Rachel Reviews: When the Darkness Swallowed the Sun by Robin Newbold

Thailand, known for its beautiful islands and beaches, is thought as easily accessible if you want a taste of the East on the cheap. But often what is considered idyllic can be too good to be true and that's what Robin Newbold shows in this novel - that what you can see on the surface is most definitely only part of the picture; there is most assuredly something else lurking and it is not smiling at you. In fact, it might be stalking you, after whatever it can get.

When Dan, a reporter, is called upon to investigate the deaths of two young people who have been bludgeoned to death on Coconut Island, we are thrust into a world of corruption and cover-ups. We follow him as he tries to find out the truth of what happened but Dan himself is troubled. Married with a young son, Dan has escaped to Thailand to start a new life but can he shake off the past and is Thailand the best place to begin again?

The ongoing search for the killer, which twists and turns its way through the book, takes Dan deeper and deeper into a seamy world of sex, drugs, violence and exploitation. But Dan is also searching for his truth: his true sexuality and what he's made of in terms of moral fibre, integrity and courage.

Danger follows him throughout the book and Newbold introduces nefarious characters, Dan's meeting with them propelling the action, as Dan follows whatever leads they provide.

What particularly struck me about this book was Newbold's descriptions. He captures Thailand's essence: it is attractive as a holiday destination and a backpackers' dream but it is also a place that is seedy, where constraints on behaviour are either absent, allowing people to be used in the worst ways; or are being enforced by those in power, to suppress those who are fighting for change.

And more than that, Newbold's depiction of Thailand means it dominates like a character of its own; in some ways, with more presence than the hero, Dan. It is that sense of Thailand that I will take away predominantly from this book: of it being a beautiful creature, sleek and attractive, which will beguile you into thinking that it welcomes you and is your friend, only to find out that it has ensnared you and it's ready to wound - or worse.

Rachel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery where I was privileged to read it as an ARC: