Book Review: A Darkness More Than Night

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

A Darkness More Than Night     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Michael Connelly
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: Harry Bosch # 7
Little, Brown; Feb 2001; $25.95; 418 pp.

Though retired due to medical reasons and happily married with a new baby in his family, former FBI profiler Terry McCaleb agrees to help the LAPD on a difficult murder case. Most of society would agree that the killing of Edward Gunn is no loss, but Terry and cohorts conduct a professional investigation anyway. This homicide and others very similar appear to be the work of a serial killer.

Terry concludes that the killer seeks vengeance and knows his paintings as the deliberate clues left at the murder scene come from the works of Dutch master Hieronymous Bosch. The profile Terry draws up fits Los Angeles detective Harry Bosch, an associate on previous joint investigations. Adding to the picture is that Harry unsuccessfully once tried to put Gunn away for first degree murder. Has Harry taken the law into his on hands or is a killer so devious and cunning he can manipulate two old law enforcement pros into becoming enemies?

Michael Connelly takes his two best characters, McCaleb (see BLOOD WORK) and Bosch (see THE BLACK ICE) and converges them as foes in a serial killer police procedural tale. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action though several references and other characters from other Connelly novels dot the landscape. That technique should please the author's die hard fans, but to many readers this seems more like an over-Spielberg gimmick that takes away from the prime confrontation. Still, DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT is a clever who-done-it starring two strong opponents whose personalities not only shine, but will send readers seeking their previous starring roles.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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