I used to tell people that if the world were fair, T. Jefferson Parker would be a famous writer. After years of great books though, Parker has finally found a devoted audience. So now I’ll revise my original statement and say that if Parker wrote a series, he would be the most popular police thriller writer of all.
But like another favorite, Minette Walters, Parker writes about new characters with almost every outing. While this may cost him the readership of those who want long series with the same detective, one can hardly complain about the results. The typical Parker novel features complex Southern California cops searching for a serial killer.
In The Blue Hour, we alternate between three perspectives. Merci Rayborn is a gifted but sometimes abrasive female cop who is having a hard time fitting into the department in Laguna County. Tim Hess is a detective brought back from cancer-caused retirement, paired with Mercy to try to mellow her brash ways and bring his experience. They’re chasing a serial killer who abducts his victims from mall parking lots. The main suspect is a chemically-castrated rapist, recently released from prison, but to Merci, that suspicion just doesn’t line up.
If this book isn’t available, try any title by Parker. He’s written fourteen, and there isn’t a bad book among them. With taut plots, compelling characters, and great style, this is a writer who won’t disappoint.
Check the WRL catalog for The Blue Hour
