Nightfall Review

Nightfall
by Stephen Leather
From Goodreads:

‘You are going to Hell, Jack Nightingale.’ They are the words that ended Jack Nightingale’s career as a negotiator with the Metropolitan Police. But two years later, when Nightingale is a struggling Private Eye, the words come back to haunt him. Nightingale discovers that he was adopted at birth and that his real father, a confirmed Satanist, sold Nightingale’s soul to a demon from Hell. And on his thirty-third birthday – just weeks away – the demon is coming to claim its prize.

Nightfall is a fast-paced 105,000 words and is the first in a trilogy about the occult detective.

 My Thoughts: Oh, the joy of discovering an author I instantly know I'm going to love! And it was pretty much love at first chapter for me and Nightfall. This book had me at the summary (different from the one I found on Goodreads).  Inherits a mansion with a priceless library and a terrifying warning?  Yes, please.  I'll take two.

Nightfall is the first book in the Jack Nightingale series.  And like some of my other favorite Jack's (Jack Bauer from 24 and Captain Jack form Pirates of Carribean), Nightingale is a bit of an anti-hero.  He smokes... a lot.  Probably skip this book for now if you're trying to quit.  Normally this is kind of gross to me, because honestly how bad would he smell if he smoked that much, but it says something for my belief suspension that I was able to still find Jack attractive- it also shows that England has become as anti-smoking as America, useful information for when this non-smoking Midnight Girl finally finds herself across the pond.   I guess part of me just pictures most of Europe in a smoky haze and I always hoped that it was more socially acceptable to stumble around England and France drunk since that's the only time cigarette smoke doesn't bother me.

Jack's also a tormented soul, no pun intended.

When we first meet Jack he's a successful police negotiator, trying to talk a very young girl off her balcony.  Several horrible incidents later, and Jack quits the force and is now a private investigator.  He pays his bills, somewhat unsuccessfully, by tracking cheating spouses.  Fortunately Jack has Jenny, or a His Gal Friday, keeping him and his business afloat. Jenny is stunningly over-qualified for her job, but exactly what Jack needs.  Their relationship was definitely a favorite part of the book for me.

But the real story takes off when Jack learns that his birth father sold his soul to a devil (not the devil) and he begins to think that maybe it's true.  He inherits this gorgeous mansion with a huge, secret library in the basement- although the books aren't exactly the kind most of us would be anxious to read.  Well, I don't know about some of you, but the books and knick knacks are of the dark occult variety. And not the "light a white candle for purity of thought, or tie your hair in a lovers knot and slip it under the pillow of your attended sweetheart to make them love you " spell books (I just made all this shiz up, except the white candle, I think that might be from The Secret Circle series).  More like How to Summon Demons and The Proper Handling of Sacrificial Animals.

Jack's suddenly in a world where I kind of expected the Winchester brothers from Supernatural to show up and help him out.  Actually, I see potential for some fan fic here.

The whole book was a page turner for me, as the more Jack finds out the more danger those around him are exposed to.  Heck, danger is too meek of a word- mortal peril fits better.  I don't really consider this a horror novel, more like a supernatural thriller.  But then again, I don't find most Stephen King books to be true horror.  

I can't wait to read more books by Stephen Leather, my biggest problem is simply choosing what book I should read first, although I just purchased The Bestseller to read on my Kindle during Readathon (it's just a short novella). I though Nightfall was new, but it's just new to the US, so I'll definitely be able to get the second Nightingale book in June!

Nightfall gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

This was definitely a full on Midnight Read for me!

My review copy didn't have the final cover art, so I'm skipping the cover rating. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.