The Darkness Knows

June 6, 2016
Honigford’s atmospheric first novel, a series debut, brings to life the world of radio in 1938 Chicago. Aspiring actress Vivian Witchell, formerly a secretary at station WCHI, now has some small roles in the station’s live dramas. When she discovers the body of elderly—and alcoholic—star Marjorie Fox, early evidence suggests a crazed fan might want Vivian dead as well. Terrified, she spends most of the book trying to show up at work and behave normally while other characters urge her to stay home. That includes Charlie Haverman, a private detective hired to protect her. Their frequent sparring sounds rather more like whining than lighthearted romantic banter. Meanwhile, Vivian’s high-society mother disapproves of her career, a glamorous costar may be using her, and a colleague is out to snag all her roles. Some readers may be disappointed that it requires no sleuthing on Vivian’s part to expose the murderer. Agent: Elizabeth Trupin-Pulli, JET Literary Associates.

July 1, 2016

It's 1938 in Chicago, and radio is king. Vivian Witchell is an up-and-coming voice actress for The Darkness Knows, a popular radio serial. When Marjorie Fox, star of another long-running radio drama, is murdered, Viv must find out who wanted the unpopular Fox dead--because Viv is next on the hit list. Mr. Hart, the station manager at WCHI, hires PI Charlie Haverman to guard Viv, and together the two tackle the investigation. Honigford, who wrote this mystery as a National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) project, excels in capturing the flavor of the golden age of radio and Depression-era Chicago. Vic and Charlie make a charming couple as they feud and fight and then discover they have a lot in common. There isn't quite as much drinking as in Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man, but this duo may be the next Nick and Nora Charles. VERDICT Fans of historical mysteries set in the 1930s will enjoy this delightful debut, which won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense (Unpublished Category).

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2016
Chicago heiress Vivian Witchell plays a supporting character on the popular radio show The Darkness Knows. After the show's star is murdered, a love letter surfaces to the victim from an obsessed fan, who indicates that Vivian's character is another object of his affection. Fortunately, the PI who consults on Vivian's show, Charlie Haverman, has a soft spot for pretty ladies and unsolved cases. He serves as both bodyguard and investigator to the frightened starlet. Charlie and Vivian have great chemistry, and readers will want to see the rough detective and society-girl-turned-actress tackle more Windy City cases together. Honigford's portrayal of prewar American life and his take on cozy crime will appeal to fans of Jill Churchill's Grace and Favor series and Ron Goulart's Groucho Marx mysteries. This debut was a quarterfinalist for an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)