Book Review: The Dangerous Hour

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

The Dangerous Hour     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Marcia Muller
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Private Investigator   Woman Main Character
Series: Sharon McCone # 23
Mysterious Press, 2004, 290 pages

'The Dangerous Hour' sees the return of Muller's private detective, Sharon McCone. When her a key employee, Julia Rafael, is charged with credit card fraud, McCone thinks that there has to be a mistake. However, when she discovers some of the stolen goods in the firm's mailroom, she realises that she is in trouble. The alleged victim is a prominent local politician and McCone's very livelihood is soon in danger.

Whilst Muller has some very evocative descriptions of San Francisco and the surrounding area, 'The Dangerous Hour' is nowhere near as satisfying as her previous standalone novel, 'Cyanide Wells'. The story lacks any real excitement and some of the dialogue is distinctly weak at times.

However, Muller does give the reader a main protagonist who can be easily visualized. As the story goes, it is solid enough and the reader never really gets jarred at all. There is a nice twist at the end for fans of the series and it will be interesting to see how Muller develops this new side.

If you're a Marcia Muller fan, then it is doubtful that you will notice anything amiss. However, for something who is looking to read Muller for the first time, 'The Dangerous Hour' should not be the book you choose. Whilst 'Cyanide Wells' was fresh, 'The Dangerous Hour' feels tired.

Luke Croll - RAM

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

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