The Penny Black
The Penny Black
The Penny Black
Ratings1
Average rating4
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
—
I've never been at a large crime scene before, moreover I've usually been part of their creation and have high- tailed it before the flashing lights showed up. Consequently, this is interesting. It's a hub of activity, of urgency, of constant footsteps and the cold crackle of static.
I take a moment, and feel it.
TILL MORNING IS NIGH
A Wanted Man
THAT
. It frequently reminded me of a UK version of Ace Atkins' Tibbehah County.
* Just to be clear, it's ard to read because Parker does a good job portraying that kind of bigot, not that he or Ben are bigots.
Of course, this group had a plan to take over the UK government as a means to get that pure UK. Over the last 2 years, I've read more books where a militant and powerful group wants to take over the British government and clean up society. This is the first one that seemed plausible—the one that might actually work in the real world. And that's terrifying.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT TILL MORNING IS NIGH?
There is indeed more than a few things that are extremely horrible about the way that the man has been quite clearly executed, but too many times I have witnessed human life reduced to nothing but tissue and pulp, the romance of the miracle of life lain exposed for what it really is. Each time I have seen someone split asunder, their contents revealed, what comes out of the person is always the same as the last. Blood and organs arranged artfully on bone. No myth, no mysticism. We are made of soft material that splits and spills, nothing more.
This. This novel right here is the payoff to the potential I saw in Ben Bracken back in A Wanted Man—I liked it, and the novels that followed, but I didn't think they were everything the character could be. This is exactly the kind of thing I thought Ben could be, and probably a little more. Sure, Parker's more than capable of writing a better thriller, and there's room for Ben to grown and/or develop—I'm not saying this is the definitive Rob Parker/Ben Bracken. I'm just saying that this surpasses everything that's come before.
I'm curious about what happens to those behind the death of the UC officer in general—but don't foresee Parker spending time on that in the future. I'm very curious about the fallout from this on Manchester and the NCA team Ben's associated with—assuming Parker decides to let us see that. But mostly, I can't wait to see what comes next for Ben, in terms of story and quality. Thankfully, the next book of the series is out and I can jump into that in a day or so.
* Also, I have to—I have a Book Tour spot for the next book on July 1. But I probably would've jumped in this week anyway.
Till Morning is Nigh