Therefore, when Beth fails to pick up their six-year-old daughter, Morgan from school, he is stunned. His sister, Carla, who is also his wife’s best friend, suggests that perhaps Beth has left him, but Gus is convinced that no matter how bad his relationship with Beth has become, she would not have abandoned Morgan. Trying to convince law enforcement that she has been abducted is quite another matter. Both the police and the FBI refuse to take action for twenty-four hours.

Simultaneously, Seattle has been experiencing a rash of particularly brutal murders. The first two are men who are both in their fifties and superficially resemble each other. The third is a woman who police initially think may be Beth. One official proposes the theory that the murders are “bookends,” two people that match each other. A leak to the press has the papers referring to the crimes as bookends, and, naturally, Gus fears that his wife will soon become the killer’s fourth victim.

Gus is dissatisfied with the slow pace at which the law enforcement investigation is proceeding. He hires a private investigator, Dexter Bryant, a former Seattle police officer well-known for his interest and expertise in child kidnappings and teenage runaways. As Dex begins his search, Gus does some probing on his own, quickly realizing that there were a great number of things about his wife to which he was totally oblivious. Even more shocking, and frightening is the understanding that he is only marginally acquainted with his own daughter. Morgan’s opinion of her father is definitely not flattering, and she is beginning to treat him as if her were responsible for her mother’s disappearance.

At first blush, Under Cover of Darkness appears to be a legal thriller. Thriller it may be, but apart from the fact that a lead character is a lawyer, the legal system plays a minor role in Mr. Grippano’s latest work. To label the book a thriller is technically correct. It definitely keeps one’s adrenaline flowing, and turning pages far into the night, but it has more to offer than just an action filled plot. The author has done an admirable job of creating complex, realistic characters that are faced with some difficult situations, made more so through their own prior actions.

One can easily imagine Gus’ horror when he realizes that his single-minded devotion to his career may have cost him his wife and child. Yet he cannot replay his life, and must try and salvage what remains. Even minor characters are treated with more than a cursory description. Dexter Bryant’s appreciation for a good cigar will certainly bring a chuckle from most readers. “Dex didn’t just smoke his cigar, he admired it, checking out the burn... took a long slow drag.. Thick gray smoke poured from his lips.”

The story line is developed logically and believably. The tension builds as fear of the unknown killer escalates. Even though the outcome can probably be guessed by a relatively astute reader, a sense of foreboding is maintained throughout the final chapters. Under Cover of Darkness would make a fine beach book for summer reading. However, it will probably leave readers with a bit more to think about after the final paragraph is read.

--Andy Plonka