The Dark Guest is the first book in Sarah Hamaker’s series, The Cold War Legacy. Violet Lundy enjoys her friendship with Rainer Kopecek, an elderly resident of the assisted living facility where she works.
When he dies unexpectedly, she suspects foul play. Her path crosses with Dr. Henry Silverton, who teaches and writes about the Cold War.
Armed with a few clues from Rainer and with danger dogging their heels, Violet and Henry must uncover the truth before their lives are snuffed out.
The Dark Guest is a thrilling tale of the lengths people will go to prevent their secrets from spilling out.
I admired Violet for striving to find justice for her elderly friend, especially with the trauma of her own past threatening to destroy her new life. I liked the way she saw Henry and seamlessly slipped into his life.
Henry had his own challenges to overcome, but he was fiercely determined to uncover the truth and ensure that justice was served.
The Dark Guest was an enjoyable read, but I do wish Violet had taken more definitive action in her personal life to resolve her family issues. Instead, the book ends without that being resolved, and there’s the sense that it will continue.
Readers of The Dark Guest will be reminded that God works things out in His own timing. Also, though it may seem as if God is distant because so many bad things happen, He wants to walk alongside us and offers us a chance to have a personal relationship with Him.
If you enjoy woman in peril or scarred hero tropes, check out The Dark Guest.
About The Dark Guest (The Cold War Legacy)
When Violet Lundy isn’t cleaning rooms at Happy Hills Assisted Living Facility, she loves spending her free time with resident Rainer Kopecek. Hearing his stories of the dangerous life he led behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin makes her own life seem more tolerable. But when Rainer is found dead and his room in disarray, Violet suspects foul play.
Dr. Henry Silverton lives among his books, teaching and writing about the Cold War. A letter about an East German traitor known only as “The Wolf” propels Henry out of academia and into Violet’s life. Together, they embark on a perilous quest to uncover the truth about Rainer’s death and the traitor’s identity.
Can Violet and Henry uncover the secrets of the past before one of them ends up as The Wolf’s next victim?
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About Sarah Hamaker
Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s written romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books, as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes.
As a writers coach, her heart is encouraging writers. She’s a member of ACFW; ACFW Virginia Chapter; and Faith, Hope and Love, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts.
Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four teenagers, a preschool foster child and three cats. Visit her online at sarahhamakerfiction.com.