Sun 12 Jun 2022
A Mystery Review by LJ Roberts: ALLEN ESKENS – The Stolen Hours.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[2] Comments
Reviews by L. J. Roberts
ALLEN ESKENS – The Stolen Hours. Mulholland Books, hardcover, September 2021; trade paperback, August 2022. Legal Mystery. Setting: Contemporary Minnesota.
First Sentence: Lila Nash counted her steps as she walked from the kitchen to the bathroom of her apartment.
Lila Nash needs one thing — to pass the bar exam to become a licensed attorney and prosecutor in the office of the Hennepin County Attorney. That is, if Frank Dovey, a powerful defense attorney, doesn’t destroy her reputation beforehand. Of greater concern to Lila is a woman pulled barely alive from the Mississippi River, evoking memories of a horrible attack she suffered eight years prior. The police believe they know the current attacker, but they, along with Lila, are in a fight to bring him to justice.
What an evocative opening chapter. Can anyone ever really comprehend the effects of an experience such as Lila’s? Not wasting any time, Eskens introduces the villain, creating a sense of fear.
The principal characters are immediately identified with the standouts being Lila, Detectives Niki Vang, and Marty Lopez. One can’t help but admire Lila’s determination and resolve to assist the investigation despite the possible risk to herself, and the trauma she suffered eight years ago. However, it can be hard to feel a connection with Lila.
Eskens’ interesting approach makes the case seem almost too easy, yet he makes a smooth transition of the story from being a police procedural to a legal thriller. Although there are some very good twists, some are predictable.
In the past, some of Eskens’ work has been deeply disturbing and emotionally charged. In contrast, this book seems too superficial. The story touches on hard, serious topics, yet the author skims across them as if they are under the ice. One knows they are there, but they feel glossed over.
The Stolen Hours is part police procedural, part legal suspense. While it is a good read, it’s not Eskens’ best work.
Rating: Good Plus.
June 12th, 2022 at 5:02 pm
LJ’s review is spot on, excellent read but not quite the same as “The Shadows We Hide” or “The Life We Bury”. Those books were among the best of the year types of books. Eskens writes great characters, and Lila fits the bill. His stories generally have the same characters, but with a different one in the fore front. Joe Talbot, the lead character in “Shadows” and “Life” is a very minor character in this book.
Eskens first books were published in paperback by Seventh Street Press (which also published the Terry Shames books) and the last couple have been published in hardcover by Mulholland Books.
June 13th, 2022 at 7:11 am
I’ve read and liked all of Eskens’s books. Granted, this is not his best, but everything he writes is worth reading, and this is certainly no exception.