Review: The Dark Hour by Robin Burcell

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harper (November 27, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062133470
• Source: Publisher

FBI special agent Sydney Fitzpatrick, a skilled forensic artist,  has been asked to sketch the composite of an individual involved in a murder. Yet when the witness is murdered just minutes after the drawing is complete, Sydney realizes that drawing is far more important than she could have ever imagined. She is sent to Amsterdam to join Zachary Griffin, a covert government operative, the individual authorities believe is responsible for the murder. The composite she’s sketched looks remarkably like Griffin’s wife, a CIA operative thought to be dead. Occasionally partnered together on missions, Sydney’s willing to risk her life to absolve Griffin of the false accusations.

Meanwhile, a prominent U.S. Senator is assassinated just as he’s about to deliver a rather important speech. Authorities quickly arrest a suspect, a mentally ill individual who has gone off his medication. The evidence against him is quite incriminating so not too much investigation goes into his suicide, just a few days after his arrest.

These two cases at first glance appear to be unrelated, but Sydney soon learns that they are in fact connected. A deadly virus with the potential to kill millions is at threat for release and Sydney and Griffin must race to a Brazilian jungle to stop it.

The Dark Hour is a truly intense novel that, on the surface, has a lot going on. A endless list of characters, seemingly unconnected story lines that all come together in one incredibly shocking conclusion.

The author herself is an FBI-trained forensic artist who has worked in law enforcement for over two decades. Her experience shines through in her novels, readers becoming immersed in a guaranteed thrill-ride of a read. What makes this novel even more tremendous is the story lines are completely plausible, adding another level of fear and suspense the reading experience.

I discovered Burcell’s Sydney Fitzpatrick series a few years ago and was thrilled to learn that she was releasing not one, but two, novels in quick succession. Stay tuned for my review of the next book in the series, The Black List, due out in late December. While The Dark Hour is the third book in this series, readers can easily pick up at any time in the series without missing out on too much. Thank you to Kaye Publicity for “reuniting” me with one of my favorite series!