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Robert Payne #2
Hawk Moon
Criminal psychologist Robert Payne is called in to help in the investigation into the brutal mutilation murders of two beautiful Native American women and finds himself drawn to the prime suspect's estranged wife and plunged into a dark secret from the past.
245 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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42 people want to read
About the author
Ed Gorman
469 books121 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 6, 2024
"Hawk Moon" (1995) has two back-and-forth mysteries, one from 1903 in which a Native American girl is murdered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and the other a 1995-set mystery in the same city in which another Native American girl is murdered the same way. FBI-hired criminologist Robert Payne is our modern day's case investigator.
Bad pacing and some eyerolling stereotyping hold this one back, and as a police procedural it doesn't read authentic to me. The book jacket has statements like "Ed Gorman is the Stephen King of suspense" and Dean Koontz says "Gorman's writing is strong, fast and sleek as a bullet, he's one of the best'' but I disagree. There's no horror or suspense anywhere in here, and beyond that the criminal mystery itself is bad, even for those not looking for a horror element. "Hawk Moon" is more of a light mystery thriller with romantic overtures by Payne towards the women involved in the 1995 case. The woman investigating the 1903 case is similarly fending off the pre-marital advances of her boyfriend which has no bearing on the murder mystery at all and reads just strange.
Verdict: A mundane mystery with some foreseeable twists and turns, a lot of rich folks trying to keep generational secrets buried that seem silly and hard to care about, and personal drama for the two protagonists that aren't interesting.
Jeff's Rating: 1 / 5 (Bad)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
Bad pacing and some eyerolling stereotyping hold this one back, and as a police procedural it doesn't read authentic to me. The book jacket has statements like "Ed Gorman is the Stephen King of suspense" and Dean Koontz says "Gorman's writing is strong, fast and sleek as a bullet, he's one of the best'' but I disagree. There's no horror or suspense anywhere in here, and beyond that the criminal mystery itself is bad, even for those not looking for a horror element. "Hawk Moon" is more of a light mystery thriller with romantic overtures by Payne towards the women involved in the 1995 case. The woman investigating the 1903 case is similarly fending off the pre-marital advances of her boyfriend which has no bearing on the murder mystery at all and reads just strange.
Verdict: A mundane mystery with some foreseeable twists and turns, a lot of rich folks trying to keep generational secrets buried that seem silly and hard to care about, and personal drama for the two protagonists that aren't interesting.
Jeff's Rating: 1 / 5 (Bad)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
December 11, 2022
Former FBI criminal psychologist Robert Payne is hired to help with the murder of a beautiful Indian woman. Ed Gorman was one of the best.
June 24, 2020
Setting takes place in Iowa, and has to do with Native American. Murder of two women, which was tied to prostitution, and other secrets of an old case. Working the case is a Native American cop and Criminal psychological Robert is putting the pieces together of the killer. Good mystery for audio and was enjoyable. Enough twists, and facts on the legal aspect for Native Americans Given audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
December 8, 2021
2.5 stars. Meh. Had it been a long book I probably would have DNF.
December 18, 2009
This book talks about how a very popular high school athlete is faced with something that he never did. He was on the verge of breaking a high school rushing record. The night before he breaks up with his girlfriend and she gets killed. Since he was the last one to see her alive everyone thinks that he did it. He has to try to save himself from being sent to jail for a crime he never committed. He has these dreams during the night shoowing where his x-girlfriend is and giving him clues about what had happened to her. He always gets these visions and there is a spirit that helps lead him. He gets these e-mails from an unknown sender and he gets two tech. nerds to help him figure out who is sending him all of these cruel and scary messages. He latr find out that the sheriff of the town, his moms boyfriend, his three best friends, and two DEA agents are in on the murder of his x. He goes up to the mines with his grandpa, his dad, and a friend. He meets up with the sheriff and his posse and they end up getting caught. The sheriff and posse tied them up and put them in a cave with the body of his x and they set a bomb that would go off.
October 8, 2014
A mystery novel, set in Iowa, about an ex-FBI private investigator who helps an attractive female Native American cop find out who has mutilated and murdered two Indian women. The story is interesting and the pacing good; if you happen to find an inexpensive (or free from the library) copy and enjoy mysteries, I would recommend it as an average, enjoyable but forgettable read.
My one complaint is that the novel often comes across as a blend of mildly lecherous and seriously wish-fulfilling. The narrator, a sympathetic but only OK-looking fellow (we're told he's middle-aged and a bit overweight), is not only continuously checking out all the female hotties, but they keep falling over themselves to be comforted, touched or held by him. This got to be annoying after a while.
My one complaint is that the novel often comes across as a blend of mildly lecherous and seriously wish-fulfilling. The narrator, a sympathetic but only OK-looking fellow (we're told he's middle-aged and a bit overweight), is not only continuously checking out all the female hotties, but they keep falling over themselves to be comforted, touched or held by him. This got to be annoying after a while.
March 25, 2015
I probably would have given this 3.5 stars if I could. I debated between 3 and 4. I really liked his tidbits of Iowa history and the information on how the Indians were treated in the legal system. I have never read Gorman's biography, but assuming some of his own thinking comes through - which I imagine it would, he seems like he would be a sweet, but no-nonsense, curious, fair and compassionate. I have to admit the plot of this one didn't grab me as much as he previous novel, Blood Moon. Still, it was pretty good.
January 25, 2015
This was an enjoyable, well written mystery novel. Mysteries aren't normally my cup of tea, but I am becoming a huge fan of Gorman's writing, so I decided to try out one of his. Its quite good. There isn't really too much suspense or crazy plot twists, but the story hums along nicely and Gorman's writing is great, as always. Not great or amazing but highly enjoyable and recommended.
June 19, 2012
Good murder-mystery by Gorman has Iowa detective and lady Indian cop investigating a brutal murder. This murder is eerily similar to another murder committed in 1903 that was investigated by one of the first women "scientific" investigators. Recommended to mystery fans.
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July 26, 2011Another Robert Payne thriller, this time dealing with a man that was accused of a brutal serial slaying of two Indian women, and the secrets unlocked are NOT what you'd expect.....Great read!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews