The Killing Moon

Uh-oh! The name of the town says it all--Black Falls--where strange and creepy things befall locals in the night. Someone in a ghoul's costume is haunting the woods. Or is it a real ghoul? Hogan has mastered the suspense genre. In this audiobook his protagonist, a cop, takes on a corrupt police force. Narrator John Slattery is well cast. His Boston background helps him provide the right New England accents, and his resonant voice puts the thrill into this thriller. If you're looking for something to keep you working out on the StairMaster, this tale of murder, mayhem, and corruption will keep you climbing. R.W.S. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

November 6, 2006
Hogan's fourth novel (after the Hammett Award–winning Prince of Thieves
) convincingly and movingly brings alive the dying Massachusetts community of Black Falls, which is plagued by a brain drain and by a corrupt, if small, police force. Don Maddox, the town's first (and only) college scholarship recipient, reneged on his obligation to return and work in the community, but 15 years later the prodigal son shows up for his mother's funeral. Oddly, Maddox becomes a part-time auxiliary policeman, clashing often with his superiors. The author soon reveals Maddox's hidden agenda, which is related to a lucrative drug ring and to a series of murders believed to have been committed by a registered sex offender. Strong characters and a memorable setting more than offset a windup with some predictable cliffhangers.

Henry Strozier's voice and delivery have enhanced many fine audiobooks. He's just not quite right for this one. A brutal murder, a conspiracy, and an unorthodox story are not enough to maintain listener interest until the climax. That's because Strozier's ponderous reading and gravelly voice actually seem to slow down the action. In Hogan's latest, Don Maddox returns to his hometown in Massachusetts after a fifteen-year absence and becomes a part-time cop on a corrupt force. Maddox investigates the murder, but he isn't who he seems to be. This is one instance when the story outshines the reader. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine