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Children From Dark Houses (An Atticus & Rosemary Mystery Thriller Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Carlyle Clark (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 119 ratings
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Do you like daring heroes, dark humor, and despicable villains?

"Fantastic detective novel." - BookReader 
 
Atticus Wynn and Rosemary Sanchez feel danger closing in from all directions, but without them a vulnerable boy will be left to the mercy of a woman who has none.

When Atticus and Rosemary agree to find a missing child, they discover a family seething with rage, an abused boy desperate for love, and a secret so powerful it shines a floodlight on the dark world of dirty money, deadly spies, and double-crosses.

It will take all of Atticus's street smarts and Rosemary's combat experience carry them safely down a road of blood and broken people to save a boy who could be the biggest danger of all.

Children From Dark Houses is the first novel in the Atticus &Rosemary Mystery Thriller series. If you like wild rides with crazy characters and laugh-out-loud moments, you'll love the first novel in Carlyle Clark's page-turning series.


What Amazon readers are saying:

★★★★★'Mr. Clark manages to combine true comedy with pure thriller.'

★★★★★'Believable dialogue, non-stop action, surprises and fun along the way.'

★★★★★ 'Carlyle Clark has completely won me over with "Children from Dark Houses" and his wonderful main characters.'

★★★★★ 'It'll grab you by the throat and squeeze hard.'

★★★★★ 'The book is a pure rush front to back.'

'★★★★★'The action in"Children of Dark Houses" is non-stop.'

★★★★★ 'Great action with wonderful characters.'

★★★★★ 'The story's pace just continues to rise until you feel you're swept along dark, dangerous, yet compelling twists and turns of characters, motives, loyalties and values.'

★★★★★ 'Carlyle Clark's writing is fast-paced with unexpected twists. He skillfully creates complex characters.'

★★★★★'Excellent read!'

★★★★★ 'This is one of the best books that I've read in a while, and cannot recommend it enough to someone who loves suspense, mystery, and hilarious banter.'


Buy Children from Dark Houses today and start a series you'll hope will never stop!
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  1. Book 1 of 1
    An Atticus & Rosemary Mystery Thriller
  2. Print length
    320 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    June 1, 2016
  6. File size
    858 KB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Children from Dark Houses by Carlyle Clark is thrilling and funny at the same time. Nonstop action, gritty dialogue, and down-to-earth descriptions make this one mystery you're not likely to forget." - Charles Ray author of The Al Pennyback Mystery Series

"The P.I. protagonists, Rosemary Sanchez and Atticus Wynn, are smart, inventive, funny and immensely likeable, especially Atticus. I can't wait for the next installment!" - Cynthia Hamilton, author of Spouse Trap and A High Price to Pay

" . . .a page-turning, spellbinding, thriller with some witty clashes, out of the blue twists and turns, and an ending that will leave you flabbergasted."-Vivienne Diane Neal author of Deception in Plain Sight

"A great thriller, from beginning to end." - Karin Rita Gastreich author of The Silver Web Series

". . . the standard of plot and writing is of the highest. I enjoyed this novel immensely." - Diana Hockley author of The Susan Prescott Mystery Series

"Here are protagonists you love to love and antagonists you love to see they get what is coming to them. Believable dialogue, non-stop action, surprises and fun along the way . . . think this author is off to a terrific start and he has a series that will keep his readers looking for the next installment." - V.Williams

"I will be picking up the previous books in the series. These are people that I actually liked. I could imagine being friends with them in real life. Recommended." -Anna-Marie

"This is a dark tale which contains laugh-out-loud humor. Carlyle Clark's writing is fast-paced with unexpected twists. He skillfully creates complex characters. I look forward to reading further Atticus and Rosemary mysteries." - Susan Carpenter

"I really enjoyed this book, it not only had suspense, murder, intrigue, and love but it tickles your funny bone at the oddest places . . . I definitely will be buying the other books in this series." - Roger J. Benz

"Great crime novel! It's well written with an exciting plot that isn't predictable." - mr. waffleiron

"I loved this book, the story got me right away and I could hardly stop reading, I finished the book in a day . . . I love Atticus and Rosemary and the chemistry between them and how well theywork together." - annamarie gardner

From the Author

Q & A with the Author

Q - With all the great mystery thriller series out there, what makes the Atticus & Rosemary series stand-out? 

