Customer Reviews

Darker Than Midnight (Mordecai Young Series, Book 3)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was a page turner, I could not put it down.

River Corbett is in a mental hospital for the murder of his pregnant wife. He is so drugged up, he barely even remembers who he is. When people keep attempting to kill him, he tells his best friend and doctor, Ethan Melrose. Unfortunately Ethan just believes that these are delusions brought on my River's insanity. River realizes that he must escape the hospital and find out what really happened the night his wife died.

River returns to his home in Blackberry, Vermont where the new Chief of Police has moved in. Cassandra "Jax" Jackson knows it is her duty to turn him in, but she has tragedy in her past that makes her want to help River find out the truth.

Dawn Jones is a young adult who received a "gift" from her dead father. This is the paranormal aspect of the book, which isn't too over the top. Maggie Shayne made it believeable.

I really wouldn't pass this book up. The mystery is extremely well written, as is the romance.

Darker than Midnight was my first Maggie Shayne novel and certainly will not be my last. Although the suspect was obvious, the page turning suspense and non stop action was well worth reading and definitely worth the money to buy.

River Corbett has been accused of a crime he can not remember committing. Drugged and confined to a mental hospital where someone wants him dead and his only chance of survival is escaping and finding the truth. He finds himself back at the scene of the crime and faced by the soon to be new chief of police. Cassandra "Jax" Jackson knows that she should not trust this man, nor should she put her job on the line to protect him, but nevertheless she finds herself doing just that and falling for the man at the same time. Can River and Jax find out the truth before it is too late, or will they too become the killer's newest victims?

I just happened to see this book featured at a local bookstore, and thought I'd give a try-- I'm really glad I did. This was the first novel I have ever read by Maggie Shayne, but it will certainly not be the last. I was somewhat surprised to find out Shayne has written over 40 novels-- she does come accross as a seasoned storyteller in her writing, but the characters have such a "that-could-be-me-or-my-friend" everyday appeal to them. This book isn't actually a sequal, however there are characters that appear in Darker Than Midnight that have more leading roles in Shayne's novel Colder Than Ice. While I wish I would have known about and read "Ice" prior to "Midnight," Shayne explains enough for you to receive a hint of background and understanding of why/how each character plays into part.

The characters come together when police lieutenant Cassandra "Jax" Jackson revisits Vermont after being offered a position as Chief of Police in the small town of Blackberry. Current Chief and acquaintance Frankie Parker will be retiring in 2 weeks or less-- just enough time for Jax to make her decision while spending her 2 week vacation in the house "donated" by the city to the new chief(whoever that may turn out to be). Enter Michael "River" Corbett, a man in the state mental hospital, heavily drugged and suffering from blackouts. Convicted of murdering his wife, River actually doesn't remember what transpired the night she died. After a few "supposed" attempts on his life, River escapes the hospital and searches for the truth. After saving Jax's life one evening, River stays the night with her (only so he won't freeze to death outside), and she becomes determined to find out who he is and why he is running. As news spreads of his escape, Jax now winds up harboring a fugitive, putting her career, and possibly life, on the line. Events unfold, stories of the characters' past come to light, and Jax finds herself compromising more than just HER life. Throw in Jax's parents, River's bestfriend Ethan (who is also his psychiatrist), and Jax's young friend Dawn (who hears and sees ghosts, but doesn't want to), and you have yourself a real ordeal.

A lot of interesting, beleivable, and lovable (and hateable!) characters, Darker Than Midnight is exciting, funny, romantic and just plain good. I recommend it to anyone who loves mysteries, romance, hidden clues, and a little of the supernatural. Shayne defenately leaves the book open to spinoff more of the other characters, and I hope she does just that. In the meantime, I will be sure to check out her past works, and you should too.

Since he was arrested for murdering his wife, Steph, a crime he does not remember or anything else from that night, Michael "River" Corbett has been drugged and confined to a state mental hospital. He is not sure if he is paranoid from the drugs that leave his mind fuzzy and in a fog, but River believes someone has tried to kill him. He escapes from the institution heading to Blackberry, Vermont to learn whether he killed his spouse and if not, who did.

