The Mask of Midnight by Laurie Stevens/Review by Sharon Marchisello
The Mask of Midnight
by Laurie Stevens
FYD Media, LLC
$15.60
ISBN 978-0997006803
Publication Date: January 2019
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Book of the Day
2020 Silver Falchion Nominee
The Mask of Midnight, the third installment in the Gabriel McRay homicide detective series by Laurie Stevens, has been nominated for a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award.
Detective Gabriel McRay is finally getting his life together. He’s reconnecting with his estranged family and seeing a psychiatrist to work out his problems with anger management and history of sexual abuse as a child. His boss assigns him a new case. Gabriel is dating medical examiner Dr. Ming Li, and the two of them are set to testify at the capital murder trial of his nemesis, serial killer Victor Archwood.
Throughout the trial, the author skillfully catches up readers who are new to the series with the backstory between Gabriel and Victor. It seems that the evidence against Victor is overwhelming, but he’s not going down without a fight.
Victor Archwood is a terrifying villain: charming, good-looking, and absolutely cold-hearted. Extremely intelligent, he’s a master at disguise and manipulation. And he’ll stop at nothing to get revenge against Gabriel for something he’s been told took place in their past.
Gabriel is also a well-drawn character. Due to his insecurities and damaged childhood, he struggles to lead a normal life. But that’s not going to happen until he exposes Victor Archwood for the monster he is.
This emotional cat-and-mouse game will keep the reader on edge until the end. And it might give you nightmares.
Laurie Stevens is a hybrid author who writes the Gabriel McRay psychological suspense series; she has also written short stories and a play. Her previous books, The Dark Before Dawn and Deep into Dusk, have won numerous awards. She lives in Los Angeles and is an active member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime.
Sharon Marchisello (sharonmarchisello.com) is the author of two mysteries published by Sunbury Press, Going Home (2014) and Secrets of the Galapagos (2019). She has also published short stories, travel articles, and a nonfiction book about personal finance, Live Well, Grow Wealth. She earned a Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is a member of Sisters in Crime. Residing in Peachtree City, GA, Sharon does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society and the Fayette County Master Gardeners, and she writes a blog about personal finance, Countdown to Financial Fitness https://sharonmarchisello.blogspot.com/.