Book Review: A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis

What an extraordinary find this was! Elsa is a marvelous creation and a fantastic protagonist. After a childhood that was nothing short of horrid, she is bent but not near as broken as she thinks – and it is precisely this knife’s-edge amalgamation of personality quirks that makes her such an amazing investigator for the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment unit. It’s also what makes her such an incredible character, particularly in the hands of a talented writer.

Elsa’s foibles and shortcomings (real and perceived) are painted in vivid, painfully bright colors – as are her successes and excellences. The supporting cast is just as compellingly written, from the major present-day players like her “partner” Lex to those whose role is technically historical (Deb, her mother) but whose ripples threaten the structural integrity of Elsa’s world past, present and future… This combination makes for an engaging story – particularly when the characterization is wrapped around an intriguing set of abductions and secrets that unfold in what feels like real time as you read. It’s a marvelous storytelling style and works beautifully here.

Ellis is definitely onto something with this series, and I’ve already downloaded book two to see how things continue.

Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.