A - Writing these, I was determined to conjure stories like the ones I love, dark and violent yet somehow still often humorous, and driven by heroes with heart and courage and a sense of justice that's not always in line with what's legal. Crime stories like that had me devouring countless private investigator novels, thrillers, and pretty much any series with a detective, public or private, but especially those with characters driven to do "the right thing." 

Atticus and Rosemary embody what Raymond Chandler described in his essay The Simple Art of Murder: "But down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid . . . He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor, by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it." It is crucial to me to have a woman who lived up to this billing, perhaps even more so than the man, and Rosemary more than fits that bill. 
Q - What order should I read the series in? 

A - I suggest you read the series in the chronological order below, but each works as a standalone. Be sure not to go by publication order; the series was not published in chronological order. 

#0 - A Nice Jagged Edge (An Atticus & Rosemary Mystery Thriller Series Prequel) 
#1 - Children From Dark Houses (An Atticus & Rosemary Mystery Thriller Series)#1.5 - There are Degrees to this Darkness (An Atticus Mystery Thriller Novella - coming soon) #2 - The Black Song Inside (An Atticus & Rosemary Mystery Thriller Series) 

FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01EGK533I
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Branch & Crane; 1st edition (June 1, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 1, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 858 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0988586967
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 119 ratings

About the author

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Carlyle Clark

Carlyle Clark

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For more about Carlyle and his novels please visit: www.carlyleclarkauthor.com

Carlyle Clark was raised in Poway, a city just north of San Diego, but is now a proud Chicagolander working in the field of Corporate Security and writing crime and fantasy fiction. He has flailed ineffectually at performing the writer's requisite myriad of random jobs: pizza deliverer, curb address painter, sweatshop laborer, day laborer, night laborer, security guard, campus police, Gallup pollster, medical courier, vehicle procurer, and signature-for-petitions-getter.

He is a married man with two cats and a dog. He is also a martial arts enthusiast and a CrossFit endurer who enjoys fishing, sports, movies, TV series with continuing storylines, and of course, reading. Most inconsequentially, he holds the unrecognized distinction of being one of the few people in the world who have been paid to watch concrete dry in the dark. Tragically, that is a true statement.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
119 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Glenda
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Fun Duo Fuels Great Thriller!
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2016
Verified Purchase
It didn't take me long to sink into the fun of reading this book, even though the topic of trouble youths and dysfunctional homes gives us the darkness from the title. For a writing style, since this is my first book from Carlyle Clark, I felt some connection to top author Walter Mosley's, PI Investigator, Easy Rawlins... He and Atticus would sure get along! LOL

Atticus and Rosemary are in business together, but are also lovers, which adds a bit of spice and loving feelings as each can often be found worrying about the other when the job has called for them to separate.. And this one certainly did. Not only were they tracking a young boy who had escaped from an "academy" for rich, troubled kids, but they soon found that the parents were truly the troubled ones! The Khans were constantly fighting and the wife was an alcoholic who abused Imran. When he retaliated and attacked his mother, he was immediately sent to Barringon Academy.

Then when he escaped in less than a week and the Academy contacted the police, Mr. Khan practically went crazy...and then hired the PIs to handle the search...

And that's when the fun began... After Atticus had talked with the Chancellor, he knew that the man would expect to be involved with all interviews...which wasn't going to happen...so Atticus went...rogue...and did, indeed find out information that would benefit their search...

Only to be followed when he finished at the Academy. Who would be following him this early in the investigation? It was time to get Rosemary involved, calling her to meet him...

Whoa! Would you believe there will soon be bikers coming into the mix...and Rosemary does exactly what Atticus had warned her not to do...she went into the biker's lair and confronted the leader! Gutsy, but she barely made it out! Then later there's one awesome scene where Imran's mother takes on one of the bikers!

Then there are the main characters who just happen to be involved with Imran's efforts to escape... Yep, it's going to get real complicated and Atticus and Rosemary are separated often...and wind up in dangerous situations with no backup!

You've got to read this one to believe how cool everything keeps going even when things look realllly bad! I loved the complexity of the story line and think that many of you will too! Do check it out!

