books:

	Red Light T. Jefferson Parker Hyperion, 2000 - 326 pages average customer review:based on 37 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

For some clue to Parker's approach to his anti-heroic anti-hero, one should re-read the clever first line in "Red Light's" prologue, "You might not have liked Aubrey Whittaker." This throwaway line, referring here to the victim, applies just as well to Merci Rayborn, our anti-heroine. I think Parker is saying as much.

As to the purported "boo-boo" concerning fingerprints, suffice to say that a closer reading would reveal that this is not an error at all. OF COURSE the fingerprints belonged to the perpetrator; it is their interpretation which is at issue. It appears that the dissatisfied reader has not followed Parker's argument closely enough to understand that there is absolutely no slip here.

So, I recommend "Red Light" highly for those who value authentic characters struggling to know themselves, even when the selves they find are not what they had hoped to find. For the Pollyannas in the group, try the Bobbsie Twins.

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MERCY FOR MERCI.....

The Blue Hour was the beginning of Merci Rayborn. I would read that book before this one. Merci is investigating the murder of a prostitute. The clues all lead to her boyfriend Mike McNally. But, did he do it? He says no. Merci keps digging. She is given an old unsloved case to clear up and they seem to connect. How could a case that old and this one be anything alike???? But they are!!!!!!!!! Merci is great as she tries to find the right killer of the prostitute. If is is Mike, will she report him or not? If the old case involves people she is close to will she report it or let it slide?? Parker does a good job on keeping you attention. I did not want to put the book down. The ending arrived to quickly. Hopefully there will be more of Marci Rayburn, I do not want it all to end like this. Please Mr. Parker, bring her back in another book. If you like a very, very good mystery you will like this book.

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A NOVEL THAT GRIPS YOU IN THE FIRST CHAPTER!

In RED LIGHT, T. Jefferson Parker's sequel to THE BLUE HOUR, Sergeant Merci Rayborn of the Orange County Sheriff Department returns to investigate the murder of a prostitute. It's been two long years since the Purse Snatcher killed her partner and lover, Tim Hess, and the emotional pain and guilt still haven't gone away. Her father has moved in with her to help with little Tim, Jr. and to try and ease the fears that have overwhelmed her during the past twenty-four months. As she and her new partner, Paul Zamorra, dig deeper into the dead prostitute's life, the crime scene evidence starts to point to another police officer, Mike McNally, as the perpetrator...a man she has been dating for several months. Merci doesn't want to believe that her lover could be the killer, but as the evidence begins to pile up, she soon realizes that there may be no choice but to take him down. If that wasn't enough, Merci is asked by her boss to take a look at a thirty-year-old case in which another prostitute was murdered. As she works on the second case, it soon becomes clear that the death of the two prostitutes may be connected and that higher-ups in the Sheriff Department could be involved. It won't be long before Merci will have to make a choice as to whether or not to betray her lover and to risk her life and career by going after the men who murdered a woman three decades ago out of greed and political gain. RED LIGHT is a powerful character study of a female police officer who must combat her own personal demons, while at the same time seeking revenge against those who murdered two women over a thirty-year time span. Merci will find herself in a position of not knowing whom to trust and will even begin to question her own judgment. Filled, however, with an inner strength and a dog-like determination, our heroine will throw caution to the wind and plow ahead in order to find the truth. At the end of this journey for retribution, Merci will finally discover that truth has its price and that betrayals may take years to heal and to forgive. T. Jefferson Parker has written a stark novel about life, death, and what it means to be a human being, demonstrating his unique gift at being able to create primary and secondary characters that live and breath...characters that come alive in such a way as to draw the reader into the story as if they were actually participating in it themselves. All of his characters are flawed and must learn to deal with the obstacles that life throws at them. Some will succeed and others will not. The one theme that comes across so strongly in RED LIGHT is that we can't always do it by ourselves and must occasionally allow others to offer us a helping hand. It demands a certain element of trust and sometimes that's the hardest thing to give. RED LIGHT is not an action-packed novel, but rather a hard, poignant look at what it's like to be a woman who also happens to be a mother and a police officer and the choices that have to be made in a man's world. This novel will definitely leave you wanting more, and I hope Mr. Parker will bring back Merci Rayborn for at least one more outing.

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A Great Mystery Suffering of Improbabilities

This story of a police officer's homicide investigation is spellbinding. I will not discuss the plot events, which have the usual theme of the murder that will be solved -- in this case, two murders. The characters and settings are better developed than in most books of this genre. The writer knows enough about crime investigations and Orange County, where the story plays, to give his work credibility. His command of the language is also superior to what usually passes for literary prose in thrillers. I recommend this book, with the caveat that ultimately the plot turns out to rest on a foundation of improbabilities. It would have been nice if the unraveling of the crimes had the same realism and credibility as the investigative work, which although not perfect is very good. As it is, the reader will feel somewhat let down because the author after presenting an intriguing story cannot keep it glued together any longer in the end. Nonetheless, the tale is superior to what is found in the great mass of detective thrillers.

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Hard Times in Orange County

Merci Rayborn is back with us after a great debut in "The Blue Hour." The story gets off to an explosive start, immediately fixing your total attention. Mr. Parker's characterizations are sharp, and in-depth. I feel Mike McNally, in particular, is a totally realized character. Grief, the mind-numbing despair, and mind-destroying sense of loss are well and sympathetically done. Many mystery writers do not allow their characters to get hot, tired, and dirty like the rest of us; Mr. Parker does not make that mistake. The whodunit is masterfully concealed. I guarantee you will be surprised.

I had problems with Merci. I can take a central character that I totally detest; what is unsettling is one who continually annoys me. Merci has to be one of the most self-centered creations around. She wreaks havoc because she has to be "true" to herself, yet never seems to question whether her "truth" is somewhat bloody-minded. I understand that some types of women rarely have girl-friends; what I fail to understand is how Merci has any boy-friends either. This is not a failing of the book; Mr. Parker does his work too well. I know Merci better than I want to.

The book should have been edited; it was far too long with meandering drives and non-clues. There were too many places where one of the characters would say, "Call me right away! Important news!" And it wasn't important and it wasn't news. Then there was the confrontation with the murderer. Does he or she do away with Merci in an expedient manner as any sensible predator would? No. He or she talks and talks to explain motivations and cleverness. This is a very stale and clunky device, and I am surprised Mr. Parker used it.

The flaws notwithstanding, Mr. Parker is a fine writer. I look forward to his next book. Maybe Merci will take a well-deserved rest, and it won't be such a lengthy outing.

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reviews: 1, 2, page 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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