Night Kills (A Frank Quinn Novel)

This is my second read by the author. Previously, I liked In For The Kill. In this story, retired serial killer expert detective Frank Quinn is called upon by police commissioner Harley Renz to reassemble his team and find a new murderer. So, he gets the sexy Pearl Kassner now working in bank security and Larry "Feds" Fedderman who has retired to Florida. It soon comes to light that there's a common thread between the female victims. They were all new to New York, had few close friends and were members of an online dating service. It turns out that the agency had motivation other than that of a matchmaker. For special customers they would give them a new identity. They matched those people seeking new lives with customers of the service whom they physically resembled. Then the member would be murdered and vanish. This was a fast moving, though quite gory, enjoyable read.

John Lutz is one of those journeyman authors who is good for at least one book a year. He is always solid and dependable, and has been so since the mid-1970s. Movie fans also should be familiar with him, as his novel SINGLE WHITE FEMALE was adapted for the big screen. If you are not reading Lutz, you should be; if you do, then I predict that NIGHT KILLS, his latest work, will prompt you to move his name to the magic circle of your "must-read" list. It is, my friends, a breakthrough novel. NIGHT KILLS features the most welcome return of former NYPD detective Frank Quinn, introduced in DARKER THAN NIGHT and most recently seen in IN FOR THE KILL. Over the course of these novels, Lutz has been sculpting a highly entertaining and memorable character with Quinn, a tough, smart cop who plays not well and only reluctantly with others. Framed and forced to resign in disgrace from the NYPD, he proved the city wrong in a court of law, was awarded a more than tidy settlement, and is able to rub salt in his former employer's wound when he is called upon as a consultant to solve particularly puzzling, high-profile murder cases. Quinn gets one in NIGHT KILLS when the torsos of two women are found at separate crime scenes. He brings in Pearl, another ex-cop who used to share Quinn's bed and breakfast, and Larry Fedderman, a retired detective who is slowly losing his mind from boredom. This is quite a prickly trio, make no mistake; the torch that Quinn used to carry for Pearl still flickers a bit, and Pearl and Fedderman are engaged in a subtle but constant game of one-up. Quinn and Fedderman also possess a dry humor that the grim Pearl does not always appreciate. The rough edges, however, produce productive sparks, and the team moves slowly but steadily toward a solution despite having not only to catch a very devious and clever killer but also to deal with subterfuge from the NYPD itself. NIGHT KILLS may look like your standard, though intriguing, serial killer novel. The murders are particularly gruesome --- the dismemberment of each body is not the least of it --- and actual clues, other than those that indicate the murders are the work of the same party, are few and far between. About a fourth of the way into the book, however, Lutz throws a curve you don't see coming, and then another. Before you realize it, Quinn and company are dealing with something more diabolical than a serial killer and harder to catch. The perpetrator behind the murders isn't compelled to take care of them, at least not at first. But enjoyment slowly becomes a factor, and it is a horrifying process indeed to behold. It is the idea behind the murders though and the thread that permits Quinn to slowly begin to unravel the fabric of the case that make this one of the most intriguing fictional works of the year. NIGHT KILLS will provide you with enough mystery, mayhem, twists, turns and surprises to fill three or four novels. Just when you think Lutz is wrapping up, he throws somethi

John Lutz has successfully carved himself an identifiable niche in the sub genre of serial killers versus resolute and heady law enforcers. In his latest, "Night Kills", he continues to cement his position as a top notch author of intricately plotted serial killer thrillers. Frank Quinn, former NYPD detective, is called in as a special consultant by his old boss Harley Renz when dismembered and sexually abused body torsos begin turning up in NY with no way to identify them. Quinn quickly assembles his old team, mainly Pearl Kasner, his former and maybe future love, and "Feds" Fedderman...all maverick but insightful detectives who have scattered across the country since Quinn's departure from the force. Frank Quinn is a hunter who preys on serial killers. He can think like them and anticipate their moves. He is a walking profiler of serial killer psychology. But this case is different for him in subtle ways as he pursues a series of questions. Who are the dead women and why are they not being reported as missing? How does a dating service figure into the investigation? Is there one or more than one serial killer? What is the purpose of the grotesque sexual mutilation of each victim? It takes some time to discover the real purpose of the killings and dismemberments--an ultimate realization that is both fresh and scary in its simplicity for this reader. Along the way, Frank explores a new relationship with Dr. Linda Chavesky, a member of the medical examiner's office, even as he continues to examine his feelings of loss for Pearl. There is a minor subplot regarding intra office politics among the NYPD elite as Wes Nobbler, a Deputy Chief, and his henchman, Det. Greeve, insinuate themselves into the ongoing investigation in a decidedly unhelpful manner. Add in a compromised chief medical examiner, a news reporter who uses everyone on the inside that she can for stories and who,in turn, is used by them for political gain and you begin to see the complexity of the emerging investigation. Everyone seems to have several levels of agendas in this plot. The chase sequence at the end will leave the reader breathless and even though the plot denouement seems a little forced, the last minute surprises keep the ending fresh. I continue to find Lutz to be a master at building suspense and terror while providing psychological chills and surprises with his characters and plots. His characters are fully developed to the extent that you really care about them and understand their motivations. He has an uncanny ability to paint chilling psychological portraits of his serial killers while detailing how and why they think and act as they do. His plotting and action is always well paced and executed as the story unfolds with gruesome deaths, gritty psychological terror, and surprising plot twists.

I have long been a fan of John Lutz' books, filled with gripping story lines and superbly crafted characters. His newest, Night Kills has one of the most original and compelling plots I've read in a long time. He surprises the reader fairly early on by letting us know why young women are being murdered in New York. And that's when the devilishly creative plot really gets rolling with new twists and turns seemingly with every page turned. Try not to begin reading this book at night because you will be up very late. Wayne Barcomb