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Jack Nightingale #1
Nightfall
“You’re going to hell, Jack Nightingale.” These are the words that ended Jack Nightingale’s career as a police negotiator. Now a struggling private detective, the chilling words return with a vengeance when Jack inherits a mansion with a priceless library―and a terrifying warning from a man who claims to be his father. Nightingale quickly learns his soul was sold at birth and a devil will come to claim it on his thirty-third birthday, which is just three short weeks away. It’s a hard pill to swallow. He doesn’t believe in Hell and probably doesn’t believe in Heaven either. But when people close to him start to die horribly, he is led to the inescapable conclusion that real evil may be at work. And if he doesn’t find a way out, he’ll be damned for eternity. Dripping with brooding intensity, unrelenting suspense, and surprising wit, United Kingdom thriller master Stephen Leather’s first book in the Nightingale series is a riveting, heart-stopping mystery with extraordinary range and power.
437 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
346 people are currently reading
2270 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Leather
247 books1,532 followersStephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. For much of 2011 his self-published eBooks - including The Bestseller, The Basement, Once Bitten and Dreamer's Cat - dominated the UK eBook bestseller lists and sold more than half a million copies. The Basement topped the Kindle charts in the UK and the US, and in total he has sold more than two million eBooks. His bestselling book The Chinaman was filmed as The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and grossing more than $100 million.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 397 reviews
October 15, 2017
This is the 1st book in the Jack Nightingale series by author Stephen Leather. Although I am a big fan of Stephen Leather I was a little apprehensive when I realised it had a supernatural angle. My normal genre is psychological thrillers but with my fondness for Stephen Leather's writing decided to give it a try anyway.
This series focuses on ex-policeman, Jack Nightingale who left the force and became a private investigator after working as a negotiator and allegedly encouraging the death of an abusive father. Now working as a PI he receives a call from a Solicitor informing him that he has inherited a mansion from a man who turns out to be his father. A father he never knew and who killed himself when he was unable to reverse a deal he did with a demon, a deal that sold his son's soul.
As you can see from my synopsis above not your usual crime thriller and certainly not the type of book I normally read but somehow it worked for me. Looking at this novels varied reviews it becomes obvious to me that you either love it or hate it. I loved it and intend to get round to the other books in the series soon.
This series focuses on ex-policeman, Jack Nightingale who left the force and became a private investigator after working as a negotiator and allegedly encouraging the death of an abusive father. Now working as a PI he receives a call from a Solicitor informing him that he has inherited a mansion from a man who turns out to be his father. A father he never knew and who killed himself when he was unable to reverse a deal he did with a demon, a deal that sold his son's soul.
As you can see from my synopsis above not your usual crime thriller and certainly not the type of book I normally read but somehow it worked for me. Looking at this novels varied reviews it becomes obvious to me that you either love it or hate it. I loved it and intend to get round to the other books in the series soon.
August 7, 2017
Okay, I'll admit it. I was drawn to the book because of the title character's name. "Jack Nightingale" as a private investigator is a man I'd want to read about. And, in the beginning, I was not disappointed. The opening was fantastic. I just knew I was going to love it.
But then something happened.
The magic of those beginning chapters was lost. It became repetitive and uninspired.
Thanks to my handy dandy kindle app I was able to do a word count. "Cigarette" was mentioned 122 times in the book. "Smoke" was mentioned another 88 times. Now he only mentioned his favorite brand, "Marlboro", a mere 21 times the slacker. Let's see, he also said "Pentangles" 54 times and "Satan/Satanist" another 42 times. Gah!
Any of the interesting bits there were were lost in the cloud of smoke that perpetually surrounded Jack. What made him so special? Why in the world would a demon go through so much trouble for him specifically? Why did the demon And the more I read about Jack, the more I began to dislike him. He's extremely self-centered, he's crass, and he's sexist, and normally, those things aren't always deal breakers for me. Sometimes it's okay to have a main character that possesses an/some undesirable traits. But take this as an example. He has an assistant, Jenny, (that apparently has a thing for him though I can't imagine why) and instead of actually taking the time to read her CV/resume and appreciate her for her accomplishments, he hired her because she has great legs and a nice phone voice. By the end of the book he still hasn't taken any time to get to know her better, and she still has a thing for him. WHY??? This is from the very last pages of the book:
"You've got to be joking." (Jenny)
"Jenny, just do as you're told..."
and then the next page,
"I'll try," said Jenny.
