Book Review: The Night Bus

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Night Bus     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Janice Law
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Psychological Suspense   Thriller
Forge, Jun 2000, $24.95, 352 pp.

Catherine “Cath” Tolland was fleeing from her New England home by bus when she was mugged and suffered the head injury. She has no credit cards or other identification on her and cannot remember anything about her past including her name. The police find out who she really is.

Her Connecticut husband brings Cath to what he insists was their happy home. Yet Cath begins to remember some of his affairs with his music students. Her sister-in-law insists that Cath was losing her mind before she suffered from amnesia and her runaway attempt by bus was the latest mental incident. Yet Cath wonders why she remembers no hints of psychological care. Her lawyer insists she is rich. Yet Cath wonders why she left home with no money or credit to ride a bus south. As Cath begins to recover her memory, she realizes that for years someone has been murdering Derek’s most talented female students. Cath wonders if she is the killer?

THE NIGHT BUS is an exciting psychological thriller that demonstrates the width of talent of author Janice Law. The story line is fast-paced, exciting, and avoids the prime pitfalls of using amnesia as a plot mechanism. The main characters seem genuine due to their weird but realistic interrelationships. Although the occasional character introspection slows the tale a bit, Ms. Law shows she has the ability to bring her audience along for a ride on the darker side of human emotion.

Harriet Klausner

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