The Night Is Deep by Joe Hart

 

Liam Dempsey drops everything when his friend, Owen, calls and says he needs Liam's help.  Owen's wife, Valerie, has been abducted.  Is this a straightforward kidnapping as Owen is wealthy?  Or is the reason darker?  Years ago Valerie's sister died a tragic death.  It was determined to be suicide but the family never believed that; they think she was murdered.  Is this crime linked to that one?

Liam and Owen became friends in police academy.  Owen had thought he would become a policeman but later changed his mind and moved back to his hometown where he became a lawyer who is now running for mayor.  Liam is not a policeman anymore either but in his case it's the result of a case that went wrong and caused his dismissal.  But he is still the best detective Owen has ever met and he wants Liam there.

The police working the case are not thrilled to have Liam show up but Owen insists on him being included.  As Liam works with them and helps turn up leads, they become resigned to his help.  Other murders start to occur and each seems to be linked to that of Valerie's sister.  Can they find her before she is killed?

Joe Hart is a prolific thriller writer.  This is the second Liam Dempsey novel but the series seems to stop here.  Liam is a sympathetic character with a girlfriend back home and a newly adopted son from the first novel.  He sees through the plots and secrets of the kidnappers and finds clues that the police on the case miss.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.