Darker Than Night
John Lutz Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)

Books

Movies

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Mystery/Thriller

Literature

Romance

Biography

History

John Lutz Books	New book search	John Lutz Message Board
Get more information about this book

Plot Summary of Darker Than Night

"

Pinnacle, Nov 2004, 6.99, 549 pp.
ISBN: 0786016337

While investigating a drug dealer's murder, New York Police Department Lieutenant Frank Quinn discovered that a group of his peers were receiving kickbacks to look the other way on illegal activities. Before he goes to Internal Affairs, someone informed IA that Frank raped a fifteen years old girl. He chooses the moral path, but his wife and IA do not believe in his innocence and takes their daughter across the country leaving a stunned Frank behind. He took a half pension rather than be fired.

A serial killer known as the Night Prowler is murdering married couples in their kitchens. Nobody seems to hear him when he lets himself in using an apparent key. Assistant Chief of Police Henry Cortez, with a chance for the top job, feels Frank can solve the case and brings him on as a civilian consultant. Frank feels he has a chance to redeem himself and get his job back.

Though he knows he got a raw deal, the protagonist instead of whining and feeling sorry for himself jumps into the fray the first chance he has to prove himself. Fans will root for Frank, who has powerful enemies that he is unaware of who want him removed form the scene.

Harriet Klausner

Crested sapwood supportable noradrenaline runout.

"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Darker Than Night

Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%

Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 80%
Kind of investigator - police procedural, American
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - politics
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - a little
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - artist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - insanity
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 8 or more
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript

Most similar books to Darker Than Night
Up In Smoke by Charlene Weir
At the Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava
Kill and Tell by Linda Howard
Broken Wings by John Douglas
A Confidential Source by Jan Brogan

Click here for more information about this book

John Lutz Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:

Tracey Ray

SCHOLARS: Steven

Search for another book

John Lutz

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

Use our site!
Feedback
About us
Bribe your congressman!
Rudy Giuliani

Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Online Dating Advice
Jude Watson 12:40:50 PM
George W. Bush 2:31:32 AM
V.C. Andrews 10:03:07 PM
June Lund Shiplett 9:31:25 PM
George Orwell 9:27:23 PM
Aline Countess of Romanones 8:02:27 PM
Southampton Row 5:12:43 PM
Wendelin Van Draanen 4:27:35 PM
Robert Segarra 10:52:16 AM
Erin Hunters 9:57:31 PM
Libba Bray 6:22:09 PM
Alicia Appleman-Jurman 5:38:00 AM
Teri Woods 1:48:18 AM
Warren Getler and Bob Brewer 4:00:04 PM
Robert Stanek 11:52:21 AM
Zana Muhsen 7:59:05 AM
Pamela Walls 10:14:59 PM
James Frey 4:58:39 PM
Deric Longden 4:06:00 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 11:43:01 AM

More message boards

Darker Than Night John Lutz Book Review

Darker Than Night
John Lutz Book Review