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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Audio book narrated by the author.
3.5*** (4**** for the book / 3*** for the audio)
Detective Gus Ramone thinks he recognizes a signature in the body of a local teen found shot in a community garden in a middle-class area of Washington DC. Twenty years ago, when he was just a rookie, Ramone and his partner Dan “Doc” Holiday” assisted veteran detective T.C. Cook in the investigation of several murders. The serial killer, dubbed “The Night Gardener” because the bodies were left in gardens, was never found. Now Ramone must wonder whether the murderer is back, or whether this is a copycat. Cook is long since retired, but the case still haunts him. Holiday is no longer on the force, having quit under a cloud of suspicion, and now operates a limousine service. But this boy’s death will bring all three men together in an effort to finish the work begun decades previously.
Pelecanos writes a tight, suspenseful mystery/thriller. I was completely drawn into the story and there were enough complexities to the plot to keep me guessing all the way through. The action is fast but he still takes time to carefully draw his characters, slowly revealing one layer at a time and demonstrating that the line between right and wrong, truth and justice, good guys and bad guys is frequently blurred. This is my first Pelecanos, but it won’t be my last!
Had I read the text, I would have rated this higher because the quality of the writing merited 4-stars. However, Pelecanos read the audio book himself. His lack of voice-over training means that most characters sound the same and with a fast moving plot it was sometimes hard to distinguish who was speaking. On the other hand, perhaps he was purposely going for that “jaded cop” quality. Audio gets only 3-stars.
3.5*** (4**** for the book / 3*** for the audio)
Detective Gus Ramone thinks he recognizes a signature in the body of a local teen found shot in a community garden in a middle-class area of Washington DC. Twenty years ago, when he was just a rookie, Ramone and his partner Dan “Doc” Holiday” assisted veteran detective T.C. Cook in the investigation of several murders. The serial killer, dubbed “The Night Gardener” because the bodies were left in gardens, was never found. Now Ramone must wonder whether the murderer is back, or whether this is a copycat. Cook is long since retired, but the case still haunts him. Holiday is no longer on the force, having quit under a cloud of suspicion, and now operates a limousine service. But this boy’s death will bring all three men together in an effort to finish the work begun decades previously.
Pelecanos writes a tight, suspenseful mystery/thriller. I was completely drawn into the story and there were enough complexities to the plot to keep me guessing all the way through. The action is fast but he still takes time to carefully draw his characters, slowly revealing one layer at a time and demonstrating that the line between right and wrong, truth and justice, good guys and bad guys is frequently blurred. This is my first Pelecanos, but it won’t be my last!
Had I read the text, I would have rated this higher because the quality of the writing merited 4-stars. However, Pelecanos read the audio book himself. His lack of voice-over training means that most characters sound the same and with a fast moving plot it was sometimes hard to distinguish who was speaking. On the other hand, perhaps he was purposely going for that “jaded cop” quality. Audio gets only 3-stars.
placoderm_fish's review against another edition
2.0
2.5. This is an easy page-turner that features familiar neighborhoods in DC as the backdrop for a serial killer known as the Night Gardener. Given the novel's title one would expect the book to be a thriller novel about a DC serial killer. But the plot and themes are more focused on duty, family, redemption, racism, and the day-in-the-life of a violent crimes branch detective. The plot was too simple for me but the characters really pop and the dialogue is convincing.
dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
In the bygone age of 1985, detective TC Cooke, with young cops Gus Ramone and Dan Holiday in tow, tried to save a string of murders dubbed the Palindrome Killer, aka the Night Gardener, and failed. Twenty years later, a murder with the same telltale characteristics occurs. Has the killer resurfaced? And can the three men, now in vastly different lives, crack the case?
The Night Gardener is a police procedural mystery set in Washington DC. At least, at first glance. It's really the tale of fathers and sons, secrets, and redemption. Gus Ramone, a veteran homicide cop, has his life shaken when a friend of his young son's turns up dead of a gunshot wound in a community garden. Since the young man's name is Asa and the situation is similar to the decades old Palindrome Killer crime, the police speculate there is a link. Retired cop TC Cooke and disgraced former cop Dan Holiday both get wind of it and launch an investigation of their own. Couple that with the story of some rival gangsters and a briefcase of stolen money and it's off to the races.
Much like the rest of George Pelecanos' novels, music, basketball, and car talk are often featured in the dialogue. Derek Strange's wife and dog make cameo appearances, as does Pelecanos himself as an unnamed passenger in a limo driven by Holiday. I kept waiting for one of the characters to get a drink at The Spot so would could check in with Nick Stefanos but it was not to be. Pelecanos revisits familiar themes like racism and what it's like to grow up black and poor in Washington DC.
