#BookReview: The Dark Side of the Road by Simon R. Green

The Dark Side of the Road by Simon R. Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Country House Murder Mystery with a Supernatural Twist

Ishmael Jones is someone who can't afford to be noticed, someone who lives under the radar, who drives on the dark side of the road. He's employed to search out secrets, investigate mysteries and shine a light in dark places. Sometimes he kills people. Invited by his employer, the enigmatic Colonel, to join him and his family for Christmas, Ishmael arrives at the grand but isolated Belcourt Manor in the midst of a blizzard to find that the Colonel has mysteriously disappeared. As he questions his fellow guests, Ishmael concludes that at least one of them not least Ishmael himself - is harbouring a dangerous secret, and that beneath the veneer of festive cheer lurk passion, jealousy, resentment and betrayal. As a storm sets in, sealing off the Manor from the rest of the world, Ishmael must unmask a ruthless murderer they strike again.

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I thought that since I just got an eARC of the fourth book in the series "Death Shall Come" was it about time I got the review written for the first book in the series. As usual did I not start this series from the beginning, I have a special talent for starting in the middle or so in a series and with this one did I read book two "Dead Man Walking" first. And, I loved it! And, now I have read all three books and can't wait to start book four.

The Dark Side of the Road was nice to read since it gave me the full story of what happened at Belcourt Manor. I read a lot of what happened in the sequels, but it was very nice to get the whole picture. Ishmael Jones arrives at Belcourt Manor after getting an invitation to join the Colonel to spend Christmas at Belcourt Manor with him. The mysterious Colonel and Ishmael work together, but they never really socialize together and the Colonel also hints that something is wrong at his family home and that's why he is returning for the first time in years. But, when Ishmael arrives is the Colonel missing and his family and guest are a really odd bunch of people. And, could it be that the Colonel is right, is there someone there out to kill the people at the manor? It gets even worse when they all get snowed in...

If you read more of these books will you start to notice a pattern. Ishmael Jones travels to a mysterious mansion/castle etc. to solve something, and it often ends with a lot of dead bodies. The first sentence in the blurb "a country house murder mystery with a supernatural twist" is very fitting. That's what it is and if that's what you're looking to read then you will like this book. It has a very interesting main character; Ishmael Jones who has a mysterious past. I quite like him and his partner Penny, although in this book they are not yet partners. The book has a lot of action, banter, and brutal killings. Perhaps it's not that hard to figure out or suspect who the killer is, especially when more and more of the family members and guest starts to die, but it's such an enjoyable book. Personally, did I like this book a bit extra because I wanted to read how Ismael and his partner Penny met.