Publisher's Weekly Review
Eskens's latest novel featuring detective Max Rupert begins with the Minneapolis homicide cop on a frozen lake in Superior National Forest, facing the killer of his pregnant wife. The big question: is he there as lawman or vigilante? Max continues to ask himself that for nearly the whole novel, which recounts his surprising discovery that his beloved wife Jenni's death was not a hit-and-run accident but a planned assassination. What follows is his fury-driven solo struggle to find the killer. If Eskens's tense, fast-paced thriller weren't hard-boiled enough, actor Bray's hoarse narration, simmering with anger, carries it to into truly suspenseful territory. His Rupert isn't just a cop gone rogue, he's almost uncontrollable. There aren't many notable women in the novel other than Max's very understanding partner and a pistol-toting Russian who provides assistance. Bray indicates a change in gender with a slight alteration in delivery (and in the latter case, accent) without slowing the novel's pell-mell progress or softening its hard mood. It's a lively performance by Bray, who manages to keep the energy up through to the very end. A Seventh Street paperback. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Minnesota homicide detective Max -Rupert has never recovered from the death of his wife, Jenni, initially believed to be the victim of a hit-and-run driver. Struggling with his own demons and alienating his coworkers, Max is in danger of losing the only thing that still matters to him-his job. But after discovering that his wife was murdered, Max is torn between his implacable desire for vengeance and his need to maintain his inherent decency and commitment to law enforcement. Verdict Edgar Award winner Eskens's fourth mystery (after The Heavens May Fall)-and the third in which Max Rupert appears-takes the "will he or won't he" revenge theme and layers it with darkly convincing action and intricate plotting. Packed with heart-wrenching twists, this bleak book will haunt readers who favor an evocative and compelling sense of dread along with a dose of noir.-ACT © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.