Customer Reviews

Night Kills (Frank Quinn)

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

 

 

I have long been a fan of John Lutz' books, filled with gripping story lines and superbly crafted characters. His newest, Night Kills has one of the most original and compelling plots I've read in a long time. He surprises the reader fairly early on by letting us know why young women are being murdered in New York. And that's when the devilishly creative plot really gets rolling with new twists and turns seemingly with every page turned. Try not to begin reading this book at night because you will be up very late. Wayne Barcomb

Night Kills was my second book by Lutz. His books are easy to read, interesting and have plot twists that can keep a reader guessing.

If you don't try to overanalyze this book, it will be a pleasure to read. I liked the main characters of the book, Quinn, Pearl and Feds. And the Jill character, the object of the murder scheme, was believable in her plight.

It also has two sub-plots that are very interesting, especially that of the Meth dealers and the wanted fugitive.

Without being negative about the book, the few short-comings it does have are a few plot holes (just call the person, don't leave a torso) and a killer who starts so smart, but is dumb as heck at the end.

John Lutz is one of those journeyman authors who is good for at least one book a year. He is always solid and dependable, and has been so since the mid-1970s. Movie fans also should be familiar with him, as his novel SINGLE WHITE FEMALE was adapted for the big screen. If you are not reading Lutz, you should be; if you do, then I predict that NIGHT KILLS, his latest work, will prompt you to move his name to the magic circle of your "must-read" list. It is, my friends, a breakthrough novel.

NIGHT KILLS features the most welcome return of former NYPD detective Frank Quinn, introduced in DARKER THAN NIGHT and most recently seen in IN FOR THE KILL. Over the course of these novels, Lutz has been sculpting a highly entertaining and memorable character with Quinn, a tough, smart cop who plays not well and only reluctantly with others. Framed and forced to resign in disgrace from the NYPD, he proved the city wrong in a court of law, was awarded a more than tidy settlement, and is able to rub salt in his former employer's wound when he is called upon as a consultant to solve particularly puzzling, high-profile murder cases.

Quinn gets one in NIGHT KILLS when the torsos of two women are found at separate crime scenes. He brings in Pearl, another ex-cop who used to share Quinn's bed and breakfast, and Larry Fedderman, a retired detective who is slowly losing his mind from boredom. This is quite a prickly trio, make no mistake; the torch that Quinn used to carry for Pearl still flickers a bit, and Pearl and Fedderman are engaged in a subtle but constant game of one-up. Quinn and Fedderman also possess a dry humor that the grim Pearl does not always appreciate. The rough edges, however, produce productive sparks, and the team moves slowly but steadily toward a solution despite having not only to catch a very devious and clever killer but also to deal with subterfuge from the NYPD itself.

NIGHT KILLS may look like your standard, though intriguing, serial killer novel. The murders are particularly gruesome --- the dismemberment of each body is not the least of it --- and actual clues, other than those that indicate the murders are the work of the same party, are few and far between. About a fourth of the way into the book, however, Lutz throws a curve you don't see coming, and then another. Before you realize it, Quinn and company are dealing with something more diabolical than a serial killer and harder to catch. The perpetrator behind the murders isn't compelled to take care of them, at least not at first. But enjoyment slowly becomes a factor, and it is a horrifying process indeed to behold. It is the idea behind the murders though and the thread that permits Quinn to slowly begin to unravel the fabric of the case that make this one of the most intriguing fictional works of the year.

NIGHT KILLS will provide you with enough mystery, mayhem, twists, turns and surprises to fill three or four novels. Just when you think Lutz is wrapping up, he throws something else into the mix. The result is an addicting wild night's ride that will shock and surprise you right up to the final page.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

I don't know what book the other reviewers are reading. Nothing about Night Kills is remotely plausible.

The stupidity is almost painful to describe. A master criminal sets up an online dating agency in New York City to find solitary singles who resemble his real clients. The singles are murdered and their limbless torsos are left in plain sight as a signal to his clients that it's time to take over their identities, and even move into their apartments.

If you don't think that's idiotic - wait, there's more!

After a few torsos turn up, the Police Commissioner hires three retired detectives to solve the murders on their own. That's right, three detectives to solve a string of serial killings in New York City.

And if you don't think that's idiotic - well then, this book is for you.

This book was good, but Michael Connelys Harry Bosch series is almost the same. ???? (Connelys Bosch LA and Lutz's Quinn NYC)

This was the first book I read on my new Kindle, and what a good first choice it was! It was exciting, tense, and entertaining. The characters were true to life, the plot moved right along, and the final 'showdown' was so intense I stayed up way past my normal bed time because I couldn't put it down! As a side note...If you don't have a Kindle yet, don't be afraid to get one. It works great! The only thing I missed was that 'new book' smell.

first book by john lutz -- wonderfully done -- story, characters, dialogue -- all first rate

I continue to find Lutz to be a master at building suspense and terror while providing psychological chills and surprises with his characters and plots. His characters are fully developed to the extent that you really care about them and understand their motivations. He has an uncanny ability to paint chilling psychological portraits of his serial killers while detailing how and why they think and act as they do. His plotting and action is always well paced and executed as the story unfolds with gruesome deaths, gritty psychological terror, and surprising plot twists.

exellent story...son loved this book he thought it was a page turner!!
great author....

This is my second read by the author. Previously, I liked In For The Kill. In this story, retired serial killer expert detective Frank Quinn is called upon by police commissioner Harley Renz to reassemble his team and find a new murderer. So, he gets the sexy Pearl Kassner now working in bank security and Larry "Feds" Fedderman who has retired to Florida. It soon comes to light that there's a common thread between the female victims. They were all new to New York, had few close friends and were members of an online dating service. It turns out that the agency had motivation other than that of a matchmaker. For special customers they would give them a new identity. They matched those people seeking new lives with customers of the service whom they physically resembled. Then the member would be murdered and vanish. This was a fast moving, though quite gory, enjoyable read.