The Reapers

April 28, 2008
The past comes back with a vengeance in bestseller Connolly's unsettling eighth novel to feature ex-NYPD detective turned disgraced PI Charlie “Bird” Parker (after The Unquiet
). Parker's confidantes Louis and Angel—an ex–hit man and his lover—are targeted by members of a shadowy group of assassins known as the Reapers, of which Louis was a member. From Gabriel, his father-figure and mentor, Louis learns that the father of one of his long-ago targets is tracking him down bent on revenge. Thrown into the already explosive mix is Bliss, a former colleague of Louis's who went rogue and has his own reasons for wanting Louis dead. When Louis and Angel head upstate for a showdown with the killers, Parker follows as back up. Series fans may initially be disappointed to see Parker on the sidelines, but Connolly's rich prose and compelling plot more than compensate. 10-city author tour.

John Connolly returns to his Charlie Parker series in this vividly imaginative thriller. A particularly deadly assassin--the Reaper--is hunting Louis, and, by association, his partner, Angel. It seems that a crime that occurred in Louis's childhood is catching up with him. In seeking help, the two are led to P.I. Parker, who is not a totally benevolent force himself. Narrator Jay O. Sanders jumps into character, never failing to increase the stakes and engage listeners. Sanders reads in a firm, powerful tone that invokes tension with every well-conceived plot twist. Sanders sounds completely confident in his delivery. He clearly understands what it takes to transport listeners from their cars or living rooms right into Connolly's murderous underworld. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine