Book Recommendation ➱ Beyond the Darkness (Basic Instincts Book 3) An MM Crime and Thriller Romance by Thom Collins

Beyond the Darkness by Thom Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

📖Book Info

FROM EXCITING AUTHOR OF LGBTQIA ROMANTIC SUSPENSE THOM COLLINS

Book three in the Basic Instincts series

A starring role in a new show could give Hudson the career boost he needs… if he lives that long.

American actor Hudson Rhodes enjoys working in the UK. After a successful career in film and TV in his twenties, he’s established himself as a bankable star in the theatre world. A month long run in a new play at Blyham’s Empire Theatre has the potential to lead to a West End run and Hudson is ready for it. The only thing threatening to spoil it is a series of sinister letters that point to a role he would rather forget.

Rehearsals for the show are going smoothly until a local journalist, Luke Kamal, arrives to write a piece about the production. Luke is handsome and smart and highly regarded in his field, but Hudson hates reporters. He’d learned the hard way that the press can not be trusted.

When a member of the cast is murdered, the show is thrown into greater jeopardy. The victim is someone close to Hudson. As he struggles with his attraction to Luke, the menacing letters continue to arrive. The killer has Hudson in their sights and he might not make it to opening night.

💭Our Thoughts

This is part of the Basic Instinct series, but you can jump in here without missing a beat.

Hudson has no love for the media. Nothing but a bunch of sharks circling, waiting to get their chunk of flesh.

So when he finds out that the sexy man who piqued his interest is a reporter, he finds himself battling with his inner voice.

To make the situation even more irritating, it turns out he is reporting on Blyham’s Empire Theatre’s upcoming play.

Yes, the play he is starring in.

How is he going to focus with that hunk of aggravating man watching his every move?

Sure, Luke says he will not even know he is there - Has he looked in the mirror lately?

But just when things seem to work themselves out, fate tosses another curveball at him.

His understudy has been murdered.

This was such an engaging read. It has mystery, suspense, and romance. The world-building, the characters, and their reactions were relatable. It was easy to get caught up in the story.

I loved that I wasn't really sure who did it till close to the end. Each page held a new clue that sent me in a different direction. Some scenes had me white-knuckling my Kindle and fighting my inner brat from peeking ahead.

But everything worked out.

The romance part progresses pretty quickly, but the pace felt natural for the two of them. They had some issues, but being a new relationship, they were things you would expect

Really enjoyed the writing style and story pace. I will be going back to read the previous books

Author Website: http://www.thomcollins.co.uk/

Blog Tour Page: https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/2025/10/beyond-darkness-basic-instincts-book-3.html

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