Review: Night Work

In his latest novel, Steve Hamilton introduces the amiable protagonist of Joe Trumbull, a juvenile probation officer. It has taken Joe a long time to get over the murder of his fiancée, so going out on a date again is a major challenge. Nevertheless, all goes well – until Joe discovers that his blind date has been murdered, only hours after he left her apartment. Joe swiftly becomes the prime suspect and as things go from bad to worse, his chances of clearing his name look increasingly unlikely.

NIGHT WORK is Hamilton’s first standalone thriller, coming after his highly successful Alex McKnight series. I found it an enjoyable tale, although one that perhaps lacked a little originality. There are any number of thrillers on the market these days in which men are framed for crimes that they did not commit, meaning that a new thriller really needs to look to stand out from the crowd. Hamilton does not entirely succeed in this, particularly since his denouement teeters between highly improbable and downright ridiculous – although it does make for good reading. Nevertheless, his writing style is sharp and humorous and his characters are interesting. Hamilton’s portrayal of Joe works particularly well, as we can sympathise with him and understand his torment. He is, after all, an everyday guy caught up in something about which he has no understanding. Hamilton also chooses a more mundane location for the novel, a small New York town, rather than the big cities that are the usual hot spots for murder and mayhem. His description of this area brings it alive.

I am more than happy to recommend NIGHT WORK to readers who have never read any Hamilton before. For those who have tried the Alex McKnight series, however, NIGHT WORK may not quite live up to their expectations.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

Book Review: Night Work