Rating: 
Summary: MERCY FOR MERCI.....
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Mystery Suffering of Improbabilities
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Merci Returns
Review: Warning: Before reading this book, it is strongly advised that you have already read The Blue Hour. Without this previous experience, a lot of Red Light will be very confusing and would probably ruin your enjoyment of both books.Red Light sees Merci Rayborn investigate two murders that were committed 30 years apart. The victims were both prostitutes, but apart from that they don't really seem to be related. Her investigation severely tests her relationship with her boyfriend, Mike McNally, and brings to light a few dirty secrets that were buried by the sheriffs department three decades ago. Merci is not a particularly likable character, but she does have qualities that are very admirable. Her fierce determination to see justice done, no matter who gets hurt, seems to override just about every one of her emotions. The only exceptions to this are her love for her son and father, and the dominance of Hess' memory in her mind. While I found this to be an interesting story with a well-constructed mystery to be solved, it never really reached any exciting moments as The Blue Hour had. Too often we were forced to witness Merci's self-doubts and continual dwelling over the past. For me, these moments only served to interrupt the more interesting investigative processes without really adding much value to the story.
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