Review – The Night Watchman

Ray Quinn, a medically retired police detective, is barely living after a rain of bullets injured him and killed his partner. He drowns his sorrow with his best friend Jim Beam and mindlessly trudges to his job as a night watchman in a condo community. All that ends when a pastor and an exotic dancer are found dead in one of the condos.

The police declare the killing a murder-suicide, but Pam Winters, the pastor’s sister, is certain her brother would not kill himself much less another person. Pam enlists the help of the reluctant Quinn to hunt down the killer and what the pair of them turn up is so big, it reaches into Ray’s former police department. And that’s all I’m saying as I don’t want to give away any of the intriguing plot line.

Every now and then you find a book starring a character that resonates with you so much that you can’t put it down and hope that the author has planned sequels featuring that character. The Night Watch Man by Mark Mynheir is one of those books for me. Ray Quinn is sarcastic, witty and jaded. The man has a real attitude that leaps off the written page. He’s cynical about what life has handed him, yet under all of that bravado lurks a vulnerability that can’t help but come out.

And then there’s supporting character, Crevis Creighton a young cop wannabe who works alongside Quinn. At first Quinn has no use for Crevis but as the story unfolds the two become friends and work together to locate the killer. This relationship is masterfully developed by Mynheir and brings the story to life.

Mynheir’s writing in The Night Watchman is fresh, creative, and captivating. His characters are real and full of flaws. His spiritual message is strong, and never preachy. The pacing is perfect, moving along at a fast pace but not too fast so the reader misses out on caring about the characters.