GABixlerReviews
One person found this helpful
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Charles A. Ray
4.0 out of 5 stars It'll grab you by the throat
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2016
Verified Purchase
PI Atticus Wynn and his partner Rosemary Sanchez will do anything to save a damaged boy who has run away from a home for wayward youth and is now missing. To do it, though, they have to deal with two professional killers and an outlaw biker gang. The main question is, does the boy deserve saving?
Children from Dark Houses by Carlyle Clark is thrilling and funny at the same time. Nonstop action, gritty dialogue, and down-to-earth descriptions make this one mystery you’re not likely to forget. Atticus and Rosemary make an unusual pair, playing off each other effortlessly as they drive the main streets and roll in the muck and mire.
It’ll grab you by the throat and squeeze hard.
6 people found this helpful
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Chris
3.0 out of 5 stars it was ok, this is the first i read ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2018
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it was ok, this is the first i read by this author. not sure i will read more of this series, just too much repetion.
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Michelle Shealy
5.0 out of 5 stars Children From Dark Houses....
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2016
Verified Purchase
"Imran's mind drifted toward what fate Sabellia had planned for his parents, and he shook his head, as though that simple act of denial could negate the obvious truth. He felt himself withdrawing, trying to escape reality. It was all too much. Everything was wrong and every bit of it was his fault.".....

In the first book of the Atticus Wynn and Rosemary Sanchez detective series, we find them taking on the case of a missing teenager, Imran. He's escaped from his current school, Barrington. Barrington is mostly for the teenagers whose parents are at their wits end with their delinquents. There is more to his story than just a wild teenager on the run as you will soon see.

Imran's family has secrets. It will bring danger to Imran and those trying to help him. An outlaw biker gang and a couple people trying to be hit men are soon added to the mix. Can Atticus and Rosemary help find him? Or will they decide maybe he needs saving from those that claim to love him?Who is the mystery woman who seems to have deep control over Imran? Is she the reason he ran? To her or from her? What secrets is she harboring?

Lots of action, a few close calls for all involved. Lies and deceit made for an intriguing story. Atticus and Rosemary have made some serious enemies.

Steady paced, crime, mixed in with some dark humor and great characters that come alive on the page. I really enjoyed this book. Not your usual private investigators. Interesting backgrounds that just make them a great pair.
3 people found this helpful
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Ann Deprés
4.0 out of 5 stars A Dark, Witty Tale...
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
I would like to begin by apologizing to the author for taking so long to write this review. I was given a gift card (very clever marketing strategy) and asked by Carlyle to review this book, and agreed to do so some months ago. I fully intended to get this review up before Thanksgiving, but life has been extremely busy, and well, better late than never is all I have to say for myself.
“Children from Dark Houses” is an action-packed, suspense-thriller filled with charming characters and witty zingers. It’s a fun, yet serious story about corruption and power, misplaced loyalties, and questionable motives.
At the onslaught, the story seemed a bit jarring, didn’t flow well, but then Carlyle hit his stride and I was able to just sit back and enjoy the ride. I too am a writer (supernatural suspense thriller, Faceless), and lover of any story filled with twists and turns that leave me suspicious of just about everyone. I become completely enthralled with finding out who did what to whom.
I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t disclose that I am not a fan of the profanity (hence the four stars), but otherwise, the story wraps up nicely… Leaves you satisfied with the ending.
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Top reviews from other countries

Todd Simpson
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Story
Reviewed in Australia on July 23, 2016
Verified Purchase
Only a few pages into this story and I was hooked. Carlyle Clark has done a wonderful job of writing a very entertaining Thriller, with laugh out loud moments, and diverse range of great characters. Rosemary and Atticus have their own Private Investigation business, and even though they are a couple outside of work, they also work well together complementing each other’s strengths. However as Rosemary states, it’s a dangerous business to be in. What initially sounds like an easy straight forward investigation, looking into Habeeb and Heena’s missing son Imran. He went missing after they placed him into a reform school when he assaulting his mother Heena. It doesn’t take long before Atticus is warned off of pursuing the case too hard by a group of bikers. As they say it would be better for his health in not finding Imran. Then Rosemary and Atticus have to deal with a very unusual and dysfunction Habeeb and Heena, who have their own issues to add to the problem. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book, and it kept me guessing all the way to the end, which I always enjoy. Rosemary and Atticus really made this a fabulous story, and I will certainly like to follow them in any further adventures in future books. This story is certainly worth a read.
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