Audio: "The Night Monster" by James Swain

Audio: The Night Monster by James Swain, 2009, overdrive.com download.

Jack Carpenter is a still a private investigator, still hurting for money, still a dickhead.

Carpenter's daughter plays basketball for Florida State. Her team has a creepy guy following them around. One of the team members is abducted and Jack is there to see it. Jack tries to stop the abduction but one of the mega-monstrous sized kidnappers tosses Jack aside and leaves.

Jack is out to rescue woman basketball player under the pay of her wealthy real estate mogul father. Jack recognizes the monster sized kidnapper who tossed Jack aside when Jack was in uniform patrol several years ago. Jack tries to work with his old police squad (note: not Police Squad) and with an FBI Agent whose daughter also went missing years ago.  Jack sees a pattern in several abductions and identifies two men as the crooks.

Things happen. Jack is a pushy asshole but Swain lets him get away with it by having Jack as the only one who can save the person in danger. Jack freelances with the local police department and quickly solves cases of missing children. Jack runs around on his own and breaks a few laws but with "Damn it! I must save that woman!!!!" attitude.

A good novel but absurd at times. Swain tells us a lot of about child predators and kidnappers and how they operate. The problem is that this is fiction; you want the details and story to be realistic, but the writer needs to add drama and the drama can founded on nonsense.

I enjoy the series. I get frustrated with Carpenter and his personality. That's neat because I am invested in the character and what he is doing. I really enjoy the Florida setting.

Comments:
1. Mossberg shotgun nonsense.
2. More 1903 Colt love.
3. Law enforcement leaving a crime scene with five dead men to go do something else.
4. Shooting and killing without investigation.
5. Hey, it's Florida, that place is weird.
6. Buster the Wonder Dog
7. Beat up junker car love.