Measure of Darkness

Randall Shane #4

by Chris Jordan

Here are the facts

For the parents whose children have been taken, for the broken lives we piece back together one relentless investigation at a time, our town house is a sanctuary.

My name is Alice Crane. I'm just one of a talented team working for Naomi Nantz, the brilliant and very private detective.

Today that sanctuary was violated. The famous kid-finder Randall Shane was taken away by unknown assailants, possibly government agents. Shane's client is dead, and a boy known as "the keyboard kid" is missing. What is the boy's connection to a top secret physics lab? Unknown—for now. But under Naomi's lead, we will infiltrate every illicit boardroom and bedroom and war room. We'll find that little boy or die trying.

The only thing guaranteed in this life is that Naomi Nantz won't give up. Not now, not ever.

Genres: Audiobook, Mystery, Fiction, Harlequin, Mystery Thriller

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There are several authors in the GoodReads database with this name.

Aka Rodman Philbrick, William R. Dantz, W.R. Philbrick

Rodman Philbrick is an outstanding author who has won the prestigious American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and Quick Pick Awards. Freak the Mighty has been made into a Hollywood film.

Reviews

[Rebecca]

I have some mixed feelings about Measure of Darkness. It had a really good mystery to it, but I wasn’t really a fan of the narrative.
The mystery aspect was really good. There were some things that were fairly standard about it but then there were small details that just didn’t make much sense so I kept reading because I was curious as to how they fit into the overall picture. There were also some bizarre events orchestrated by the bad guys and it just added this extra layer to the mystery that made it more interesting.
The one thing that really bothered me about the story was Alice’s narrative. For a while I wasn’t sure what time period the book was set in due to the demeanour of some of the characters and how they spoke. Especially Alice. I had her pegged as either being from the 1930’s or really old. Neither was the case. It could just be me but I really felt that kind of detracted from the story a little bit, just that the characters didn’t act in a way I expected them too and while this might be refreshing for some people it just wasn’t something I could enjoy.
The ending wrapped things up quite nicely and I thought it was a pretty good ending. As far as I could tell there were no huge holes in the mystery when it unravelled. I did find a couple of characters changed certain details about themselves partway through the novel which was a little bit weird but apart from that, there weren’t any holes in the overarching story.
Overall, I thought the mystery of Measure of Darkness was pretty good, it just wasn’t something I absolutely loved. The writing style wasn’t really my cup of tea but if you think it sounds really good, give it a go because it might be to your liking.

[Dianna W]

What a fun read. I loved the characters.
A man is found dead. He hired Randall Shane to find his missing son but upon seeking help from a friend Randall is quickly abducted. Now it's up to Jack, Teddy, Naomi and Alice so find the truth

[Tracy]

I liked the story line but was a bit put off that the story wasn't more involved with beloved main character Shane. Worth the read but not up to same in-depth story as previous books.

[Florence Witt]

I did not realize this was a series. This book can actually be read as a standalone.

One of my fav narrators.

Pretty clean, humorous, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

No sex. Some violence.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS
It was a well plotted book, with a whole team set in place to work behind the scenes to help when authorities can't. I don't know if their have been books before with this group but I can see where many more can come from it. I will read more from Chris Jordan if I get the chance.
A little boy named Joey who is 5 year old genuis with music is kidnapped. His father is a genuis in his field but socially does not work well with others. He has been murdered and the chief suspect is his own P.I. Randall Shane former FBI agent. When his wife and daughter were killed in car wreck he left the FBI and started to find missing kids. 70% of his work is for free.
Shane knew he was being framed when he found the dead body and his gun was missing. He called friend Jack Delancey who was working for Naomi Nantz.
Naomi lives in a mansion and remembers everything she reads. She is in charge but we never know who their backer is that provides the mansion and the money and connections to get things done. Alice Crane is recording secretary and chief factotum. She is the voice of the story. Mrs. Beasley is the cook of considerable talent. Teddy Boyle is computer guru between 16-21 age. Dane is their lawyer who vets all the cases first except this one. Jack although has room in mansion he does not live their only stays when he is working in the area. Dane has place a few blocks away and the rest live in.
So Jack brings his friend Shane into the mansion in the trunk of the car and he is explaining about the frame of murder he is sure to be arrested on and about Joey being kidnapped when their is explosion and wall of office is blown men in milatary black on ropes from helicopter scoop in and in two minutes has Shane shot with dart and leave without a word.
So their first thing is to find out about Joey and rescue him. Find Shane and rescue him and find out if he is innocent. Find the murderer of Joseph Keener, MIT Collage professor and scientist. Who is running the black Ops that crashed into the mansion and took Shane.
Because Joseph is shy and doesn't interact much no one really knows he has a son. That the son is missing.
Their are a lot of facts and information that they dig out to find the answers to the questions that they have. Lot of spy stuff, lots of different agencies. lot of action and not a romance in sight which is different for me from Harlequin. Their is torture of Shane and others. Lot of good guys and gals. Their is also more bad and greedy people. Not all the ends are nicely tied up which is what happens in the real world but the ending does not disapoint. Did not want to put the book down and it was a problem at 425 pages had to a few times.
Hope their are many more cases with Naomi and friends.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.

