The fifth installment of the Ryan DeMarco series is the weakest so far, by a good distance - perhaps it's not fair to compare, though, as the others were all standouts.

After having left Ryan dead on the ground, Silvis restarts by revisiting the cliffhanger and expanding on it to resurrect Demarco, and 'change' him. No quibbles with that obvious starting place. But the rest of the narrative gets bogged down in DeMarco's 'conversion.' yeah, second time I've used those cynical quotation marks. But, to be fair, DeMarco's 'new' personality didn't seem all that different - he's still a brooder, still a creative thinker, still a bulldog with a case, still a deeply opaque person, etc. The 'change' is effected with DeMarco engaging with his after-life experience, and sometimes dipping into a certain ameliorating nihilism - everything is pointless because it's all better when we move on. Honestly, the shift didn't particularly suit him, and was a bit annoying. I'm all for a character growing, but it should make sense and this 'growth' didn't.

Beyond that, the investigation, which usually drives the story and DeMarco, didn't properly get started for nearly half the book. And DeMarco trips into it more than usual.

On balance, not a bad entry in the series, but not one I was moved by. Oh, I'll come back for more, but I hope the next is better. ( )

When All Light Fails by Randall Silvis is fifth in the Ryan DeMarco series but it works well as a stand-alone. However, reading this one is a great incentive to read the other books in the series as well as other novels written by Randall Silvis. Ryan DeMarco is an investigator who gets involved in finding the unknown father of a nine-year-old girl in Michigan. This is a case he cannot resist and, along with his life partner Jayme, he begins the search. Tragedy strikes almost immediately and the case becomes even more urgent. This thriller is beautifully written and is above and beyond the usual mystery: the author deals with near death experience, philosophy etc., making this a thoughtful novel. The plot is original and keeps the suspense alive throughout. Just when you think you have solved the mystery, off you go on another tangent. The characters are compassionate, believable and provocative, making the book realistic. When All Light Fails is a novel not to be missed. Highly recommended. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Complicated case involving DNA and paternity

“When All Light Fails” is book five in the “Ryan DeMarco Mystery” series. I had not read previous books, and past events are mentioned in the current narrative. I was able to follow along with minimal difficulty, but I am sure regular readers will easily plunge into the story. Ryan DeMarco, retired from the police department, now does private investigations. This time a young girl becomes embroiled in a search for DNA proof of paternity.

“When All Light Fails” is a character-driven story; they have depth and purpose, and readers get to know them well. The plot evolves slowly and methodically, but this seemingly easy case becomes complicated, sensitive, and emotional. Secrets from the past emerge that have implications in the present, and there are powerful people who want the past buried forever. The narrative smoothly transitions from one chapter to the next, and the suspense heightens right to the end.

“When All Light Fails” is not exactly action-packed, but there is plenty of drama as well as some romance. I received a review copy of “When All Light Fails” from Randall Silvis and Poisoned Pen Press. This is the first book I have read in this series. I enjoyed the characters, and I am sure I would have liked them better if I had read the previous books; now I have the four previous books added to my reading list. ( )

When All Light Fails by Randall Silvis is a highly recommended mystery/procedural and the fifth book in the Ryan DeMarco series.

Starting off with a shocking, heart-stopping resolution of the narrative left hanging in the previous novel, No Woods So Dark as These (2020), in When All Light Fails Ryan and Jayme take on a new case, but to an even greater extent, Ryan contemplates the meaning of life after a near death experience and the two continue healing. The case starts out as a look into the truth behind the letters Emma, a nine-year-old girl in Michigan, sent to three prominent men. Emma says her mother is very ill and one of the men is supposed to be her father. District Court Judge Emeritus J.D. Morrison is one of the recipients and he asks Ryan and Jayme to investigate the paternity claim. They set off to Michigan and, once they look into Emma and the situation, they take themselves off the judge's payroll and take on the case pro bono to find an answer and justice for Emma. But powerful people like to keep their secrets.

Ryan and Jayme are both still healing, contemplative, and stunned from events that occur right at the start of the novel, as is state police officer Daniella ( Dani) Flores. Adding to the introspective mood of this whole plot is DeMarco's philosophical and pensive ruminations about the meaning of life and our role in it. Due to his experiences, he has a personality change in this novel. This plot allows Silvis the freedom to explore the age old question about the meaning of life and death through the character of DeMarco. While these musings do tend to go on a bit long, they do set the right tone for what may be the final DeMarco novel. As expected, the writing is very descriptive and can be almost poetic at times.

Naturally Ryan and Jayme are well developed characters across the five novels. Those who are reading this as a stand-alone novel may want to start earlier in the series, or at least read the previous novel, No Woods So Dark as These before starting When All Light Fails.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Sourcebooks.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/07/when-all-light-fails.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4140734884 ( )