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Review – The Night Watchman

January 8, 2011 By
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.

The Night Watchman (Ray Quinn Series, Book 1)
The Night Watchman (Ray Quinn Series, Book 1)
by Mark Mynheir
List Price: $14.99
Sale Price: $1.93
Buy from Amazon.com
Review – The Night Watchman
Reviewed by Susan Sleeman
Don’t miss The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir. This faced paced mystery delivers fresh writing with a main character that settles into your mind and heart and begs to be seen again and again in a long-lived series.
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.
Reviewer Info

Susan Sleeman


Susan Sleeman SUSAN SLEEMAN grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com and writing romantic suspense and mystery novels.

Much to her husband’s chagrin, Susan loves to look at everyday situations and turn them into murder and mayhem scenarios for future novels. If you’ve met Susan, she has probably figured out a plausible way to kill you and get away with it. Don’t worry, she’d never follow through on it.

Her GARDEN GATE MYSTERY series featuring landscape designer Paige Turner, debuted in October 2010 with NIPPED IN THE BUD in Barbour Books Hometown Mysteries line. The second book, READ BETWEEN THE TINES released in e-book format in the Spyglass Lane Mystery series in February of 2012.

Her first romantic suspense novel, featuring the Morgan Brothers, released with Ryan’s story in HIGH-STAKES INHERITANCE , Russ’s story in BEHIND THE BADGE and the Reid’s story in THE CHRISTMAS WITNESS.

This year Susan’s latest series about five adopted siblings who leave law enforcement to form a private investigations firm called the Justice Agency will debut with DOUBLE EXPOSURE in June and in November, DEAD WRONG will release.

Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson. In her spare time, you can find her traveling to Oregon to visit her children and grandson, reading, gardening or working on TheSuspenseZone.com. To learn more about Susan, please visit her website, or follow on Twitter and Facebook.
 
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