Nightmare, with Angel

Gallagher again produces another great read, although it could have done with another chapter or two or even an epilogue ten years in the future looking back so you know what became of Marianne with the outcome that the final pages give us (I don't want to give away the ending so won't mention what this is). Basic plot - Ryan, a reclusive hermit rescues a young ten year old and her dog who are about to drown after being trapped at the end of a sand bank that is fast disappearing as the ocean rises with the tide. Marianne that ten year old who recently emigrated from Germany, has not made friends with children her own age at school, her father neglects her and on the odd occasion he is at home doesn't treat her very well as she reminds him of her mother. So naturally she is drawn to Ryan and can't see anything wrong with sneaking into his yard, hanging around him and trying to be his friend as she knows he talks to no one else unless he needs to so secretly will welcome her companionship. Ryan however knows the town will see something wrong and keeps trying to convince her to leave him alone. Ryan's predictions are correct and it is not long before he is arrested after Marianne's father makes up a story about Ryan breaking in and perving on Marianne. Not a very good liar it is obvious to the police Ryan didn't do it but being that he was jailed at the age of 15 for murdering a child they can't just let it go. Neither do the town, and Ryan knows he has to move on. However Marianne has turned up with severe bruises to her head claiming her father beat her and will kill her next time he sees her. She tells him she is going back to Germany to find her mother so she will be safe and Ryan knows she won't be safe if she goes on her own. Ryan thinks it will be simple, deliver her to her mother and then restart his life, only catch is the police haven't been able to locate her since a few nights before Marianne and her father left Germany. The story is well written in the fact that like the confusion Ryan and Marianne are experiencing, you never really know what is going on, initially is Marianne's mother alive, if not did her father kill her, what other secrets has her father not revealed to Marianne, what exactly did Ryan in relation to that child murder that has the police fearing for Marianne's life and other questions that keep coming up as those are answered. A good novel, track it down!

I'm glad I don't rely on professional reviews. I read this book ages ago and kept it--I only vaguely remembered the outcome, vague enough that I enjoyed it just as much the second time around (perhaps the vague familiarity is what added to the creepiness and the inherent sad feeling as I lifted it off the book shelf). This is a marvelous book; less white-knuckle thriller, and more like a very mature, quite emotional Hitchcock. I am still so uncertain about my own feelings for his characters---this story can leave you feeling conflicted. I'm so glad I kept it for another read and am sure I will do it again in 10 years. I came in to find other books by this author. I think that there are writers and then there are storytellers--Stephen Gallagher manages to be both, a rare thing. I only withheld the 5th star because I always believe there's something even better out there! I'm an extremely picky, critical reader and can say that this is a book well worth finding, buying, and reading more than once.

In the hands of most authors, NIGHTMARE, WITH ANGEL would be an amusing distraction. But given that it comes from the pen (or keyboard, one assumes) of Stephen Gallagher, we must expect something a little bit better than that. And he certainly delivers on those expectations. NIGHTMARE is not just a tightly paced, exciting psychological thriller; it's also a fascinating character study. Gallagher places as much importance on character and theme as he does upon plot and story. To be honest, I'm not sure which he did the best, because all of those aspects were well done. He creates a small number of extremely realistic characters and slowly reveals them to the reader at a thoughtful pace. The fact that he does this for characters of both genders, a child, and someone of questionable mental facilities is commendable. He manages to make all of these people seem real. And even though they are strongly defined, he can still have them perform surprises. The plot is actually quite simple when you boil it down to a sentence: a young girl and a man run away from the child's father in an attempt to discover what happened to her mother. But Gallagher packs a lot of shocks along the way. It's straightforward but it isn't at all predictable. I mentioned earlier being impressed by Gallagher's themes. This was the part of the story that will stick with me. He throws thoughts of redemption and forgiveness into his twist on good vs. evil. It's this sort of thoughtfulness that raises this book above its peers. NIGHTMARE, WITH ANGEL is dark without being pessimistic, and absorbing without basing itself on gimmicks. This is a worthy thriller whose characters will appeal to readers who aren't crazy about this genre and whose plot will electrify those who are. Gallagher's prose will raise the hairs on your head, while also giving your brain something to chew on.

I can't agree with the previous critics who found holes in the plot and the pace slow. Given that they didn't cite any holes I can't rebut their claim, but I certainly found none and I am a quite critical reader. My take on Nightmare, With Angel was that it is a terrific thriller, far beyond the norm that takes up so much shelf space today. It is a pity that it is out of print, and I definitely recommend seeking out a used copy to thriller readers everywhere.What makes Nightmare, With Angel so special is that the reader is never quite certain about the protagonist, Ryan O'Donnell. We first meet him saving the life of a young girl, Marianne Cadogan; but he is a reluctant hero at best. Marianne is drawn to him, but the reader knows him first as little more than a bum, then as a former mental patient, and finally as a convicted child killer. Whether the conviction was justified remains questionable almost to the end. It is this complexity of characterization that makes the book so very good. Few of the characters are drawn in black or white; even Marianne's father and mother are ultimately revealed as deeply flawed people. As to the identity of the "Angel" of the title, O'Donnell, Marianne, and O'Donnell's psychotic vision are all cast at various times. After reading Gallagher's Red, Red Robin (also out of print, but see my review here) I ordered this book, and Gallagher is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Look to him for something more than the standard American serial killer novels that have overwhelmed popular publishing today.

"Nightmare, With Angel" is a 1992 book that obviously didn't receive too warm a welcome, as it is now out of print. If you can find a copy, however, it is a brilliant character study by a gifted English writer.There are a few plot holes in the plot, and the pace is typically British "slow." However, one cannot deny the power of the characterizations. There are five outstanding examples.*Marianne Cadogan - the eleven year old protagonist of the story is a complex mix of child and adult. You may at first be irritated with the way she entwines herself in the life of one Ryan O'Donnell, a convicted child molester who rescues her from a certain death in the first chapter. However, once you learn more about Marianne, you can't help but admire the child's tenacity, spunk, and ability to warm the hearts of even the coldest of people. As Marianne leads Ryan on a seemingly futile search for her estranged mother, she develops a maturity way beyond her years, and can only share her desperation and hope as she comes so close to a reunion. *Ryan O'Donnell - a remarkable study in social alienation and heroism. Ryan starts out avoiding Marianne's friendship, but in the end, he is persuaded to assist Marianne in her quest. As we learn more about Ryan, it becomes hard to view him as a hero. He DID commit the crime he was imprisoned for at the age of fifteen. But in journeying with him to Germany, we discover much more about him, and as he does everything he can to help Marianne, he becomes the true hero of the book, and the ending is gutwrenching in its poignancy and sadness. Three other characters well-fleshed out are the mother, Anneliese Cadogan, whose descent into madness and irreparable harm, is chilling; Patrick Cadogan, the father of Marianne, is also expertly drawn, and he too undergoes a metamorphosis that can only be deemed as inevitable, in light of what he must go through to re-unite with his daughter; and finally, the police detective Jennifer is also a sharp characterization, a mix of professional apathy and human sympathy, too.All in all, this book is worth reading to simply experience the rich characterizations of Gallagher's pen.