As usual, his characters come right off the page. Ramone wants more than anything to keep his family safe. Holiday wants a chance at redemption. Cooke wants to solve the case that haunted the final days of his career. Even the bad guys were far from one dimensional. Several knew they were in over their heads and acted accordingly.
The revelation about Asa's death and what led him down that road were pretty hard hitting. The big gunfight was even more brutal than I thought it was going to be. The ending for the rest of the characters wasn't what I was expecting but was fitting.
Every time I return to the Washington DC of George Pelecanos, it's like I never left. As usual, Pelecanos kept me entertained for the duration. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
The Night Gardener is a police procedural mystery set in Washington DC. At least, at first glance. It's really the tale of fathers and sons, secrets, and redemption. Gus Ramone, a veteran homicide cop, has his life shaken when a friend of his young son's turns up dead of a gunshot wound in a community garden. Since the young man's name is Asa and the situation is similar to the decades old Palindrome Killer crime, the police speculate there is a link. Retired cop TC Cooke and disgraced former cop Dan Holiday both get wind of it and launch an investigation of their own. Couple that with the story of some rival gangsters and a briefcase of stolen money and it's off to the races.
Much like the rest of George Pelecanos' novels, music, basketball, and car talk are often featured in the dialogue. Derek Strange's wife and dog make cameo appearances, as does Pelecanos himself as an unnamed passenger in a limo driven by Holiday. I kept waiting for one of the characters to get a drink at The Spot so would could check in with Nick Stefanos but it was not to be. Pelecanos revisits familiar themes like racism and what it's like to grow up black and poor in Washington DC.
As usual, his characters come right off the page. Ramone wants more than anything to keep his family safe. Holiday wants a chance at redemption. Cooke wants to solve the case that haunted the final days of his career. Even the bad guys were far from one dimensional. Several knew they were in over their heads and acted accordingly.
The revelation about Asa's death and what led him down that road were pretty hard hitting. The big gunfight was even more brutal than I thought it was going to be. The ending for the rest of the characters wasn't what I was expecting but was fitting.
Every time I return to the Washington DC of George Pelecanos, it's like I never left. As usual, Pelecanos kept me entertained for the duration. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
jotheoneandonly's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
There is little to no story to be had here, just a snapshot into the life of far too many characters paired with subplots that add nothing to the main "story" (I use the term story loosely). The narrative is boring and the characters have little to no development throughout the book. A gaining of mutual respect between two formal rivals is what accounts for "growth" in Pelecanos' book, though there's no real reason as to why.
Several smaller grievances I have are that there are too many characters in the story who's name starts with the letter "R". I don't know why this annoyed me so much but it did. If you're trying to create a narrative with a lot of players involved, I personally feel that, it's better writing to have names varied to help differentiate between storylines. The second petty annoyance I had was that Pelecanos the way leans too heavily on his knowledge of Washington D.C. geography, mentioning where streets intersect and how far they are from other areas of the city. I'm sure this paints a great picture for people familiar with the area but it is very lazy and lackluster for those of us who aren't from there. Pelecanos relies too heavily on the assumption that the reader will already have in depth about the part of town he mentions and get a picture of the scene he's trying to paint. In the future Pelecanos should concern himself less with showing off how much he knows about the DC area and focus more on actually writing a compelling narrative. Finally, Pelecanos' dialogue leaves much to be desired. It reads as if it was written by a middle schooler from a wealthy suburb who's only experience with hearing law enforcement and POC speaking comes from watching too many cheesy 90's crime dramas.
I honesty don't understand how this book is rated as highly as it is. There are so many authors out there who pull off what Pelecanos was attempting with more finesse and skill. Skip this one.
Several smaller grievances I have are that there are too many characters in the story who's name starts with the letter "R". I don't know why this annoyed me so much but it did. If you're trying to create a narrative with a lot of players involved, I personally feel that, it's better writing to have names varied to help differentiate between storylines. The second petty annoyance I had was that Pelecanos the way leans too heavily on his knowledge of Washington D.C. geography, mentioning where streets intersect and how far they are from other areas of the city. I'm sure this paints a great picture for people familiar with the area but it is very lazy and lackluster for those of us who aren't from there. Pelecanos relies too heavily on the assumption that the reader will already have in depth about the part of town he mentions and get a picture of the scene he's trying to paint. In the future Pelecanos should concern himself less with showing off how much he knows about the DC area and focus more on actually writing a compelling narrative. Finally, Pelecanos' dialogue leaves much to be desired. It reads as if it was written by a middle schooler from a wealthy suburb who's only experience with hearing law enforcement and POC speaking comes from watching too many cheesy 90's crime dramas.