[Vivian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Take one missing, possibly abducted child, one deceased research physicist, one missing Chinese national, one top secret, government-sponsored research project, and one secret possibly black ops force and find the common denominator. All are key components in Measure of Darkness by Chris Jordan.

Measure of Darkness is a suspense thriller centering on the missing, possibly abducted child of the now-deceased research physicist. Dr. Joseph Keener hired renowned child finder Randall Shane to locate his missing son, Joey. The only problem is Shane is wanted for the murder of Dr. Keener. Shane turns to a local private firm to assist him in the search for the missing child. It looks like a routine case until some unknown black ops type force enters the firm's Back Bay headquarters and abducts Shane. The head of this firm is Naomi Nantz, a skillful investigator and coordinator. Ms. Nantz is assisted by Alice Crane - the secretary, Mrs. Beasley - the chef (cook is too plebeian a term for her gastronomic delights), Teddy Boyle - resident computer guy, and Jack Delancey - chief investigator and former FBI agent.

As the team attempts to prove that Shane is innocent and find Joey, they reveal layer after layer of intrigue. Dr. Keener's co-workers and students apparently were not aware that he had a child. There is no record of the child and it appears that his mother is a Chinese national that is also missing. Not a problem, except that Dr. Keener's research company was working on a top-secret, government-sponsored research project. Is it possible that Dr. Keener was killed by a foreign government? Was Joey kidnaped to help keep Dr. Keener in line? Just when the team thinks they have a grasp on the situation more dead bodies appear. If dead bodies aren't bad enough, there are apparent ties to a federal case from Jack's past. There are too many things occurring for these to be coincidental.

Measure of Darkness provides a great premise as a suspense thriller. There are numerous twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader involved, but parts of the plot seem mired in the secretive black ops/government conspiracy theme. Although this theme may seem farfetched, it works. Naomi Nantz seems to be a combination of Hercule Poirot sans the mustache and accent and Columbo sans the wrinkled trench coat. Although she isn't a field-agent per se, she does quite well at being able to step back and see the big picture. The narrative is told from the point of view of Alice, and I think that this helps to keep the story grounded as Alice isn't wealthy or a genius but simply a hard-working, intelligent young woman that has survived hardships. If you're in the market for a fast-paced suspense thriller that is also a quick read, then Measure of Darkness may be just the book for you.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't aware when I chose this title to review that Measure of Darkness is a spinoff of sorts from Chris Jordan's series (Taken, Trapped and Torn) featuring Randall Shane, an ex FBI agent who has become a child recovery expert. In the previous novels I believe Shane has had brief contact with a member of Naomi Nantz's investigators but while Shane has a crucial role to play in this story it focuses on the team of privately funded investigators.
Funded by the mysterious Benefactor and managed by the efficient and brilliant Naomi Nantz, the private investigation firm includes an ex cop, a young computer whiz kid and Alice, who gave up her receptionist duties in a dentists office to become Nantz's personal assistant after her bigamist husband bled her dry of her life savings. Randall Shane is in the midst of a case to find a missing boy when his client is murdered and turns to Naomi for assistance. Before he can share too many details though Shane is kidnapped by a shadowy group of operatives and subjected to days of torture. In his absence Nantz and her team try to pick up the threads of his investigation to find the missing boy while puzzling out the events that led to the murder of his father and Shane's abduction. It's a tangle of military secrets, perverted patriotism, research funds further complicated by a sociopathic mercenary and an uncooperative FBI which the team need to unravel in order to shed light on the case.
I really enjoyed the complexity of the plot of Measure of Darkness. The novel subtly weaves misdirects and suspects in the fabric of the story that has you considering your assumptions at every turn. The action is punctuated by thoughtful periods of investigation. It is a little slow in places as the team ruminate on the clues (or lack of thereof) available but if you persist the pace picks up and the final denouement is very satisfying.
Measure of Darkness is narrated by Alice, Naomi Nantz's assistant and in the third person through alternate chapters. It's a unusual method but was surprisingly successful for me. I think perhaps because I enjoyed the characters a lot, the team are comprised of some quirky though very clever people, ably supported by a gourmet housekeeper. I find I can easily visualize the group as they discuss cases in formal wear over dinner. I also thought the other characters, even the autistic professor that we never actually meet, are individual and interesting.
Measure of Darkness is a slight quirky suspense mystery with an intriguing cast and clever plot. I think it has broad appeal for both genders who enjoy a challenging mystery.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was at once intrigued and beguiled by the bubbling point of view of administrative assistant Alice Crane, who basically narrates the entire story for us with tongue-in-cheek humor. Naomi Nantz, private investigator extraordinaire, has put together a team of retired law enforcement, attorneys, and hackers, not to mention their live-in cordon-bleu chef, to review and resolve those crimes that lesser human beings cannot handle.
In this case, the team is brought in by world famous child rescuer and former FBI agent, Randall Shane to help solve the murder of a MIT professor whose five-year-old musical child prodigy has been kidnapped and for whom Shane has been set up for the disappearance by murky unknown shadow-government agent-types.
When Shane is kidnapped from what was supposed to be the impregnable walls of the Nantz offices, the team takes it personally and sets out to sleuth the truth, rescue Shane, and find the missing child. In a web of deceit that leads to upper levels of government conspiracy to the Chinese triads, we are whiplashed through a fast-paced thriller and left with a well wrapped satisfying package.
The Alice Crane point of view throughout, especially when the action takes place out of her immediate view, becomes awkward. I thought the incessant babbling of the female view point a little heavy-handed, but this was before I found out that Chris Jordan is a Nome de plume for Rodman Philbrick, a man writing as a woman, and then I realized he over-dramatized the female role which affects the style. Another irritating habit is that each character exhibits the same sense of humor as the author (and narrator) which produces only a skin deep character evaluation. Elmore Leonard’s rule of writing Rule #10 should be applied, ‘try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.’ The book has a fine plot, effective outline, and is a scintillating thriller, but would benefit from being effectively edited.

