Heard: "The Night Stalker" by James Swain

Heard: The Night Stalker by James Swain, 2008, Overdrive.com download.

"You're out of line, Jack."  Well, that is the whole book right there. Carpenter is a pushy asshole. Sure, he's trying to rescue kidnapped children and find serial killers. Sure, he's dealing with recalcitrant superiors. Sure, he's up against an actual deadline.  But, if he were not such an asshole all the time maybe people would want to help him.

Carpenter is the hero, though, and Swain gives him incentive and drive to rescue people.

This is the second novel in the series and according to those two books Florida is filled with serial killers, child killers, kidnappers, sex traffickers, incompetent cops, corrupt cops, and oblivious tourists. Swain does a great detailing how his pedophile villains do what they do. How they communicate to share information. How they act in daily life. How they trick, entice, coerce, and disguise their victims.

Anyhoo, Carpenter is called to Stark prison to speak with a death inmate. The inmate wants Carpenter, the famed child finder, find the inmate's kidnapped grandson. The inmate distrusts police and a note by the kidnappers threatens the inmate to stop talking to the FBI.  Carpenter takes the case.

Carpenter heads back to Broward County and gets another call for help. A Kindergaren aged child has gone missing at school. Carpenter goes to help, finds the kidnapper and child, the kidnapper dies, Carpenter finds some evidence. The evidence helps point to other things.

Carpenter snoops around for the inmate's kidnapped grandson. Carpenter brings his wonder dog everywhere he goes. Kidnapped Boy's father is suspected but the police but Carpenter thinks otherwise. Inmate is convicted serial killer, what is the link between those crimes and the kidnapping.

Carpenter clashes with former Sheriff's Department colleagues, and local cops, and the FBI, and reporters, and politicians, and witnesses, and victims, and most everyone else. Carpenter gets leads and people get away.

The plot moves on and you'll probably enjoy it. Or not. It depends on how much child abuse news you can stomach.

Comments:
1. Florida geography love.
2. Colt 1908 love.
3. Wonderdog love.
4. Angry man action.
5. Stupid people being stupid.