14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
How many serial killers are out there?, April 19, 2002
This review is from: The Night Caller (Paperback)
I must admit that I'm a sucker for a serial killer thriller. No matter how many of them I read, I still find myself reaching for more. (I'm not sure what that says about my own psyche.)
Lutz introduces us to Ezekial "Coop" Cooper, a former NYPD detective who is now trying to figure out his life after a divorce, cancer survival, and retirement. Unfortunately, Coop finds his adult daugter dead on display in the family's beach bungalow. He puts on his detective shoes again and sets out to solve this murder despite warnings from the cops and from his friend, Arthur Billard--full-time cop, part-time restauranteur. From there, he hooks up with Deni Green, a most unpleasant writer of cat mysteries (I kept hoping for something bad to happen to Deni). He also finds new love with a younger woman, and the whole darn bunch ends up peeking around corners trying to lure out a serial killer.
For the genre, this is a pretty decent book. Coop is a well-drawn character, and the serial killer is rather creative in his craft. However, don't expect anything vastly unique about this novel. The serial killer, once named, is nothing new, and you'll probably be able to figure out the mystery well before the end. Like I said above, Deni Green is one of the most unpleasant characters I've ever read; she definitely had me rooting for the killer! However, this is a pretty good vacation book because it's a quick read that will hold your interest. It kept me busy for a boring train ride while I was on vacation, and that's enough for me to give it 3 stars. Happy reading!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"The Night Caller felt the need.", October 9, 2003
This review is from: The Night Caller (Paperback)
"The Night Caller felt the need."
*****
"The Night Caller had read all the available material on the subject, how law enforcement defined serial killers, how they divided them into `organized' and `disorganized' types by analyzing crime scenes, how they worked up psychological and physical profiles that usually turned out to be amazingly accurate." John Lutz's novel, The Night Caller is all about tracking down a serial killer. His purpose is to make you wonder and make you think. Lutz does his job well. The plot starts off and stays thick throughout the story, so that the reader's attention is kept. This was a great novel and the characters were fantastic! The author really takes time to describe the characters. Lutz explains the settings in depth; no one could have done it better. Setting is also very important to the story especially when portraying murder scenes. The whole purpose of this novel is to solve the mystery, in other words to identify the killer.
The book starts out with a murder, and has various ones throughout. Ezekiel Cooper finds his daughter's corpse in a deserted beach house, devastated, he vows to find her murderer. Although, what the ex-cop does not know is that there have been other victims. He teams up with a writer to find the unthinkable clever stranger. Determined to fine the killer, Coop soon crosses paths with Cara Callahan, who's bent on luring in her sister's killer. Just as Coop feared, her plan may be working a little too well. The evasive serial killer known as the Night Caller prepares to pounce again.
The novel is effective. The setting and the characters fit in excellent together. In this story, every character counts. The characters are also placed carefully in the settings. "Her painted nails drummed on the steering wheel as she drove her red Sebring convertible toward the Siesta Key drawbridge in Sarasota." It is so interesting that Lutz can add everything he needs to without having a run-on-sentence. Knowing what character is where at certain times is important, "Coop sat at an outdoor table at the restaurant Seconds..." John Lutz makes every setting so realistic. "It was the kind of unseasonably warm October afternoon that made everyone wish at least for the moment that there were no winters to come." The author does a great job tying in the characters with the settings, although it is not essential. It is helpful.
Lutz is very informal throughout his novel. He cusses a lot and is very blunt. There are a lot of twists to the story; after all it is a murder mystery. He is sarcastic at times. "She would enter confidently, locking the door and thinking she was separating herself from the perilous outside world." Lutz's sentences go into great detail to help you better understand the novel. The characters often think out loud. "'Cheap at the price,' Deni thought." Lutz lets you know what the characters are thinking. He asks a lot of questions and leaves the reader to answer them. "Was she an angel of vengeance, or a death wish walking?" The author's style pulls you into the book.
The author puts a lot of spin on his story. His plot outline is very different. He starts out with a murder that happened in the past, and then flashes ahead. He'll be talking about something then will completely stop and start in with another subject. One of the characters, Coops, tells the story. It's told from third person point of view.
The Night Caller basically stalks his victims and "gets to know them," before he kills them. An ex-cop and a writer are on his case. Cooper (the cop) gets involved romantically with another character. Lutz throws in a lot of different themes. The mysteries behind the murders are the dominant subjects of the book. Lutz does a respectable job of dramatizing the story.
Overall, The Night Caller is a great novel that deserves five stars! The characters, settings, language/style, and the plot are all extravagant! John Lutz keeps the audience entertained with every aspect of the story. He is an amazing author and deserves as much credit as can be give to him. He really speaks to the reader. The Night Caller is perfect for those who like mystery and suspense. "He sucked in his breath in disbelief," that is the effect this book has on the reader. Reading this novel would be an excellent choice!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fast-Paced Suspense, October 17, 2001
This review is from: The Night Caller (Paperback)
When former NYPD detective Cooper finds his strangled daughter in his summer beach house, he is determined to put his prior skills to use in tracking her killer. He must also continue to fight the threat of his cancer that is now in remission, as well as an ex-wife whom he barely recognizes as the woman he once married. Once he is contacted by an overly-aggressive mystery writer who is convinced his daughter's killing is linked to others across the country, the search intensifies. Battling an uninterested FBI and local police force who disbelieve the idea of a serial killer, the two set out to prove them wrong. Along the way, Cara, a women whose sister may have also been struck by the killer, joins the hunt posing as a woman much like those being hunted and killed. While the pace is incredibly swift, there are a few holes in the plot that led to minor dissatisfaction. In this day and age of sophisticated technology and the sharing of information amongst crime forces, it is very hard to swallow the premise that these crimes would go unconnected for so long, especially with the killer's propensity for leaving behind certain clues. All in all, however, I was able to read this book in one sitting while enjoying it most of the way.
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