- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (Sep 18 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0312353618
- ISBN-13: 978-0312353612
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.7 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 272 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #541,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Edgar-winner Hamilton's first stand-alone crime thriller falls short of his excellent Alex McKnight series (A Stolen Season, etc.). When Joe Trumbull, a juvenile probation officer in Kingston, N.Y., finally decides to socialize two years after his fiancée's murder, his blind date winds up strangled to death hours after their meeting. The local police chief calls in a pair of state detectives, who make Joe their prime suspect after two more woman are murdered who recently had contact with him. A loner beset by nightmares living in a messy apartment above the gym where he boxes to keep in shape, Joe begins to investigate to clear his name. Though the usually reliable Hamilton nicely evokes life in Kingston and the Hudson River landscape, this search for a psychopathic killer disappoints with repetitive dead ends and a clichéd wounded protagonist who brings on the terrifying climax by working with no backup. Author tour. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Two years ago, probation officer Joe Trumbull's fiancée was murdered, just days before their wedding. Still aching from the loss, Joe decides it's time to move forward, so he accepts a blind date, which goes surprisingly well—until he learns the next day that his date, too, has been murdered. Suddenly the past two years of his life swim into sharp focus, as Joe realizes someone is shadowing him, striking when he least expects it, in a way designed to make him feel the maximum amount of pain. This is a fine stand-alone thriller from the author of the popular Alex McKnight series. It's smartly paced with well-drawn characters and a constant claustrophobic sense of evil, as though something is about to lunge out of the darkness at us. Trumbull is a solid protagonist, a man whose physical strength is matched by his strength of character, but he isn't one of those bland, muscular hero types. This isn't the first time Hamilton has tackled the stalker theme (he used it in A Cold Day in Paradise, 1999), but he handles it very well here, without repeating himself. Pitt, David
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
ONE MORE STUNNING NARRATION FROM DICK HILL,
By
This review is from: Night Work (Audio CD)
Looks can be deceiving, and so can feelings. Joe Trumbull learned this lesson not just the hard way but in a way that was almost fatal. To date, life hasn't been good to him. He's a juvenile probation officer in Kingston, New York. Some of the kids are petty offenders, others could be classified as hard-boiled criminals. So, we'd assume Joe was a pretty savvy guy. Perhaps so, but his mind is also clouded by tragedy.It was two years ago that he was looking forward to marrying Laurel. Then, on the night of his bachelor party she was strangled. Since then Joe has turned inward, retreated, doing his job and working out at the gym. But now he thinks that just maybe he's ready to make a better kind of life for himself, so he goes out on a blind date. Surprisingly to him the evening went well. Shocking to him was the murder of his date later that same evening. As other women are killed, women who had some contact with Joe, the police zero in on him as suspect No. 1. It seems the only way he can clear himself is to find the psychotic killer who is intent upon destroying him. Edgar and Shamus winner Steve Hamilton has crafted a suspenseful tale, which is read by another winner - Dick Hill. Named a Golden Voice and a Voice of the Century by Audiophile magazine, Hill delivers one more stunning narration. - Gail Cooke
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.2 out of 5 stars (29 customer reviews) 10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
"After two long years, it was time to start my life again.",
By E. Bukowsky "booklover10" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Night Work (Hardcover)
In "Night Work," Steve Hamilton introduces Joe Trumbull, a probation officer who lives and works in upstate New York. Joe is "part cop, part social worker, part guidance counselor, part rehab coordinator, part bounty hunter." His job is multifaceted: he visits his clients' homes and drags them out of bed, investigates their family lives, and writes up sentencing recommendations for the court. If he suggests probation and the judge agrees, then Joe tries to help his "knuckleheads," mostly kids in need of supervision, to stay out of prison. Joe is "your official court-designated guardian angel." He lives in a dumpy apartment above a gym, adores jazz, and dabbles in boxing.Two years earlier, Joe's fiancée, Laurel, was murdered just days before their wedding. The case is still open. Lonely and afraid of staying that way, Joe puts a listing in a singles' site and lands a blind date with a beautiful woman. In a humorous opening, Joe approaches his evening out as if he were facing an impending execution. Fortunately, he and his companion hit it off and, for the first time in a long while, Joe is looking forward to the future. Unfortunately, a series of unexpected and terrifying events follow that make Joe the prime suspect in a series of homicides. To clear his name, he will need to find the answer to a crucial question: Who hates him enough to want to destroy him? Steve Hamilton made his reputation with the solid Alex McNight series, and although this thriller lacks the punch of Hamilton's earlier books, it does have its strengths. Hamilton wisely sets his story in an offbeat location, Kingston, New York, and he gives his protagonist an occupation (probation officer) that is also a bit different. Joe is likeable enough, the writing is crisp and direct, and the mystery is fairly suspenseful. The only negative is that "Night Work" adheres too closely to the old formula: Nice guy tries to get over the death of his fiancée. He suddenly finds himself on the run from the cops, who suspect him of being a serial killer. He must find the real perpetrator before the detectives take him into custody. We have seen this plot too many times before, and Hamilton does not provide enough variations on this familiar theme to make his novel stand out from the crowd. 12 of 15 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
Dark, depressing, downer...,
By Longstreet - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Night Work (Hardcover)
As a big fan of Steve Hamilton's previous books, Night Work came as a huge disappointment. Aside from the incredibly gloomy storyline, everything was too predictable. As Hamilton has proven himself to be a truly talented writer in the past, I continued reading this book with the assumption that the plot would take a surprising turn or, at least, I would see some of his enjoyable, lighthearted humor. Sadly, none of this happened. Not only was the story enormously dismal and dark, but everything was way too predictable. While I'm usually the last guy to figure out whodunit, Hamilton did everything but put a neon sign around the villain's neck very early in the book. Hopefully, Hamilton will drop the dull main character and sad tale of Night Work, and get back on track with his next novel.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Engrossing thriller,
By Julia Flyte - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Night Work (Mass Market Paperback)
Joe Trumbell works in upstate New York as a probation officer. When the book opens he is about to go on a blind date: his first since his fiancee Laurel was murdered two years ago. The date with Marlene goes very well - but shortly afterwards her dead body is found. Despite assertations to the contrary, it is clear that Trumbull is the police's best suspect. As the evidence against him mounts, he becomes determined to find the killer and to clear his name before it's too late.The storyline is a familiar one, but Hamilton has an enjoyable writing style and injects enough twists and surprises to hold the reader's interest. I was trying to make sense of the clues along the way but didn't guess what the final outcome would be. After a slightly slow start, the book picks up momentum and makes for a fast read to the end. Yes the eventual conclusion is pretty silly, but no worse than most books in this genre. I enjoyed this book. Steve Hamilton is the author of a great series about a retired cop living in Paradise, Michigan. (If you haven't read any of them, start with A Cold Day in Paradise). Night Work is a one-off standalone novel, although on his website he suggests that there will be future books about Joe Trumbull. |
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