Customer Reviews

Dead of Night

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

 

 

"Dead of Night" is Abella's follow-up to the events of "Killing of the Saints". Charlie's life has changed since the events of the last book. He is now an L.A lawyer, who was briefly famous for writing a book on santeria, but now he's in the grind of daily life. Until his mother passes away, and an old friend of hers asks him to find her godson, who turns out to be a Satanic follower of black magic. Charlie will have to resolve the past if he is to survive against Ricardo Diaz, who is linked to Charlie more than he knew. The chase goes on through Miami, Mexico and the Los Angeles area as Diaz adds to his body count, and Charlie is face to face with the sins of his father. Good thrills, but not as good as "Killing" was.

Abella's intimate knowledge of the Los Angeles Criminal Court system and personnel add to any local reader's enjoyment of this chilling and sometimes gruesome sequel to "Killing of the Saints." The suggestions of supernatural intervention add just the right flavor.

I recommend buying not only Dead of Night but also The Killling of the Saints, where Abella introduces his character Charlie Morell. All the right elements, passion, underworld figures, ethnic elements, are masterly weaved by this skilled writer. If you want to learn about the early days of the Cuban Revolution, read Abella's historical novel, The Great American, packed with solid research.

I had never heard of Alex Abella until a friend in a mystery bookstore recommended this book. It's the story of Charlie Morrell, A Cuban-American lawyer in Los Angeles, and his hunt for a cult leader and killer. I'm not Cuban, but I was fascinated by the glimpse into a foreign culture that exists in our own country. That and the superb writing (especially the hard-boiled stuff about Los Angeles) make this a book to read - there are some plot problems, and at times it was a little graphic for me, but overall I enjoyed it and am eager to read the next adventure of Charlie Morrell.

Abella is a great storyteller mixing a very real look at the world of the courts and cops with the dark world of the occult. Charlie Morrell is a stong hero and gives the reader a view of LA from a different perspective. Abella manages to give great insight into the Cuban experience in Californai as he weaves a wonderful story.

This book is a great read and a lot of fun, perfect for a stormy night.

Although the plot is Ok, the author should try and use better grammar. This book was a waste of time, and money. Cuban Americans should get a better deal than this. very unclear, almost random.

Mr. Abella definitely lost me on this book. Perhaps it was the fact that I never read his previous book in reference to the main character. I was genuinely impressed with "The Great American", and was expecting more of the same type of storytelling. Perhaps I expected too much.