Book Review: Maya Banks’ Whispers in the Dark

Posted March 3, 2012 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews

I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Source: the library
Book Review: Maya Banks’ Whispers in the Dark

Whispers in the Dark


by

Maya Banks


romantic suspense in eBook edition that was published by Penguin on January 7, 2012 and has 333 pages.

Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon


Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Sweet Surrender, Colters' Woman, Sweet Persuasion, Sweet Seduction, In Bed with a Highlander, Darkest Hour, Seduction of a Highland Lass, Colters' Lady, No Place to Run, Men Out of Uniform, Red-Hot Summer, Never Love a Highlander, Brazen, Sweet Temptation, "Colters' Wife", Colters' Promise, Echoes at Dawn, Undone By Her Tender Touch, Four Play, Cherished, The Tycoon's Pregnant Mistress, Never Seduce a Scot, Highlander Most Wanted, "Softly at Sunrise", Shades of Gray, Rush, Fever, Forged in Steele, Burn, Colters' Daughter, Colters' Gift, Be With Me, When Day Breaks, After the Storm, Taking It All, Keep Me Safe, Darkest Before Dawn, Enticed by His Forgotten Lover, Sweet Possession, Sweet Addiction

Fourth in the KGI romantic suspense series revolving around the Kelly brothers and their private security operation. The couple focus is on Nathan Kelly and Shea Peterson.

My Take

If you like romantic suspense with lots of actions, you can’t go wrong with this series. The Kellys are kick-ass and loyal. They’ll support every member of the family whether they’re bloodkin or adopted.

This particular story is twisty! With a strong dose of cruel. All of it offset by the love and welcome the Kellys give Shea when they finally find and rescue her. Well, one of the rescues…

Whispers in the Dark has more twists and turns. I sure can’t believe Resnick! What an asshole! WTF was he thinking??? He claims to trust KGI…? He’s known the boys for years…??? Heh-heh-heh, I love what the Kellys do to him.

I suspect the next installment will be Rio and Grace’s romance. Banks drops just enough to tease us about Rio’s background and his sudden need to be sent to find Grace. As though he has some idea of what she’s undergoing.

Hmmm, PJ loves romances, huh? And Marlene has all the boys domesticated…hmmm, I can think of a few people I’d like to send over for instruction…

The Story

Nathan and Swanny are captured and tortured in Afghanistan. Luckily, Nathan’s torment is heard psychically by Shea Peterson who has the ability to take his pain for him. When they manage to escape, Shea, with her sister Grace’s help, manage to heal Swanny long enough for the Kellys to sweep in and rescue them.

That’s only the start of the turn-and-turnabout of Nathan and Shea’s terrifying adventures. Swanny has held his peace about what happened out there in the desert. He’s too grateful to be alive. Nathan, too, is grateful, but terrified that he’s going insane.

The Characters

Shea and Grace Peterson have been on the run for quite some time now. Separately. They don’t dare allow the other to know anything about their current location for fear of having that information tortured out of them. For the sisters have some amazing gifts which some powerful people are very interested in exploiting.

Nathan, Joe’s twin, and Swanson “Swanny“, Nathan’s friend, are both army and prisoners in Afghanistan.

Frank and Marlene Kelly have raised a family of six boys with respect and caring; each son has served in the military. Sam (army), Garrett (Marine), and Donovan “Van” (Marine) have formed Kelly Group International (KGI), a private special-ops group rescuing hostages, blowing shit up, rescuing people from impossible situations based near Kentucky Lake, Stewart County in Tennessee. Ethan, a former SEAL, has joined KGI and he and Rachel are working through her fears (Darkest Hour). Sam and Sophie are happily married (No Place to Run) and the parents of a beautiful baby girl Charlotte. Sarah and Garrett are planning their wedding even as they work through the trauma created by Sarah’s rape (Hidden Away). Joe is out of the army and currently training to join the new KGI team. Rusty, the latest adoptee, is graduating high school!

There are two KGI teams: Rio leads Terrence (probably from the same black ops unit as Rio), Decker, Alton, and Browning while Steele leads P.J. Rutherford, a female sniper who used to be with SWAT; Coletraine, “Cole“, a former SEAL; Dolphin; Renshaw; and, Baker. KGI is in the process of creating a third team with Joe and Nathan. Dr. Maren Scofield is a medical doctor KGI rescued in Africa. She’s based in Costa Rica and the Kellys use her when they need a discrete doctor.

Adam Resnick is their CIA contact who has given them a number of jobs. He’s trusted…wrongly, it seems. Kyle Phillips, a Marine, is leading the team.

The Cover and Title

The cover finds Nathan in camo pants and a black military vest over his bare torso, a dogtag glinting in the light while he holds a gun in two hands, its barrel pointed to the sky. He’s standing on the beach as waves crash ashore with a burgundy and black sky threatening behind him.

The title is too accurate as it’s those Whispers in the Dark that save Nathan.


5 responses to “Book Review: Maya Banks’ Whispers in the Dark

  1. I came into this series fresh and absolutely loved it. What would it have taken for you to give this a 5? I actually want there to be a book about Swanson what character would you like to see again?

    • Well, there’s still Donovan and Joe of the brothers. Any courtship of Rusty’s would be fraught—can you imagine the onceover the boys will give any guy who tries to hook up with her?

      Then there’s Adam. Yeah, I am majorly pissed at him, but what we learn about his backstory in Whispers is pretty intense. I’d like to meet the guy who could takeon P.J… That’d be a good one, LOL. I gotta love her for her guts and her female side. I like Sean, too. He’s gotten short shrift in the last couple of books and he’s a good guy. Acually, I wouldn’t be too surprised if he and Rusty hook up!

      As for what it would take to jump it to a 5? Banks usually has it pretty together in this series and I think I just got mad that she weasled and made it so easy for the “bad” guys to kidnap her. Nathan’s so worried and yet he wanders over to the house??? C’mon…

  2. Well I have to agree Nathan going to the house was just a tab bit obvious lol. Despite this I still loved it and I felt she did a wonderful job with what I would call “tame” paranomal. However I would be disappointed if Swanson or PJ didn’t get a story and which is pretty odd for me. I usual hate series because they are often times too drawn out and never live up to my expectations or I get bored.

    • LOL, yeah, it was almost normal paranormal! No vampires, shifters, OR demons. At least, not of the supe variety! As for series, for the most part, I love them. I like finding out what’s happening in everyone’s lives, how they are evolving, and I also understand what you mean. There are a few series where I just want to be put out of my misery. Just end it for godsakes!!