Holding Back the Dark: Reviews & Testimonials

Holding Back the Dark is a psychological thriller so real and well written it’s like the reader is literally a fly on the wall. And that is a frightening place to be as the novel follows the disturbing deeds of a serial killer as he is tracked by an FBI profiler with an obsession to find the killer she has been after for years. This is as well written novel as I have read. The detailed descriptions of the people and places will have the reader sitting for hours without looking up. There are times his writing takes some dark turns and you might want to look up but you won’t be able to. The research done by the author to create reality is impressive. It is this research along with his talent that will keep you up and not wanting to turn the lights out.

Maria Heinen

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Amazon Review

I rarely have them. However, as I was coming awake one recent morning, in that halfway state between sleep and consciousness, I was filled with dread as I recalled a recent, very disturbing thing that had happened to me. What a huge relief when, after a few moments, I was awake enough to realize that it had not actually happened. It was a nightmare! What had I been reading before falling asleep the night before? Holding Back the Dark by John David Bethel. So…do you want to have nightmares? Of course you do; that’s why you read books of the murder-mystery-inspired by-true-events genre, of which Bethel is clearly a master.
Donn Flipse

Bethel makes you care about his main characters and the struggle that they face to unravel the mystery and solve the investigation. The story takes several twists and turns with Bethel teasing ahead and revealing just enough new detail that it keeps mystery readers like me guessing to the end. I highly recommend this novel and this author.
L. Ray

The author guides us through this novel while inserting into the story different groups that are affected by the negative consequences of the murders. Law-enforcement, the business community, the news media and politicians all respond to these consequences in ways that are meant to help the community in general and simultaneously further their own self interests, hence the authors long history of involvement in politics makes it possible to put this all together into a story.  The way these different groups interact with the serial killer and his path of destruction are woven into a storyline that makes for compelling reading. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the authors next work.
Gary Lee

Readers Love Holding Back the Dark

Holding Back the Dark: Synopsis
Buy: Holding Back the Dark