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Erica Robyn Reads

a horror book review blog

Recent Posts

Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond - book sitting on wooden flooring. Book cover of Black Out the Stars by Christopher Bond, cover illustrated by Todd Kiesling. The design showcases a dark, atmospheric pond and sky filled with swirling fog and scattered stars. The title is prominently displayed in bold, white, pink and purple lettering, contrasting against the deep purple and black hues of the background.

Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond | Book Review

Indie Bookstore Day 2025 | Book Event

A tablet lies on dry grass and surrounded by dandelions in a natural outdoor setting. The screen displays the cover of the book Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon. The cover features a colorful, fantastical illustration of a female figure with glowing eyes and curved horns, holding something mysterious in her hands. Stars and swirling cosmic elements fill the background, giving the cover a magical and otherworldly feel. The title text is in bold, colorful letters across the top and middle, with the author's name at the bottom.

Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon | Book Review

[Book Review] The Unknown Man by Natalie Hanson

May 9, 2022      Erica Robyn      2 Comments

The Unknown Man by Natalie Hanson is a dark mystery about an FBI agent that is blackmailed into taking on a case. Thinking she will handle things quickly, she has absolutely no idea what she is really about to walk into.

CW: Cancer, Drug Abuse, and others. Check out my review on StoryGraph for more detail.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author per request of an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. 

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on The Unknown Man by Natalie Hanson

Zalla Bennbett is an FBI agent under immense pressure. Her husband is sick with cancer and his life may just depend on her keeping her job, and most importantly, her health insurance. But her boss is threatening to falsify evidence to get her fired if Zalla doesn’t get back with her after their short affair ended. By forcing her into the case, Zalla is sent to a small town to investigate the kidnapping of the twin daughters of one of the FBI’s sources.

Hoping to handle things delicately, Zalla partners with Dallon Brown, one of the two local police officers. Right away, she is put-off by Dallon, but as they spend a little more time together, the two start to build a friendship.

At first, they struggle to find any leads. When they do happen to catch a break, the leads just keep bringing them to dead ends. That is, until the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place… but at that point, is it already too late?

This book is intense! From the pacing of the storyline itself, to the punches that the author throws left and right, this book will leave you stunned! So many scenes toward the end turned my stomach and left me a bit nauseated for hours after I put my Kindle down.

I cannot recommend this one highly enough to fans of dark mysteries!

My Favorite Passages from The Unknown Man

He wasn’t giving this blowhard any satisfaction. He’d lived in a lot of places in his life. Stupid seemed to be the same everywhere.

Suddenly he felt the weight of everything in his gut. Like and anchor has been tied to his lower intestines and tossed overboard.

“Everyone has a core, where the truth lives. People can try to put it in their basement and cover it with lies, but it’s still there,” she said.

“Small-town gossip is a beast that will chew you up and spit you out before you even realize it has you in it’s mouth.”

My Final Thoughts on The Unknown Man

If the second book had been out when I completed this read, I would have snagged it and jumped in immediately! Needless to say, I will have my eyes on the look out for any new releases from Natalie Hanson! I can’t wait to see where this series goes!

Thanks for reading!

Here are a few more recent posts you might like:

  • Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond | Book Review
  • Indie Bookstore Day 2025 | Book Event
  • Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon | Book Review

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Welcome to Erica Robyn Reads!

Erica Robyn of Erica Robyn Reads
Hello! I’m Erica, a Mainer living in New Hampshire who runs on hot tea, good books, and loud music. Join me as I seek out amazing horror tales and help support the indie horror community!
 

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