"Good girl," he said.
Like she's a fucking dog. And this is after he's had an entire book for some character growth.
It's not only how he treats other people, he also makes a ton of conjectures based on very little information, one such conjecture being what constitutes a "Satanist." Has he never watched Supernatural? You don't have to be a Satanist to make a deal with the devil. Trust me on this. But apparently, according to Jack, owning or having anything to do with the occult means you worship The Devil. Bollocks!
I'm giving it two stars only because I liked the beginning so much.
But then something happened.
The magic of those beginning chapters was lost. It became repetitive and uninspired.
Thanks to my handy dandy kindle app I was able to do a word count. "Cigarette" was mentioned 122 times in the book. "Smoke" was mentioned another 88 times. Now he only mentioned his favorite brand, "Marlboro", a mere 21 times the slacker. Let's see, he also said "Pentangles" 54 times and "Satan/Satanist" another 42 times. Gah!
Any of the interesting bits there were were lost in the cloud of smoke that perpetually surrounded Jack. What made him so special? Why in the world would a demon go through so much trouble for him specifically? Why did the demon And the more I read about Jack, the more I began to dislike him. He's extremely self-centered, he's crass, and he's sexist, and normally, those things aren't always deal breakers for me. Sometimes it's okay to have a main character that possesses an/some undesirable traits. But take this as an example. He has an assistant, Jenny, (that apparently has a thing for him though I can't imagine why) and instead of actually taking the time to read her CV/resume and appreciate her for her accomplishments, he hired her because she has great legs and a nice phone voice. By the end of the book he still hasn't taken any time to get to know her better, and she still has a thing for him. WHY??? This is from the very last pages of the book:
"You've got to be joking." (Jenny)
"Jenny, just do as you're told..."
and then the next page,
"I'll try," said Jenny.
"Good girl," he said.
Like she's a fucking dog. And this is after he's had an entire book for some character growth.
It's not only how he treats other people, he also makes a ton of conjectures based on very little information, one such conjecture being what constitutes a "Satanist." Has he never watched Supernatural? You don't have to be a Satanist to make a deal with the devil. Trust me on this. But apparently, according to Jack, owning or having anything to do with the occult means you worship The Devil. Bollocks!
I'm giving it two stars only because I liked the beginning so much.
April 13, 2011
Before reading Nightfall, I'd heard of Stephen Leather but hadn't read any of his books. I'm glad that this was my first one, because I really enjoyed it.
Jack Nightingale--I love that name!--is a negotiator, and when the book opens we get a taste of what his job entails. He's on his way to meet with a possible jumper. But this isn't your average potential suicide. It's a 9-year-old girl called Sophie.
The very idea of something so horrible chilled me. And what followed was one of the best and most powerful openings I've ever read. It was so vivid, shocking, and well written that I had tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe how awesome the book was already. I'm very happy to report that it only got better from there.
Fast forward two years and Jack is still being haunted by what happened after Sophie's suicide. He can recall confronting the little girl's father but can never quite remember if he pushed him or if the man jumped out the window. But Jack's no longer on the force. He's now a struggling private detective mostly handling cheating partners. He has a small office and a devoted secretary called Jenny. Who happens to come from a rich family and actually cares for Jack in a very platonic way.
He smokes too much, drinks even more, and is constantly hearing people say: "You are going to hell, Jack Nightingale." Actually, he starts to hear (and see) it a lot after he inherits a huge rundown mansion from his biological father. He didn't even know he was adopted, but as he starts to unravel the bizarre life of Ainsley Gosling, and discovers a hidden basement filled with strange books, Jack finds out that his father sold his soul to a devil.
But Jack doesn't believe in the devil or hell. Still, he finds himself consumed by the possibility. Being chased by death at every corner doesn't help. He's no stranger to losing loved ones, he lost his parents at 19, but now his aunt and uncle die in a murder-suicide, his best friend in a car accident, the birth mother he met only days before kills herself... Jack's having a very bad week. But if his soul does belong to a devil, it's only going to get worse because his 33rd birthday is just around the corner. That's when this devil will collect.