Fourteen years ago, Cassandra "Jax" Jackson's father killed the man who murdered his other daughter, but the court declared him not guilty due to diminished capacity; Jax's police career in Syracuse died in that courtroom so she accepts a job in Blackberry. When the by the book Jax meets River she fails to take him in as something in his look makes her believe he is no killer. As they team up seeking to learn who murdered Steph, a ghost send clues to the "besieged" teenager Dawn Jones, who if she wants to be left alone, must help River and Jax.

Readers will agree from the start that River is innocent because the killer seems obvious relatively early on yet no one will put down DARKER THAN MIDNIGHT until the end to affirm their theory is correct. The who-done-it story line is enhanced by the paranormal elements as Steph tries to reach from the grave to right a wrong that she partially caused. Fans will root for the lead couples to more than just survive the twilight; like Steph they want Jax and River together, but the chances of that happening seems so remote.

Harriet Klausner

I didn't realize that this novel is a sequel to two others: Thicker Than Ice and Colder Than Ice. Since I read Maggie Shayne for the paranormal romance, not for mysteries, I hadn't read either of those and was, well, not completely lost, but quite confused at points. Shayne assumes that her readers know who Beth, Josh, Dawn and dead Mordecai are. Because of that assumption, she doesn't explain enough about them, how the protagonist Jax was associated with them, or what was wrong with Mordecai--until the end. The basic plotline is solid and interesting, and Shayne does create sympathy for her central couple: cop Cassandra "Jax" Jackson and former cop and convicted murderer/mental patient Michael "River" Corbett. Of course, from the beginning of the novel, it was rather obvious that the bad guy had to be one of two people. All in all, interesting, but I think I'd rate it higher if I had read the previous novels first.

I loved both the plot of this book and the romance between Jax and River. It had everything a great romantic suspense should have including a surprise who done it ending. It is in my opionion a must read.

This was my first Maggie Shayne novel and it was definitely worth the time. I finished it in a few days. The story had many twists which made it even more enjoyable. Plus, the romance between River and Jax was hot. What else can I say but READ IT!

Cassandra Jackson is a Syracuse NY police lieutenant on leave to check out the possibility of becoming the Police Chief in the little town of Blackberry VT. The town owns the house where a fire destroyed a portion it and killed the pregnant woman inside. So this is where Cass is living temporarily and where she will live if she takes the new job.

River Corbett is doped up in a mental hospital for allegedly setting fire to his house and killing his wife. He breaks out when someone tries to kill him. He, of course, goes back to Blackberry and to his former house. And yes, Cass harbors the fugitive and tries to help him find the truth. She's read his case and doesn't believe he killed his wife.

Dr. Ethan Melrose is River's good friend and the psychiatrist at the mental hospital who kept River on the verge of insanity. Cass, and eventually River, suspect Ethan isn't the friend he pretends to be.

Who's trying to kill River and Cass? Will River be caught and sent back to the funny farm? Will Cass and River get caught together? Is her job in jeopardy? What other secrets will be revealed?

It's a good one for mystery, romance and a steamy love scene or two.

The story and suspense are good. Character development is good. The editing is poor and leaves a lot of really obvious and basic mistakes. As with the two other novels of Ms. Shayne's I've read, all the characters respond with a lot of sighing, licking their lips, slow blinks and slow head shakes. It's a whole lot of the same old thing, but manages to be compelling anyway. Once again, the love scenes seem to be cut and pasted from book to book. The sexual tension involved works well though.

This was the third novel of Ms. Shayne's I've read and I will read one more. Thicker Than Water is the first installment of the Mordecai Young trilogy and I have to play catch up and go back to the beginning. After that, I believe I'm done with Ms. Shayne, but I thank her for the entertainment she provided me.

Shelley Dawn, author of, Sweet, Sweet Jessie and Dark Nights

As I have read the other two books, one and two, of this series, I really enjoyed reading this book as it contained several of the previous characters. I liked Beth better in the other books. She seemed a bit too wimpy in this one. Dawn has the potential to be a very interesting character but needs to grow up some and quit being such a ninny where her supernatural powers are concerned or whatever they are. They aren't threatening to her so why not help people where she can and quit beating up on herself for being related to her father. She obviously knows that she isn't insane. Might be nice to see that Mariah has gotten it together too after losing her husband.

River and Jax were great together and there was lots of mystery, romance and action that made the book very interesting. I really hope that there will be another book in this series containing them in it so that we can see what happens with River's health problems and also what happens to Dawn and Bryan. Would be interesting too to see Jax in action as the new police chief.