darkness Knows was a good concept. I like the time period and the radio angle (different from other novels). However, I thought the mystery was simple and very easy to solve (one clue gives it away). Vivian is trying to be this independent woman but it does not come across. She is from a rich family who live in a big house, have a chauffeur, maid, etc. Her shows of independence are comical (like not using the chauffeur). There are phrases and words in the book that are not correct for the era. There is also some information repeated a few times. I give The Darkness Knows 3 out of 5 stars (it was okay). Vivian was not my favorite character in the book (I found Graham Yarborough entertaining). She is such a contradiction (independent, stubborn and then faints and cries). I thought Cheryl Honigford was a very verbose writer (a nice word for long winded and descriptive). The book seemed unfinished at the end. The crime was solved, but we are left with a couple of unanswered questions. I do not believe I will read the next book in the series (just not for me).I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my won.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Ms. Honigford does a great job taking readers back to an era when the world stood on the cusp of recovery, advancements, and tragedy. My grandparents told me stories of these days and, with my current nostalgia phase, THE DARKNESS KNOWS was a pleasant evocation of those memories. That feeling and her mastery in portraying the era make for a very entertaining cozy. The beginnings of the noir period I so enjoy in books and movies.There were, however, a few things that were disappointing. Viv’s desire and determination to be a modern woman with a career were betrayed, for me, by the way she went about it. There wasn’t as much grit when it came right down to it. It wasn’t necessary for her survival and there were times it came across, for me, that she was doing this in defiance rather than a real resolve to be independent. Her modernity didn’t extend far enough in some instances while going a tad too far in others. Her role in the mystery, while central, had very little to do with its resolution, and one of the most important facets never even occurred to her until much later than it should have.THE DARKNESS KNOWS was a pleasant read, but I’m on the fence as to whether I’ll read the next one.Reviewed for Novels Alive TV and Miss Ivy’s Book Nook Take II