This book is brilliant--from the plot, to the characters, to the dark and spooky situations, there's nothing I didn't like about it. I loved every minute of it. The story's addictive, and I loved it when towards the end, Jack finds himself confronted by his worst fear and decides to do what he does best: negotiate. He comes full circle, but leaves the mystery of a possible sister open for future installments.
Nightfall is an amazing occult thriller, and had me hooked from the beginning. I couldn't wait to find out what other dark and horrid secret Jack would find next, or how he'd get himself into trouble.
This one's another keeper. I can't wait for more Jack.
Jack Nightingale--I love that name!--is a negotiator, and when the book opens we get a taste of what his job entails. He's on his way to meet with a possible jumper. But this isn't your average potential suicide. It's a 9-year-old girl called Sophie.
The very idea of something so horrible chilled me. And what followed was one of the best and most powerful openings I've ever read. It was so vivid, shocking, and well written that I had tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe how awesome the book was already. I'm very happy to report that it only got better from there.
Fast forward two years and Jack is still being haunted by what happened after Sophie's suicide. He can recall confronting the little girl's father but can never quite remember if he pushed him or if the man jumped out the window. But Jack's no longer on the force. He's now a struggling private detective mostly handling cheating partners. He has a small office and a devoted secretary called Jenny. Who happens to come from a rich family and actually cares for Jack in a very platonic way.
He smokes too much, drinks even more, and is constantly hearing people say: "You are going to hell, Jack Nightingale." Actually, he starts to hear (and see) it a lot after he inherits a huge rundown mansion from his biological father. He didn't even know he was adopted, but as he starts to unravel the bizarre life of Ainsley Gosling, and discovers a hidden basement filled with strange books, Jack finds out that his father sold his soul to a devil.
But Jack doesn't believe in the devil or hell. Still, he finds himself consumed by the possibility. Being chased by death at every corner doesn't help. He's no stranger to losing loved ones, he lost his parents at 19, but now his aunt and uncle die in a murder-suicide, his best friend in a car accident, the birth mother he met only days before kills herself... Jack's having a very bad week. But if his soul does belong to a devil, it's only going to get worse because his 33rd birthday is just around the corner. That's when this devil will collect.
This book is brilliant--from the plot, to the characters, to the dark and spooky situations, there's nothing I didn't like about it. I loved every minute of it. The story's addictive, and I loved it when towards the end, Jack finds himself confronted by his worst fear and decides to do what he does best: negotiate. He comes full circle, but leaves the mystery of a possible sister open for future installments.
Nightfall is an amazing occult thriller, and had me hooked from the beginning. I couldn't wait to find out what other dark and horrid secret Jack would find next, or how he'd get himself into trouble.
This one's another keeper. I can't wait for more Jack.
September 2, 2018
This book was a lot different than expected, the private detective dealing with the fact his soul was sold to a devil, made for a very weird story. I’ve heard Stephen Leather always does bizarre stories and while it was odd, I did enjoy Nightfall for an average story. I was recommended this author by someone that doesn’t read much, so I was a little hesitant in reading it, but it turned out well. Looking forward to trying some more Stephen Leather.
December 12, 2017
With all of the book options out there, I like to think that I am picky when it comes to purchasing a book. I’ll be patient, waiting for it to go on sale, and when it does, I’ll read the sample to make sure that it is my kind of story. July of last year, that’s exactly what I did with Nightfall.
While reading the sample, I thought that this is my kind of book. It had a dark, twisted, jaded protagonist with some great sarcastic humor. I immediately bought the book. It took some time, but I finally got around to reading it.
Nightfall has a fantastic premise, a disgruntled cop has turned into a private investigator. Yes, that is nothing new, but the vehicle that takes us there is unique and works well. His soul has been sold to the devil and now Jack Nightingale has just a few weeks to literally save his soul.
