Rating: 
Summary: tremendous plot, characters we care about, new series!
Review: We know Parker has six previous titles, but this first of the (now) three Merci Rayborn stories was our first Parker as well. And what a pleasant surprise awaited: wonderful characters we came to care a good deal about; a plot that twisted and turned through nearly a dozen murders before it was all over, and some definitely interesting byplay between the two leads. One, a 67-year-old semi-retired detective Tim Hess, fighting cancer and going through both chemo and radiation, becomes the partner and mentor of 33-year-old Merci, an ambitious sergeant who typically displays as much tact as the proverbial bull in a china shop. His wisdom and great crime solving instincts, and her intensity and passion for rooting out evil, lead to a very interesting relationship given the age difference, with a surprise ending that will no doubt play a role in the future books.Meanwhile, the trick of revealing much of the killer's moves and thoughts to us, even though for a long time we don't know who it was, gave us the buzzard's eye view of the chasers and the chased, which had us turning pages as fast as they would go toward the end. While plenty of clues to the outcome were there, none of us had much luck zeroing in til right near the final outcome -- great suspense! We can't say much more without spoiling one part of the story or another, so let's just say: ENJOY !! Meanwhile, we're rapidly on to Merci #2, #3: Red Light and Black Water...
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely excellent in its genre.
Review: When I bought The Blue Hour, I had only read one other of Parker's book, Where Serpents Lie, and considered it quite good. The Blue Hour is superb. The plot is well constructed and twisty; every page holds your attention. The characters are so real, you can see them and feel for them. It's definitely a one sit reading and not for the squeamish.
Rating: 
Summary: The Blue Hour by T. Jefferson Parker
Review: When I purchased this book, I did so because of the positive reviews quoted on the cover and front pages, and because the description made it sound interesting. It was a struggle to read. I found that I really didn't care about the characters; in fact, I found them more than a little irritating. And the end, after the resolution of the case? Not very plausible, at least in my opinion.
Rating: 
Summary: taut, very taut
Review: with its careful attention to sleuthing and police procedure regarding homicide cases, i felt as if i had graduated from the police academy after finishing this densely plotted thriller about a confused sex fiend who could be the bad seed offspring of hannibal lechter. the two orange county gumshoes--a semi-retired, cancer plagued by the books detective and his partner, a tough,take no prisoners youngish woman--scream hollywood type casting! but the author allows them to develop naturally and sympathetically. but the hole in this book, which taught me more than i ever cared to know about preserving cadavers, is the bad guy--he's a weirdo with many parallels to the silence of the lambs buffallo bill character, and needed greater character development, despite his appalling sordidness. i will not and can not spoil the ending, but the last 50 pages will leave your fingers tingling in anticipation as you turn the pages. i guess that's the point of a crime thriller, after all.
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