Rating: 2 1/2 stars
The notorious serial killer dubbed the Night Watchman is out of Attica prison after 35 years, ready and more than willing to pick up where he left off. It doesn't take long to pick his victim; right there on his teevee is psychic Lucinda Stone, famous for helping police catch serial killers and with the remarkable ability to "see" murders. My, what a perfect target.
The Night Watchman isn't satisfied with just one victim, though. Instead, he leaves a trail of clues from one coast to another; dead bodies with wristwatches attached to them, each of them with a message, each of them set to a certain time. The first piece of the puzzle hits far too close to home, which brings her back into the arms of her ex-lover, Detective Randy Barakat. When the second victim is found in Chicago and the third in Denver, Lucinda realizes the killer's cat-and-mouse game is drawing ever closer to her doorstep. Tick tock, Lucinda. With the help of Randy, her closest friend, Cam, and an FBI Detective writing a book on the Night Watchman, Lucinda must figure out the puzzle pieces before her time finally runs out.
This author is known for her strong writing and fast-moving plots; Dead Before Dark did not disappoint in these areas. However, perhaps it is because I have read so many novels in this genre but this novel struck me as nothing more than a convoluted pastiche of the typical damsel-in-distress versus the evil serial killer.
With the exception of Cam and her struggle to deal with the abduction of her child, the cast comes across as wooden, one-dimension characters. There were far too many injected into this mystery; none truly garned any sympathy and very little background was given. At one point, I needed a scorecard handy to keep up with who's who.
The damsel in question has the ability to "see" the horrors the evil serial killer is committing on his spree, yet she is slow on the uptake until it is almost too late (a cliché if ever there was one.) The killer was less than awe-inspiring in his game-playing methodology and the big showdown was a disappointment.
I expected a better effort on Ms. Staub's part, given her stellar reputation. However, Dead Before Dark did not deliver on its promise. I fear time has run out on her also.
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Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Pub. Date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 9781420101324