I honesty don't understand how this book is rated as highly as it is. There are so many authors out there who pull off what Pelecanos was attempting with more finesse and skill. Skip this one.
jgmencarini's review against another edition
4.0
A quick, engrossing read. Character development could have been better, but the story was a good one and kept my attention.
stephenmaaac's review against another edition
4.0
Pelecanos is a master of capturing place. Turning the mundane policework and hustle of D.C. into a riveting read.
elisala's review against another edition
2.0
Le gros problème quand on lit des bons livres, c'est qu'on devient plus exigeant sur la qualité de l'écriture. Et ici je n'ai vraiment pas accroché à l'écriture, on peut même dire qu'au début ça me soûlait cette espèce d'écriture plate et factuelle.
Et puis, bon, j'ai fini par me laisser embarquer dans l'histoire, disons que pour un policier j'ai accepté de mettre de côté mes crispations. Au final j'ai bien aimé l'intrigue, moins les histoires annexes qui ne servent vraiment à rien.
Et puis, bon, j'ai fini par me laisser embarquer dans l'histoire, disons que pour un policier j'ai accepté de mettre de côté mes crispations. Au final j'ai bien aimé l'intrigue, moins les histoires annexes qui ne servent vraiment à rien.
morepagesplease's review against another edition
4.0
I can't call this book a thriller. It is so much more. It is, simply, the best crime novel I've read in several years. This book was my first introduction to George Pelecanos, and already I've added several more of his books to my TBR pile.
The Night Gardener begins in 1985, at the scene of a homicide committed by a serial killer known as "the night gardener"who has been targeting teenage victims. It is here that we are first introduced to three police officers: patrolmen Gus Ramone and Dan Holiday, and detective T.C. Cook. We are offered only a brief glimpse before the novel jumps to 2005. Gus Ramone, now a detective, divides his time between work and family. Dan Holiday is a cop no longer, but provides chauffeur services with security to the wealthy. T.C. Cook, now retired, is haunted by the faces of the serial killers victims, and longs to bring the killer to justice. The discovery of another homicide that bears remarkable similarities to the unsolved cases of twenty years ago brings these three men together.
Let me start my review with a warning. The dialogue in this book is extremely raw, including almost constant profanity and vulgar references. That being said, Pelecanos writes some of the best dialogue I've ever read. Personally, I wish the language could have been cleaner, but it might not have felt so authentic if that had been the case.
The Night Gardener really surprised me, in a good way. I was expecting a page-turning murder mystery which would resolve itself in a tidy black and white ending by the last page. Instead, I found a book which was almost a constant shade of gray, and which compelled me to keep reading because of the powerful questions it made me ask myself. I was especially impressed with the ending of the novel. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll simply say that for me I don't feel that it could have ended any other way.
I also appreciated that Pelecanos avoided so many of the typical plot devices that are present in so many crime novels. For once, I appreciated reading about a police officer who was a devoted husband and father, as opposed to a self-destructive hero. I was also fascinated by Pelecanos presentation of the racial tensions that are present in Washington D.C., and I appreciated that he was able to present more than one viewpoint. Pelecanos has made a fan of me with this one.
If you are looking for a crime novel with true substance, you can't do better than this. Just don't say I didn't warn you about the potty talk.
The Night Gardener begins in 1985, at the scene of a homicide committed by a serial killer known as "the night gardener"who has been targeting teenage victims. It is here that we are first introduced to three police officers: patrolmen Gus Ramone and Dan Holiday, and detective T.C. Cook. We are offered only a brief glimpse before the novel jumps to 2005. Gus Ramone, now a detective, divides his time between work and family. Dan Holiday is a cop no longer, but provides chauffeur services with security to the wealthy. T.C. Cook, now retired, is haunted by the faces of the serial killers victims, and longs to bring the killer to justice. The discovery of another homicide that bears remarkable similarities to the unsolved cases of twenty years ago brings these three men together.
Let me start my review with a warning. The dialogue in this book is extremely raw, including almost constant profanity and vulgar references. That being said, Pelecanos writes some of the best dialogue I've ever read. Personally, I wish the language could have been cleaner, but it might not have felt so authentic if that had been the case.
The Night Gardener really surprised me, in a good way. I was expecting a page-turning murder mystery which would resolve itself in a tidy black and white ending by the last page. Instead, I found a book which was almost a constant shade of gray, and which compelled me to keep reading because of the powerful questions it made me ask myself. I was especially impressed with the ending of the novel. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll simply say that for me I don't feel that it could have ended any other way.
I also appreciated that Pelecanos avoided so many of the typical plot devices that are present in so many crime novels. For once, I appreciated reading about a police officer who was a devoted husband and father, as opposed to a self-destructive hero. I was also fascinated by Pelecanos presentation of the racial tensions that are present in Washington D.C., and I appreciated that he was able to present more than one viewpoint. Pelecanos has made a fan of me with this one.
If you are looking for a crime novel with true substance, you can't do better than this. Just don't say I didn't warn you about the potty talk.