Cross is book 6 in the Jack Taylor series and Jack is in a particularly dark place dealing still with repercussions of the earlier books and the effects of trying to remain sober.  The crimes are particularly brutal and somewhat senseless which make them seem even worse.  The book is just steeped in hopelessness even right to the ending where it seems like things should be looking up for Jack with a new start.  There is also a side plot here that involves animal cruelty, which I had to sort of skim through as I have a difficult time reading anything like that.  This was not my favorite book in the series but certainly in keeping with with the darkness that surrounds Jack Taylor.

To Dwell in Darkness is book 16 in the Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid series.  In this book Gemma and Duncan are still finding their feet after the adoption of their new daughter and returning to work.  Duncan in particular returned to find he had been transferred to a new department and has a new partner.  The case involves a protest demonstration that appears to have gone horribly wrong ending with a young man burnt to death.  As Duncan investigates, things and people are not all as they appear.  Gemma has her own case which is going well as she makes a long awaited arrest.  Another good installment in this long running series.