I love an underdog hero, and Jack Nightingale seemed to fit the bill. Unfortunately, he was overdone. Sometimes less is more. He was constantly drinking, always with a cigarette in his hand and in his damn MGB. Jack Nightingale drove an MGB, an enviable car; this MGB was mentioned thirty-five times in the book – never his car, automobile, ride or anything else. Yes, Jack Nightingale, I get it, you love your MGB. Are you compensating for something? I know it is a minor detail, but it illustrates how the repetitiveness of the author created annoyances and, more importantly, distractions during the story.
There were additional issues with the book; the author had problems keeping the timeline straight, he placed the 10th of the month as the Friday between the 13th and 27th.
In the end, I’m glad that I read Nightfall. I was curious and intrigued, now I know. For a reader who can overlook the distractions, this could be a great, fun book. For me, it turned me off reading more from Stephen Leather.
While reading the sample, I thought that this is my kind of book. It had a dark, twisted, jaded protagonist with some great sarcastic humor. I immediately bought the book. It took some time, but I finally got around to reading it.
Nightfall has a fantastic premise, a disgruntled cop has turned into a private investigator. Yes, that is nothing new, but the vehicle that takes us there is unique and works well. His soul has been sold to the devil and now Jack Nightingale has just a few weeks to literally save his soul.
I love an underdog hero, and Jack Nightingale seemed to fit the bill. Unfortunately, he was overdone. Sometimes less is more. He was constantly drinking, always with a cigarette in his hand and in his damn MGB. Jack Nightingale drove an MGB, an enviable car; this MGB was mentioned thirty-five times in the book – never his car, automobile, ride or anything else. Yes, Jack Nightingale, I get it, you love your MGB. Are you compensating for something? I know it is a minor detail, but it illustrates how the repetitiveness of the author created annoyances and, more importantly, distractions during the story.
There were additional issues with the book; the author had problems keeping the timeline straight, he placed the 10th of the month as the Friday between the 13th and 27th.
In the end, I’m glad that I read Nightfall. I was curious and intrigued, now I know. For a reader who can overlook the distractions, this could be a great, fun book. For me, it turned me off reading more from Stephen Leather.
December 7, 2020
Trigger warning
So, this book is actually 548 pages. Our demon appeared at page 505 (sort of - no spoilers). So there were 504 pages of pretty much zero horned beastie activity. There was quite a bit of death, and lots of cigarette smoking, hard liquor drinking, and driving around in our hero's MGB (never just his car, always his MGB), and the usual cop-turned-private-dick tropes, but a distinct lack of horned beasties for a really looooooong time.
I wanted a horned beastie. I got a detecting bewilderbeast with an MGB.
But I finished the 548 page beast so it couldn't have been all bad. Must have been the short chapters and large font! Certainly wasn't the red-skinned hell-dwellers.
Can you tell I'm a little disappointed?
I'd recommend this to my hard boiled friends who like only a little bit of supernatural with their noir.
So, this book is actually 548 pages. Our demon appeared at page 505 (sort of - no spoilers). So there were 504 pages of pretty much zero horned beastie activity. There was quite a bit of death, and lots of cigarette smoking, hard liquor drinking, and driving around in our hero's MGB (never just his car, always his MGB), and the usual cop-turned-private-dick tropes, but a distinct lack of horned beasties for a really looooooong time.
I wanted a horned beastie. I got a detecting bewilderbeast with an MGB.
But I finished the 548 page beast so it couldn't have been all bad. Must have been the short chapters and large font! Certainly wasn't the red-skinned hell-dwellers.
Can you tell I'm a little disappointed?
I'd recommend this to my hard boiled friends who like only a little bit of supernatural with their noir.
October 26, 2015
I decided to abandon this one after less than 20%, which was disappointing because I'd really been looking forward to reading it and was certain I would enjoy it. But alas, that was not the case.
Whereas I don't necessarily think you have to like the main character to enjoy their story, I found Jack Nightingale to be so abrasive that I didn't want to spend any more time with him. And his 'observations' were often bordering on offensive, if they hadn't already fallen into the category. The writing feels sloppy and once the main premise of the novel was introduced, I felt I couldn't take it seriously (despite all of the fantasy I read, in which demons are commonplace).
All in all, I didn't feel as though Nightfall was worth my time, so I have left it page 70 and decided to move on.
