Dark of Night: A Novel (Troubleshooters)

The Troubleshooters are trying to regroup after losing one of their own. James Nash was a much-loved member and it makes sense that his live in girlfriend, Tess Bailey, would be in deep mourning. But it has hit Dave Malkoff and Sophia Ghaffari just as hard and has resulted in something no one would have guessed. Not even the fun loving receptionist, Tracy Shapiro, can find a positive side to this tragedy. Even their team leader, Lawrence Decker, is acting a bit odd right now. Has he really taken right up with Tess? Decker is working on a very secret mission right now. One that very few people even know anything about. There is something very off and dangerous going on with The Agency and it seems to involve several of the Troubleshooters. With the help of FBI friend, Decker is determined to find out just what was behind James' accident. Or was it really an accident. Unusual circumstances have turned what should have been a straightforward and very secret investigation totally upside down and inside out. The Agency is out for blood, can Troubleshooters and all it's members make to the end without shedding much of theirs? Dark of Night begins right where In To The Fire ends. Decker is trying to keep the majority of the team from knowing about the special investigation he is working. I could just imagine his shock that with all the specially trained people he was trying to keep unaware of his movements, the one person to see through him was Tracy. Ms. Brockmann has once again given us a fast paced and very intricate plot that held my attention from the first page to the last. While I can't tell you lots about the plot without giving way too much away, I will tell you that she ends up having not one but three happy endings. As a lover of romantic suspense, I can say that Dark of Night is one book that should be on your must read list. I will be waiting until the next Troubleshoots adventure. Jo Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I found this book at the library, hadn't read Suzanne Brockmann before, was not at all familiar with Troubleshooters/Team Sixteen story, but after reading this I read each and every one of the books and thoroughly enjoyed them all. It is a bit reminiscent of the "Death" series books by JD Robb, only because of the long running "series" aspect, not content. I can honestly say that it was very well written because, while it alluded to the previous stories, it never left me feeling that I didn't understand things because I was walking into the middle of the story, and I appreciate that. I would rather have started at the beginning, but I am very happy to have found this series, however I had to go about it. And now, while my love for Roarke hasn't diminished, there is a small but significant place in my heart for Lawrence Decker, he could leave his shoes under my bed anytime!

I've been working hard (in a good way) to catch up on the entire Troubleshooters series, as I just discovered it earlier this year. I had heard that there was all sorts of controversy with the latest book and with the author, so as I read today, hurrying to finish the book, I kept waiting for...IT. I finished the book and said to myself, "What's all the fuss? That was terrific! Probably one of my favorite in the series." I was thinking main characters would die, cherished couples would break up...I dunno. I had to get online to do research to figure out what had people so upset. So it's the Dave/Sophia/Decker thing?? Like most readers, I initially LOVED the idea of Deck and Sophia finally getting their HEA. I've loved Deck more and more each book. He's the damaged, mysterious hero. Love it. Sophia...I've liked her less and less. It's nothing the author has done. She's just too lovely, and I'm tired of all the guys being madly in love with her. Sophia this and Sophia that. Yeah, there were lots of clues that they'd eventually get together. But hello? There were even more clues that she and Dave would get together. I'm so glad she and Dave got their HEA. I love Dave, and it's totally believable to me that he would be really kick a$$. He was in the CIA, he fights terrorists. He's geeky, sweet, sensitive, AND kick a$$. I initially hated Tracy. I could not stand her in her first book. I was scared that she and Izzy would end up together. To me, her "new" character traits were believable. I think a lot of her annoying traits were acts, and after a couple of years, a lot of experience (including being kidnapped and held in a basement), we're seeing the new, improved Tracy. Brockmann has to change her characters over time...to develop them. And we, as the readers, learn to aspects to each character as time goes on. We wouldn't want all of Deck's cards laid out on the table 5 books ago, would we? No. So I loved the book. I absolutely couldn't put it down. I laughed outloud, cried, and cheered. Loved it.

Despite what many others seem to be saying, I really enjoyed this book. You can definitely see Brockmann's progress as writer here. Her earlier stuff is very romance-novelly, which is fine, but I'm glad to see her do some real character development in this one. She talks about the importance of POV on her website, and I think she's really mastered it. Think back to the early books, and how the SEAL was a fully drawn character but the love interest often wasn't. Ken's Savannah, for instance. She's blond? And from a rich family? That's, like, the sum total of everything I remember about her because she was just "the love interest", but Brockmann has really improved since then, which is great. DON, with it's focus on its two main couples, echoes what is probably my favorite of her books, whatever it's called, the one where Sam and Alyssa hook up for good. I had no problem believing in the directions Decker, Tracy, Sophia and Dave took. Really. Tracy- beautiful girl, sure, but with hidden reserves. We've seen them before, in ITS. Sophia, also capable of being tough when needed, but if she had hooked up with Decker she would have been a victim forever. And so would he. He was in a relationship with her for years, albeit one where they never spoke or spent time together, and it sure never made him happy. I liked the time she took with each of the characters, I liked that there wasn't a lingering bad guy out there, I liked that the Dr. Houseman(?) situation wasn't wrapped up in a neat little bow. So sorry to those who didn't like it, she may not be writing the type of book you're looking for anymore. There's lots of Romance out there that I just can't stomach that sells millions of copies. Every book is not for everybody. But I like the direction this series has taken.

**SPOILER ALERT** Just finished reading and am happily surprised. Beforehand, I NEVER would have put Tracy and Decker together, but I re-read Into the Fire yesterday and saw some inklings of a relationship I'd missed before. Dark of Night wrapped them up for me. I still think there are better ways of handling the best friends/turning into lovers dynamic than how SB presented Dave & Sophia, but it worked a heckuva lot better than I'd ever expected. All in all, very satisfying, great to return to some of the old faces.