Dark Hollow
by John Connolly

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Book Reviews of Dark Hollow

Book Review: "Can you hear me now?"
Summary: 5 Stars

But as we learn after a few dozen pages, Charlie, an alchohlic who gives up the bottle, also gives up any moral restraint against the concept of killing criminals. He becomes overnight a one man angel of death with no desire to curb his bloodlust when faced with the possibility that a murderer or rapist could possibly be freed by a confusing, liberal, system that favors the rights of the accused over the rights of the victem.

While this sounds like poor pulp fiction, several things occur that Mr. Connolly successfully weaves into the fabric of his prose to make it quite engaging. First of all, Connolly writes extremely well. There is an almost musical quality to his prose, heretofore only experienced (for this reader) with James Lee Burke in this type of novel. Additionally, Mr. Connolly introduces some oddities that seem to fit. Charlie is contacted by the dead, and while the body count rises, he seems to regret what he does while on the same hand he seems to listen to what his deceased wife and daughter tell him. That line from a Bruce Willis movie a few years ago comes true here: He sees dead people.

Then, there is the presence of his two friends and quasi partners, the gay couple Louis and Angel. Strange, but it fits.

Here he works as a private investigator working for a woman stalked by her ex-husband. The woman and her son are murdered, the ex-husband is suspected, and naturally Charlie "Bird" Parker is the only one that doesn't believe it. The mob is involved; a young arrogant mobster is investing money "borrowed" from his colleagues when his "sure fire" investment goes south. Cambodians from the Khmer Rouge make a brief appearance; an ex-lover pops up; a halting attempt that Charlie might make amends to the lovely Rachel, a criminologist/psychologist/forensic scientist; and certainly not last nor least, Louis and Angel.

Not for the squeamish. Lots of violence. Very well written.

Larry Scantlebury

Irish Books

• Books > Subjects > Literature & Fiction > World Literature
• Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery
• Thrillers > Suspense