When we make decisions in life, we are typically only thinking about the consequences these decisions will have on ourselves. But the human race is too interconnected in this world to be unaffected by even our most minor decisions. What you do decide to do today can unwittingly change the life of everyone from a complete stranger living on the other side of the world to your own children who may innocently pay the price for that choice. This is as true today as it was 100 years ago. It is also the theme that runs through author D.H. Schleicher’s historical suspense thriller, Then Came Darkness.
Then Came Darkness plot synopsis
Samuel Kydd is a traveling salesman and father of three to the beautiful but fragile Evelyn in the mid 1930’s. It’s then that he encounters his old friend, Joshua Bloomfield, intent on learning the location of the buried Kydd family fortune. Bloomfield is a strong man, despite missing one hand. And he’s determined to take this money as payback for Kydd stealing Evelyn away from him years prior.
Meanwhile, Evelyn and her children are grieving over the loss of the eldest Kydd child, Edison. In their withdrawn grief, they attempt to maintain the family farm despite her frequent seizures. The youngest Kydd child, Tyrus, becomes the focus of the story as he navigates a life without his older brother. His only allies are his older sister, Sally, and loyal dog, Sue.
The town doctor, Horace Long, also provides some comfort. Even more comforting, though, is the daughter of Dr. Long’s black housekeeper’s daughter as well as the local deputy. All play crucial roles in the story as Bloomfield inches his way back closer and closer into the Kydd family’s life. His ruthless tactics causes Tyrus to take drastic measures to protect his family while leading him on a wild goose chase for the hidden family fortune.
Plot design
Then Came Darkness is a plot-heavy story that bounces between characters and time periods in its few chapters as the main players are introduced and back stories are laid out. It can be a little confusing at first but then buds into a compelling, suspenseful thriller.
The first line of the novel starts, “One of these days I’m gonna kill somebody and mean it.” From there, I feared that we would be following our villain throughout the course of the story. Instead, the plot backtracks through the history of Bloomfield and the Kydd couple.
This leads us to the Kydd family farm in the wake of Edison’s death before catching us up on the events leading up to the accident. Rather than growing confusion, though, the dots begin to connect. Established details begin to take on more meaning, and the stakes begin to heighten.
The characters
A story with so many characters can be hard to keep track of. But Schleicher paints a very distinct and well-rounded cast that clearly separates the good from the bad while putting them into positions that challenge their hero/villain status.
My investment in the story was truly cemented when Tyrus becomes the focal point of the narration. His childlike innocence and hyper awareness allows him to maneuver us through events with sympathy yet admiration for a hero we can truly root for.
His unintentionally neglectful parents lead Tyrus to seek out the help of the supporting cast who each serve as genuine role models. But they can each only do so much to help. Joshua Bloomfield is a worthy adversary with his manipulative nature, physical strength, and ruthless mindset. He’s sane enough to stay level-headed during his pursuit but thin-skinned and enraged enough to believe that his victims get what’s coming to them. So it’s satisfying when Tyrus, and later Sally, find creative ways to stay one step ahead of their hunter to avoid becoming his prey in his greedy revenge quest.
Tone, pacing, and setting
Schleicher easily juggles characterization and plot, leading to surprising yet realistic twists and turns. Every action by one character causes drastic actions to be taken by another.
We as the readers are often loaded with just enough additional knowledge over the main characters to know what characters shouldn’t do without being able to guess or even offer critique on what they should do. We’re simply along for the ride. That ride becomes more suspenseful as the plot plods along at an even, detailed pace.
The depression-era setting also helps add to the desperate nature of our villain as well as his ability to blend in from town to town despite his missing hand. The rural, small town of Milton, where the Kydd family resides, also helps to add to the seclusion and gossipy yet overall well-meaning support of the townspeople who take pity on Sally and Tyrus. The second half of the book uses up every inch of this open but secluded space. Our heroes are trapped in a country maze as the mice to Bloomfield’s cat.
My recommendation
In the end, the novel’s heroes did nothing to instigate, nor would have been able to prevent, the conflict that they find themselves in. But that doesn’t leave them powerless. Instead, it inspires them, as well as the other admirable characters in the book, to make the right decisions in order to right the wrongs made by others in the past.
Then Came Darkness is a brilliant historical thriller that compares to stories like East of Eden and The Night of the Hunter in its epic journey and menacing villain. I was truly surprised by how much it grew on me as the events wore on. Its bittersweet yet satisfying ending capped off a genuinely thrilling historical novel that’s part mystery, part family drama, and part survival tale.
