Description

On the verge of death, Ted Bailey fights for his immortal soul in a trial that looks like a chat show from hell, where some witnesses are people from his past life and some died centuries before he was born.

Seventy-three-year-old Ted Bailey’s existence has been anything but ordinary. Abducted as a teenager and losing the love of his life in his twenties, it’s no wonder he embraced crime, violence, and immoral earnings. But when he suffers a heart attack, he’s thrust into an out-of-body experience to witness his immortal soul on trial. In a talk-show-style spectacle from Hell, the serial sinner confronts his own checkered history as familiar faces from the past give incriminating testimony. But when God is revealed to be nothing like the world assumes, Ted’s time on Earth may come to a fast and fiery end. Can this corrupted wrongdoer prove himself worthy of mercy and live to see another day? Darkness Comes is an intriguing supernatural thriller. It’s metaphysical, visionary fiction with a strong examination of Western Christianity over the last 2000 years—did we really understand the message? And is God really who (or what) we think? If you like flawed protagonists, thought-provoking storylines, and unique takes on age-old figures, John Lynch’s riveting tale is for you.

Here’s a selection from readers’ reviews:

Powerful writing that keeps the reader hooked from the very first line
Wow. What an unforgettable beginning to this captivating story. Very thought-provoking and left a lot of thoughts / questions lingering in my mind. Highly recommend.

Extremely intriguing
A very intriguing story that had me thinking. I flew through it, needing to see what happened. A man who has done just about all the wrong in life that can be done, now on the edge of judgement. Will he pass muster or not? Any regrets? Does he ask for forgiveness? Or has he gone past the point of no return? You’ll have to read this very interesting book to find out. I received an ARC from Hidden Gems for my honest review and will NOT leave a positive unless I liked it. I loved this book!

Excellent book that will get you thinking
I flew through this book and because it got me thinking, I read it again. I definitely enjoy stories that get you thinking and wondering about your actions and the day you are judged for them , and this is definitely a book that will do that. Great job

An interesting and ingenious take on life
I don’t think I’m smart enough to understand everything about John Lynch’s clever novel, Darkness Comes.
But, at the end of the day, I found this a highly entertaining read and thoroughly enjoyed this judgement-day-style trial of Ted Bailey’s life.
Ted is about as flawed a person as you could get –– womanizer, drug dealer, arms seller, murderer. Hardly a likeable character. But somehow the author evokes in us, sympathy for him. Perhaps we can all see some of ourselves in Ted?
In the end, I found myself fighting in Ted’s corner as –– now on the verge of death –– each part of his life is exposed, and judged. I found myself wanting him to win, whatever that means. Judged worthy of Heaven, or sent to Hell? Or perhaps neither, if they don’t exist?
The vast cast of characters –– people who have featured in Ted Bailey’s life –– is not, as I first imagined, difficult to follow, as each one is transient (like most of the people we meet in life), making an almost ethereal appearance, and I just enjoyed each fleeting moment with the different characters. Which, so “they” say, we should do in real life.
I felt the author was drawing parallels with all of us, through each character; that they represented a type of living individual to whom we can all relate.
I did wonder if Ted Bailey represented our human conscience. However that’s something for each reader to decide for him/herself.
Apart from being an extremely well-written novel, with its quirky storyline, very real, and flawed, characters, and easy-to-read, lyrical prose, I would highly recommend Darkness Comes as an entertaining, ingenious look at life and its many nuances.

You can listen to an extract from the book here