Waterton is a town with dark secrets, and after a summer of murder and mayhem, American ex-pat, Rich Evans, knows exactly how far people will go to hide them. Jobless after the fiery destruction of the hotel he once managed, Rich is charged with arson. Only one person, local mechanic Louise “Lou” Newman, believes in his innocence. But even Lou’s love and support can’t dispel the darkness that’s spreading through the community. Dead animals appear on porches, strangers threaten the safety of the locals, and a fingerprint from the fire is linked to a decades-old murder.

The lonely border town has a new danger: a murderer willing to do anything to protect a web of secrets that links them to the arson.

As the risk of jail or death increases, Rich turns to Lou for guidance and she finds herself in an impossible position. Lou has her own secrets! Does she protect the border town where she grew up, or side with the man she loves… even if it means she can never tell him the truth about herself?

 

 

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I read first book in the Waterton series, The Edge of Wild, and I enjoyed it so I was happy to read The Dark Divide. After a fire that burnt down the hotel Rich Evans was managing, he is staying with his girlfriend Lou. He’s jobless but he  couldn’t leave town if he wanted to because he’s been charged with arson of the hotel. He’s innocent but feels helpless. He has a good lawyer who thinks he can probably get Rich acquitted, but nothing is 100%.

Police officer Sadie Black Plume has a lot on her plate. She and her partner are trying to find the owner of a fingerprint that was found in the hotel’s basement shortly before the arson. This fingerprint matched one of someone who murdered a policeman in 1970. They believe if they find the person, they may also be the arsonist. Getting fingerprints of the locals who were old enough to commit murder back in 1970 won’t be easy because it seems that few of them will give them up without a warrant. 

So many of the people in this small town have big secrets. And when Alistair comes into town saying he’s working on a documentary, no one trusts him. Waterton is a small town and they only trust locals. Is Alistair’s documentary the only thing he’s after? He sure seems interested in finding out about everyone’s personal history. 

I like Danika Stone’s writing style. Her characters are complex and well developed. Although I didn’t care a lot for Rich in the last book, I liked him better in this one. I didn’t care for the fights between him and Lou though. I know there are people who blow up like that in reality but it has always made me uncomfortable. I just wanted them to settle down and talk! 

I liked the ending of The Dark Divide and learning secrets some of the townsfolk had kept for so many years.

Great quote from the book: 

“Looking at the pattern of yellow sticky notes, pictures, and photocopies, Sadie could see a shape emerging, though she couldn’t yet tell what it was. It reminded her of a black and white photography course she’d taken one summer, shadowy images in the developer appearing by degrees. Investigation worked much the same way: bits of information pulled into focus., shading in an image she’d never imagined.”