Author Interview with D.H. Schleicher
About D.H. Schleicher
Name/Pen Name: D. H. Schleicher
Author Links
Book Titles
Genres:
Then Came Darkness – Novel – Historical Fiction, Thriller, Suspense
And Then We Vanish – Short Story Collection – Literary Fiction, Coming-of-age, Mystery
Book summaries
Then Came Darkness: Summer. 1936. Upstate New York. First, the banks were coming for their farms. Then, a record heat wave scorched the land. And then came Joshua Bloomfield, driven by revenge and greed, seeking to reclaim an inheritance of blood money and the family he believed was rightfully his. Will Evelyn Kydd find a way to save her farm and protect her family from the monster in their midst, or will they all be devoured by the darkness descending upon the hills?
And Then We Vanish: Eleven twisting tales curated from nearly a decade of work, And Then We Vanish features five new stories and six previously published stories from acclaimed independent author D. H. Schleicher. In these stories we encounter characters who are victims of their own poor decisions and of chance. These characters might be longing to disappear or left behind by those who already have, and their stories challenge us to connect with them while they navigate the waves of mystery, violence, and the absurd that filter into their everyday lives.
Book excerpts
Then Came Darkness:
“All children had their secrets. Some held them close. Others revealed them to anyone who would listen. Tyrus Kydd was no different. This morning, he thought of his secret and it brought him comfort. By the end of the day, it would breed in him a deep resentment towards the person he loved the most.”
And Then We Vanish:
“Did you ever notice how some people just disappear? Some of them by choice. Some of them because they never really existed. And some of them disappear after you leave them unconscious in a Ford Pinto stuck in a ditch.” – from “The Pumpkin Thief,” the opening story from And Then We Vanish
Review excerpts
Then Came Darkness:
The catharsis of emotional writing in this book was incredible…I laughed. I cried. I had to take breaks because some scenes tore me to pieces. It’s dark, gritty, and I love it. – Lo Potter Writes
A page-turner with a dark slant, morally gray characters who were flawed yet likable, realistic and multi-faceted with certain twists I didn’t see coming. – Jenna Moquin, author
And Then We Vanish:
I love a shocking ending that gives you a jolt where you exclaim, “I didn’t see that coming!” It’s rare to find such depth of connection to the characters in short stories. – Gina Rae Mitchell, book blogger
Well done and evocative. While a lot of the protagonists aren’t likable, they’re all interesting. If you’re looking for a way to spend an evening dwelling on the horrors of how easy it is to lose touch with others, it’s a great pick. – Margaret Adelle, booktuber
Talking Shop
What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?
A booktuber, Margaret Adelle, described Then Came Darkness as “Like Grapes of Wrath…but with more murder.” I couldn’t have come up with a better description…it was so spot-on, and such a great blurb. I never in my wildest dreams imagined being compared to what I consider to be one of the greatest novels of all time…and one that was a huge inspiration for Then Came Darkness. I use it all the time in promotions.
What famous books can you compare to your own?
Well, Then Came Darkness was compared to The Grapes of Wrath by one reviewer as I described above. I still can’t believe it myself!
How long have you considered yourself a writer? Did you have any formal training, or is it something you learned as you went?
I’ve been writing stories since I knew how to write. My first story, written at age seven, was about a diamond heist and was accompanied by stick-figure drawings. I took a number of literature courses in college, which I think helped with my writing a great deal, but no formal training in the craft. Life experience along with reading both great and bad writing are the best teachers.
What is your day job? How, in any way, does it relate to your life as a writer?
I have another career in the corporate world, where over the years I’ve held many different roles and have met, worked with, and networked with people from all over the world. As in every aspect of my life, I listen for and search for the hidden stories in these interactions. Some of the short stories in And Then We Vanish were directly inspired by personal anecdotes from my other career.
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of all time great writers?
Graham Greene
Raymond Carver
Toni Morrison
Michael Ondaatje
How well do you handle criticism, either while writing, editing, or reviews? Do you ever use that criticism to change your story?
I’d like to think I have a pretty thick skin. I always appreciate feedback from beta-readers and editors no matter what it is. I actually hope they are harsh and challenge me – and this often leads to changes in the work…for the better. I also really love reading reviews, especially when they offer constructive criticism that gives me things to think about for the next project.
