Back to “The Blue Hour.” After the first 100 pages, things slowed down – considerably. Parker is a very good writer but way too wordy. In my opinion, the subplots of the two Sheriff’s Department Detectives got in the way, did nothing to enhance the story and should have been cut considerably.

Tim Hess, a retired deputy is brought back to help the young thirty-something detective, Merci Rayborn. Let me tell you right off the bat, I hated Rayborn. She was brash, snotty and very masculine. Parker kept going into detail about the armament Rayborn was wearing – over and over and….well, way too much. Hess was 67, had just had the-thirds of his lung removed because of cancer and was going through chemotherapy. He worked every day all day – long hours. Toward the end, he was running around after bad guys! I’m sorry but I didn’t believe it for a minute! Then when Merci (34) has a fling with Hess (67) I almost lost it. Too unbelievable.

The end of the book was ludicrous. I won’t spoil it in case you decide to read “The Blue Hour” but let me say, Merci went completely against type and the whole last couple of chapters were SO dumb, I almost threw this book against the wall. It’s too bad because, as I said, the mystery was a cleaver one.

This is my first T. Jefferson Parker novel and I’m not sure I’ll ever read another one. I’ve heard he’s a good writer and he is but….that ending, oh, my goodness that ending.