Dead Before Dark

Dead After Dark was my first novel by Wendy Corsi Staub. Though this is clearly not the first time she has explored these characters in her books it was not hard for me to become familiar with them and drawn into their story. I do think that the experience would be even better if readers check out her previous effort, Dying Breath, first however. The prologue of this story introduces physic detective Lucinda Sloan as she appears on a national talk show to discuss how she solved a case involving a missing girl. One viewer of this show is very intrigued by Lucinda's talent; a recently released convict. He also happens to also be a serial killer who was active 35 years ago and became known as the Night Watchman for his tendency to kill in the dead of night under a full moon. This man went to jail for an unrelated crime but now that he's out, he's ready to start playing the killing game again. Only this time, he has an ultimate target in mind, Lucinda, and each hit he makes brings him closer and closer to her. The Night Watchman is reborn it would seem and players old and new are about to become tangled in his web... While this book was neither terribly original or action packed, there was something about it that kept me turning the pages and holding my breath with anticipation. Honestly, the serial killer becoming active again and giving detectives another chance to catch him is an old trope in thrillers and mysteries but the author breathed a bit of new life into it. She threw in flawed and interesting characters, an intriguing mind game between the killer and those trying to find him and her writing style was fast paced because of constantly shifting perspectives. I couldn't put this novel down and was never tempted to skim which is a very good thing. Despite the well done aspects, I did have a couple little problems. There was a brief romantic subplot, which I normally love in thrillers, but which here fell a little flat. It was between Lucinda and her former flame, Randy Baraket, who already loved her and vice versa. It just proved to be uninteresting. My other problem was with the ending. It was unsatisfactory and came at the reader a little too quickly. Still, I liked this book very much. It was entertaining and engaging. I will not only read more by Wendy Corsi Staub in the future, I plan on buying a few of her older releases as well.

Well, while I enjoyed the story and the suspense I was very disappointed about the ending. Wendy Corsi Staub has some great stories but I personally am not crazy about the way she presents them. I still enjoy her books though. This one will keep you in suspense right up until the end, but like I said, for me the end was a very disappointing. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil it for other readers, but I still would buy this book.

The Night Watchman serial killer was as infamous as any back in the sixties; but abruptly the murder spree ended. Now thirty-five years later, the only person who knows personally what happened to the Night Watchman all those years ago is released from Attica. Three and a half decades is a long time between kills, but he is back and quickly knows who his final victim will be though he has a few other murders to make on his trek across America before he completes his final masterpiece. He chose psychic detective Lucinda Sloan as the last victim after seeing her on television as he finds her skill to "see" murders fascinating. The Night Watchman needs to prepare the last one for death by engaging her in a game of cat and mouse. He sends her cryptic notes that he also gives to her friend Cam Hastings, who still has not recovered from her daughter's abduction last summer or for that matter the murder of her sister years ago (see DYING BREATH). Finally the egotistical killer sends the same notes to former FBI agent Vic Shattuck, who is writing a true crime nonfiction about the Night Watchman. None of the trio can quite figure out from the strange missives who is next, but the Night Watchman is narrowing the field as his great finish to his grand tour is coming. Although serial killers sending clues to the cops have been around for quite a long time, DEAD BEFORE DARK is a terrific thriller starring an evil, efficient and effective psychopath and the three people he chooses to spice up his second coming. The story line is fast-paced from the moment the reader meets the Night Watchman, who knows his first task as a free man is to kill. Sub-genre fans will appreciate this fine saga as Lucinda realizes by the third homicide that the serial killer is playing chess with her. Harriet Klausner

Among readers, Wendy Corsi Staub is well known for her ability to deliver surprise endings. Her killers are often hidden in plain sight, and yet they remain unrevealed until the precise moment that the she has chosen to unmask them. That's quite an accomplishment so many books in. So to say that I was shocked is to say that this book is in a category all its own. All of Staub's trademark elements are well represented: an abundance of red herrings, a hint of romance, and a truth that is both surprising and inevitable. Always a page-turner, the author still manages to ratchet up the suspense to almost unbearable levels, and the last hundred pages seem to turn themselves. The ending, however, is somewhat of a departure--it's a calculated risk, and it pays off. Just when you think you know Staub's game, she changes it up. Dead Before Dark showcases a master storyteller at the height of her powers.