When someone says something negative that stems from a mis-read of the work, it’s hard not to take it personally. But everyone has their own tastes, and sometimes people “don’t get it” because they just “don’t get it” and never will, and sometimes they “don’t get it” because they hit upon a fault in your writing. So even in instances where they “didn’t get it” I try to understand why, and if they offer up something worth noting and worth working on, I make a note and move on.
What is the most fun part about writing? The most difficult?
The most fun part about writing is that even when I’m not actively working on anything, I always have my writer’s hat on…observing…listening…researching…looking for that next idea. The most difficult part is that I always my writer’s hat on…and I rarely have the time to flesh out those ideas I catch.
Do you focus on word count, hours spent writing, page count, or another way to measure your daily or weekly progress?
I don’t focus on any of it, but I respect others who hold themselves accountable in this way. I write best when I’m inspired, and that can be fleeting. It probably takes me longer than many to finish a work because of this, but my family and other career take priority, and as such I enjoy those fleeting moments of inspiration all the more.
“What If” Scenarios
If your book ever becomes a movie and you get final say over the cast, which actors would you hire to play your characters?
As a movie buff, this is so much fun to think about! Then Came Darkness is a hard one to cast as the main characters are either adults who we meet at different parts in their lives, or children. Early on, I did imagine Natalie Portman in the Evelyn Kydd role, but I’m not sure she is the right fit anymore (maybe 10-15 years ago). I’ve thought more about who I would want to direct…The Coen Brothers in their prime would’ve been great…or Paul Thomas Anderson! I imagine more now some up-and-coming indie director who is looking for that breakthrough project and grew up loving the same directors I did.
If you could be in a writer’s group with up to four famous writers, who would they be?
Ron Rash, Roxane Gay, T. C. Boyle, and Michael Ondaatje. All of these, except Ron Rash, are writers I have met in person at signings and seen give talks (at the Free Library of Philadelphia), and I think each would bring a unique perspective.
You are transported into your book for one day. What role do you play? How do you alter the events of the story?
In Then Came Darkness, I’d be a reporter at the end trying to piece together (along with the police) what happened at the Kydd Family farm and where everyone went. I’d offer perhaps a new frame story (the investigation and discovery of the truth…or not) which the rest of the novel would fill in between.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
Maybe quit my other career? I’d become laser focused on finishing my WIP. Assuming the pandemic is over, I’d take a trip to Europe with my family to celebrate.
Would you rather own your own book store or your own publishing house, and what would you sell or publish?
A book store. I’d sell a finely curated collection of used and new books – the types of books my wife and I stock our own shelves at home with…kid’s books, too, like what we would get for our own son. It would be in a cute little downtown area in an old historic building with lots of comfy chairs in cozy nooks and maybe a resident cat.
Just For Fun
One year of your life you’d like to do over.
2002 – 2003. It was my first year out of college and it was really rough trying to find my way. Looking back, I would’ve approached some things differently. But if it didn’t happen like it did, I wouldn’t be where I am today…so the idea of a do over would never win out over the idea of looking forward.
A movie or piece of music that changed your life.
This is a really tough one as I love so many movies. Maybe, through the view of being a writer, Sidney Lumet’s 1970s satire Network changed my life as it was the first movie where I was fully cognizant of, and amazed by, the writing. The dialogue and themes were so powerful because of the screenplay.
Favorite time of/part of your day.
Dusk. I’m traditionally a night-owl so the falling night always appeals to me, but it’s hard to be a night owl with a two-year old kid. So dusk is the best I get now, and I try to enjoy it.
Favorite place you’ve visited/place you want to visit.
This is another tough one as I love to travel and the pandemic has really put a damper on traveling. I’m a sucker for getting lost and wandering around a big city. Probably a toss-up between Amsterdam (I actually considered trying to find a job and moving there before I met my wife) and Paris (where I went with my wife right before we got married).
Celebrity you’d want to be friends with.
Although I’m not a huge fan of his serious acting, Tom Hanks has always been funny and just seems like a genuinely nice person to be around. I mean, who wouldn’t want to hang out with David S. Pumpkins? Any questions?
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This novel sounds really interesting, but what I love most is how beyond giving a plot synopsis, you included an interview! How cool!
This sounds like a great book – I like a good thriller and its great to hear how the characters were inspired to do good.
As someone who works in book publishing, I LOVE hearing book reviews and reading author interviews! Keep it up!
I would like to read D.H. Schleicher’s books because books about secrets are always fun.
Great review and interview! I will be adding this book to my TBR.