Book 3 in the McCabe and Savage Thrillers.
Maybe the secular readers don't mind the excessive cussing and sex scenes or maybe they've just become used to it. Publishers shape readers. If a publisher decides a novel needs more of this and less of that, their editors comply and the novelist must decide how much they're willing to do and/or compromise. Most authors are willing to do whatever it takes to get their books published. Unfortunately, many good stories are cluttered with foul language and salacious sexual scenes. Mr. Hayman's novels fit this category. Very good stories not only cluttered but littered with garbage language and sex. I checked the Amazon reviews and there were only a few one-stars, but each of those complained about the language and sex, discarding the story because of their excesses.
It's said that the excessive use of profanity is a result of lazy writing. I would agree. Profanity is far more explosive when limited and its effects can be suggested with as much power as the actual use of the words. The inclusion of explicit sex scenes are generally unnecessary and create a type of pornographic element to the story.
Having said all that about Mr. Hayman's novels - and I've read three in this series - I think it's a shame that a writer as talented as he is in creating these mysteries with two interesting main characters in McCabe and Savage decides to muddy his stories with ugly language and voyeuristic sex. I really don't want to "hear", visualize, or read about other people's sexual escapades other than understanding they have them. Beyond that, it's just pornography.
Darkness First lets us see Maggie Savage up close. Takes us to her hometown, lets us meet her sheriff father, his wife (Maggie's mom passed away), one of her brothers (Harlan) - the black sheep of the family - and allows us to watch her work without McCabe until she finally calls him for assistance. A young woman visits Maggie's best friend Emily who is a doctor. When the woman can't get what she needs from Emily, she leaves but is discovered by the person from whom she's running. There's an horrific scene when he finds her, and when Emily steps outside to see if she can help, she's run down in the street by the same person.
The ongoing investigation in which Maggie can only peripherally assist takes some riveting turns in both the mysterious and the emotional involvements. People keep turning up dead with zero real evidence left behind but made to look like what it's not. Maggie's gut is telling her that all the "evidence" is not what it seems, and as the case progresses, there's a nagging suspicion of who the perpetrator is. When she turns to McCabe for help, he arrives to give her back up and the support she didn't realize she needed.
McCabe and Savage are well-developed characters and strong for each other, loyal partners. Their attraction to each other stays in the background most of the time but can't quite be ignored. Maggie is faced with a lot of emotional challenges on this trip back home besides the brutal murders and the injuries to her friend. McCabe is the strength she needs and counts on maybe too much. He wouldn't have it any other way.
With a satisfactory ending Darkness First presents another good mystery - giving clues a little sooner as to the killer but stretching out how to catch this clever evil one.
Father, you know the hearts of us all. We can hide nothing from you. Please continue to give insights to James and lead him to yourself. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.