Click here to read reviewer Kellie Warner's take on Night Laws.
Denver attorney Kelly Parks is asked by associate Michael Northway to “witness” a staged abduction of Alicia Elmblade. She is then to report to police that she witnessed an Asian man abduct Alicia.
Kelly has mixed feelings about the request; it’s flattering that the senior partners trust her to execute the plan confidentially, but it also borders on a felony offense. Still, she denies any contact when questioned by Detectives Bryson Coventry and Shalifa Netherwood. After that one meeting Bryson, catches himself thinking of Kelly, and Kelly finds herself thinking of Bryson.
Bodybuilder David Hallenbeck locates and estimates the values of collector cars for a dozen wealthy clients and is paid handsomely for his services. He also has a dark side that drives him to abduct young women, rape them repeatedly, beat them, and finally murder them. He carefully scopes out their homes, following them during the day to keep tabs on their routines. His current fixation is Megan Bennett. While walking by her house one night, he sees two men attempting to break into her apartment. David flies into a primal rage and murders both of them.
When Alicia Elmblade really disappears, Kelly seeks out one of Alicia’s friends, Jeannie Dannenberg, to see if she knows of Alicia’s whereabouts. Jeannie stays high or drunk a lot when not working as a stripper and proves to be unhelpful, until Kelly rents her a car to find Alicia’s old friends to see if any of them have heard from her.
Out on a Friday night partying, Kelly decides to call Bryson to join her; they end up spending the night together at her place. Not long after, she herself is kidnapped and transported in her own car’s trunk. David Hallenbeck, meanwhile, has his sights on Michael Northway and waits for him inside his home as Bryson continues, with FBI assistance, to follow thin leads in the missing-person case of Megan Bennett. Megan has in fact attempted to escape her tormentor twice, both times with repercussions.
Night Laws is the first installment in the “Laws” series, which is great news for fans of thrillers because Hansen sucks the reader right in and doesn’t let them go. It’s a real page-turner, fast-paced and loaded with nerve-wracking tension. Read this and his second book, Shadow Laws, for a double dose of great entertainment.