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12 Dec 2025 By Admin .
The Predator is the first book in The Dark Verse series written by New York Times bestselling author Runyx. The series is known for its mafia romance and morally grey characters. The whole series is written in a third-person perspective but feels almost like a first-person view because of its captivating narration. The story follows Morana Vitalio, a talented hacker, and Tristan Caine, a lethal enforcer for the Tenebrae Outfit. Their worlds collide when Morana, who is from a rival family, uncovers a twenty-year-old mystery and decides to infiltrate Tristan Caine, the predator’s house to murder him. Little does she know, something much worse and disastrous is going to happen soon, and only she, with his help, can stop it from happening. The novel explores genres such as forced proximity & alliance, dark mafia world, slow burn & high stakes, dark romance, mafia romance, forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, found family, trauma, healing, vengeance, mystery, crime, violence, and power dynamics.
When Morana uncovers a twenty-year-old mystery, she is determined to uncover the whole truth behind it, which could have severe consequences, since Morana is from a rival family. When Morana’s codes get stolen from her, she infiltrates the Caine house, determined to retrieve the codes that could put their whole world in danger.
Morana’s intentions of killing Tristan are unyielding, but when she finds out he isn’t the one who stole her codes, and that there’s a greater threat looming in their world that can only be taken down with her help, an alliance is formed between them. The alliance causes unexpected emotions to resurface between them, altering their chemistry, causing tension between them, as the line between hate and desire fades.
As their trust in each other increases and feelings deepen, they must understand their need to make sacrifices and learn to live after uncovering life-changing secrets. Their story is filled with emotional intensity, as the dynamic becomes more powerful, leading to forbidden romance on the brink of a mob war.
I was craving dark romance, and this was the perfect read for me. It was so beautiful. Tristan and Morana reminded me of Juliette and Aaron from Shatter Me because of their past. The ending was so good, and I can’t wait to read the other parts in the series.
I absolutely love Amara and Dante. My favorite scene was the Russian roulette and the rainy night one. Morana is so damn hot and badass, I want to read more about her and Amara as well because they’re both so sweet together. The way Tristan made Morana feel and promised her death was so attractive. I am lowkey scared to read the later parts because they’re so heartbreaking.
The writing of this book was really good, the narrations were very enticing, and it felt very realistic. The characters were very well-written, they’re complex and morally grey, and made me want to know more about them. As a fan of strong female leads, I loved how Runyx made Morana so independent and free to get what she wants.
The plot twists and character development make the book even more interesting. There are some trigger warnings though, since the book might contain human trafficking and stuff. If you’re a fan of dark romance, mafia world, and characters with twisted morals, then don’t hesitate to pick up this book, because this is just the start, and the series will get even more interesting and tragic in the later parts. Overall, it was a four-star read for me!
The Predator was the first part in the series. Dark Verse is a total of six books in the series, with each character having their own story in every book, with Tristan and Morana in the first two parts, The Predator and The Reaper. Amara and Dante are in the third part in The Emperor. Zephyr and Alpha in the fourth part in The Finisher, and Shadowman and Lyla in the fifth part, The Annihilator. The last part, The Syndicator, follows these four couples, every character getting their own chapters, and wraps up the entire Dark Verse Series.