[Shai Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

MEASURE OF DARKNESS has to be one of the more unique suspense/thrillers that I have ever ran across. It is written in a narrative style that reminds of the hard hitting detective stories from the fifties. Heck, one the team, Jack Delancey, could even pass for one of those detectives with his sense of style and his turn of phrases.

It took me a little bit to actually get into this book as I am not that familiar with this style of writing but once I did, I wasn't able to put it down. Even though the tension is distanced, it is most definitely there and grows steadily throughout the book. And Naomi Nantz's team members are all rather unique, most not what I would consider team players yet when they are directed by Naomi they become a force to be reckoned with.



MEASURE OF DARKNESS appears to the first book in what I hope grows into a series. Mr. Chris Jordan, which is actually the pen name for author Rodman Philbrick, has a very distinct voice that I am looking forward to enjoying time and time again.

I recommend this book to adult readers, due to some of the graphic scenes of violence, who are looking for an unusual detective story.



I rate this book a 4.5.

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed with are my own.

[D.B. Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is a unique book. It's written in an almost noirish, fifties sort of narrative. Kind of a novel of manners and a hard-boiled detective thriller rolled into one. It took me a few pages to get into the narrative flavor, but once there, I never looked back. This is a tightly written suspense story, with lots of action and personality. It's an ensemble piece, with many characters, each playing a role, none more important than the others. There are some visitors to the tale, and they're also well-written and fully-fleshed, despite their visitor's status. It's a very modern story--child abduction in the shadow of international espionage and overzealous patriots--but inside the walls of Naomi Nantz's palatial Victorian headquarters, dinner is a formal affair and the chef is a genius. Don't read this book when hungry! I'm hoping Jordan has plans for more of these intriguing characters, because I definitely want to read more about them.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm - maybe 3 1/2 stars. A big improvement on his last book. Written in a different style, narrated in the first person by quite an engaging character, the book reads a bit like an old school detective story. The plot, although mired in conspiracy theory, is good - quite complex and it keeps you guessing until the end which is not as simple as good triumphing over evil. A solid effort.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just okay for me.

[Brigitta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Alice! She was very witty. They mystery behind Naomi was very intriguing and the other characters were lovable. A very good plot with twists and turns. Wonderful!!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed...liked how good guy didn't always win

[Jenny Mandeville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the Randall Shane series, even though he wasn't the main character of this book! Hoping Chris Jordan writes more of them!

[Jennifer Szustakowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn't flow very well to me.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great read, with a funny main character. However, I thought it would be more suspenseful and it wasn't.

[Darla Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice convoluted mystery. This is another book with a private investigator firm staffed with people of diverse talents--is this a new sub-genre?

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting & clean - liked the witty banter. Will continue the series. Well narrated and recommended.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

second listening

[Dawn Schupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

i didnt like