Book Review: The Devil's Shadow

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Devil's Shadow     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Hugh Holton
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural   Government Agency   Legal Setting
Series: Larry Cole # 8
Forge, May 2001, $25.95, 382 pp.

Chicago Mafioso Big Jake Romano hires the world's greatest thief, Julianna "Devil's Shadow" Saint to rob safety deposit box 8697 inside an impenetrable bank vault. Julianna's job is to retrieve a tape that proves Jake murdered Mafia Don Mattoli, a form of fratricide within the community. Julianna succeeds in her endeavor, but a member of her staff kills a homeless man as they leave the scene. The police are a bit disconcerted because nothing of value has been stolen.

Not long afterward, Greg Ennis, a writer investigating the Mafia takes a dive from a skyscraper. Chicago Chief of Detectives Larry Cole and his lieutenant Blackie Silvestri believe someone pushed Ennis out the window. As they begin to investigate, they tie the two cases together, leaving Larry to track the brilliant DEVIL'S SHADOW.

In his eighth police procedural, Larry Cole faces two tough opponents with one having no conscience and the other brilliantly slippery. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with action though some of the dialogue between the players feels contrived especially that of Big Jake and his soldiers. Larry and Blackie remain strong charcaters and Julianna is a fantastic femme fatale whose mind makes her the Valentine of modern day safecracking. Hugh Holton has written another powerful entry in a strong series.

Harriet Klausner

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