Synopsis

Even the strongest of families aren’t immune to malice, betrayal, and deceit. Supportive, loving, and affluent, the Pierson family is delighted to celebrate the marriage of sensitive middle son Paul Pierson and his wife, Pamela. Everyone rejoices that Paul has finally recovered from the tragic loss of his beloved first wife and looks forward to Paul and Pamela’s new life together. But just as family members are celebrating his happiness, they start noticing that his beautiful bride may not be what she seems.

As the strain between siblings and spouses worsens, the Piersons discover that neither their money nor their considerable influence can keep the family safe from one woman’s malicious intent. When the true nature of this family member is revealed, each of the Piersons is confronted with the quandary of human conduct and moral responsibility.

Darkness and Grace is a compelling story of the classic struggle between good and evil, as well as the violent undercurrent running beneath the illusory serenity of a close-knit Midwestern family.

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A Note from the Author

Darkness and Grace was inspired by real-life events involving my family in the early 1990s. Each time I would discuss the true occurrences, people would comment, “This is a great story. You need to write a book.” After initial trepidation, I recognized this was not only a story worth telling, but it was one that comes to an author only once in a lifetime.

Originally published in 2007 under a pseudonym with the title Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace, this book is a work of fiction. To write the narrative, I employed aspects of historical fiction, using authentic news accounts, world events, settings, and descriptions involving entirely fictional characters. Darkness and Grace is of the domestic thriller genre in which familial relationships can prove to be far more dangerous than the world at large.

Review

I am always intrigued by stories that are inspired by true events and this is one that you might expect to see on 20/20 or Dateline. I know that this probably happens more than I realize, but I guess I lead a sheltered life where I don’t know anyone that has had to endure a gold-digging spouse and the aftermath of that relationship.

This is a close-knit family so I can only imagine how hard it is to watch one sibling be sucked into a life with a destructive spouse. Pamela seems to take her role as a gold-digger to a new level and Paul isn’t the first one this has happened to with her. Kay is Paul’s sister and while this is told from her point of view, we do see how the situation impacts everyone in the family and how they react to Paul and Pamela’s life. As always, there are red flags that everyone seems to ignore.

There is so much drama surrounding Pamela and perhaps that is the way that she likes to keep situations so that she gets what she wants in the end. However, the rest of Paul’s family isn’t going to let that happen. They have too much at stake including the family business.

This book made me cringe only because it goes against my moral compass when it comes to Pamela and her selfish attitude. I was disappointed that Paul didn’t stand up to her but perhaps he knew he got in too deep and was just trying to keep things peaceful for the sake of his daughter. There is a major twist at the end I didn’t expect and it was very surprising but looking back, we see how it all came about.

This story pulled me in and had me wondering what could Pamela possibly do next? The answers sometimes surprised me.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Kathryn Schleich has been a writer for thirty years. Her most recent publications include the short story “Reckless Acts,” featured in After Effects: A Zimbell House Anthology, and her story “Grand Slam,” published in The Acentos Review in May 2017. She is the author of two editions of the book Hollywood and Catholic Women: Virgins, Whores, Mothers, and Other Images, which evolved from her master’s thesis. Her guest posts have been featured on the Women On Writing blog, The Muffin, and she writes for the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation’s volunteer newsletter. When she’s not writing, Schleich is likely volunteering in the education and arts communities in the Twin Cities, where she lives. Friends, family, good food, wine, and traveling are important aspects of her life.

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