Whereas I don't necessarily think you have to like the main character to enjoy their story, I found Jack Nightingale to be so abrasive that I didn't want to spend any more time with him. And his 'observations' were often bordering on offensive, if they hadn't already fallen into the category. The writing feels sloppy and once the main premise of the novel was introduced, I felt I couldn't take it seriously (despite all of the fantasy I read, in which demons are commonplace).
All in all, I didn't feel as though Nightfall was worth my time, so I have left it page 70 and decided to move on.
November 23, 2015
2-stars
I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone yet. Frankly, I thought it was pretty damned “meh.” It did start out strong, though, and since I’ve heard much praise for this series, and as someone is who is a sucker for horror books--mainly because I like it when I can scare the shit out of myself late at night reading, and that’s getting harder and harder to do--I’ll give the series one more book to hook me.
I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone yet. Frankly, I thought it was pretty damned “meh.” It did start out strong, though, and since I’ve heard much praise for this series, and as someone is who is a sucker for horror books--mainly because I like it when I can scare the shit out of myself late at night reading, and that’s getting harder and harder to do--I’ll give the series one more book to hook me.
February 1, 2018
I enjoyed this character driven detective story that has a good supernatural ending. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
February 26, 2023
This wasn't as much for me. There were parts where I thought it got nice and spooky, but then it would try to reconcile God into a world of devils, and that got old. Also the edge lord crap was gross.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to like:
-Spook factor. It was properly ooky with all the stuff around him that made him isolated, afraid and unable to fight.
Everything else:
-Literally preachy. There's a lot of "but if God is real..." sermons in here.
-Weird relationships. These are not healthy boss/employee or boss/friend relationships. I did like that he had a bestie that wasn't impressed with him, but hate how that turned out. Everything else was gross. Like he told his secretary "do as your told, girl," on the regular. Me, I'd slap him.
-Standard tropes. The rest was basic. Cop turned PI, everything going to hell around him and all he needs is a bit of booze and a girl to tell him he's so strong.
Also not interested in continuing for other reasons that are personal, but I was not as impressed with this anyways.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to like:
-Spook factor. It was properly ooky with all the stuff around him that made him isolated, afraid and unable to fight.
Everything else:
-Literally preachy. There's a lot of "but if God is real..." sermons in here.
-Weird relationships. These are not healthy boss/employee or boss/friend relationships. I did like that he had a bestie that wasn't impressed with him, but hate how that turned out. Everything else was gross. Like he told his secretary "do as your told, girl," on the regular. Me, I'd slap him.
-Standard tropes. The rest was basic. Cop turned PI, everything going to hell around him and all he needs is a bit of booze and a girl to tell him he's so strong.
Also not interested in continuing for other reasons that are personal, but I was not as impressed with this anyways.
December 26, 2021
Notes:
Currently on KU Read & Listen (All but last book is on KU R&L)
I can't remember how I came across this book. It was either a comment by a friend or via one of the Audible sales. Either way, I'm glad I got it and read it.
Story intro was great! It may have been due to the fact that I had forgotten the blurb by the time I got around to this book. Heh. Due to my memory lapse, I was pleasantly surprised by the intro sequences. Strong start, plodding middle and fun (though predictable) finish. This book was like a 80's cult horror flick. Entertaining, snippets of humor and a capable main character with flaws.
Currently on KU Read & Listen (All but last book is on KU R&L)
I can't remember how I came across this book. It was either a comment by a friend or via one of the Audible sales. Either way, I'm glad I got it and read it.
Story intro was great! It may have been due to the fact that I had forgotten the blurb by the time I got around to this book. Heh. Due to my memory lapse, I was pleasantly surprised by the intro sequences. Strong start, plodding middle and fun (though predictable) finish. This book was like a 80's cult horror flick. Entertaining, snippets of humor and a capable main character with flaws.
October 3, 2012
When I saw the tag-line “A Jack Nightingale Supernatural Thriller" on the cover of this book, I immediately snapped it up. Even though I’d never previously met Mr Nightingale, I instantly recognised this as a book I NEEDED to read. After all, I also write supernatural thrillers, and since that genre – or sub-genre – is normally filed under ‘thriller’ or ‘horror’ (in much the same way one might file ‘purple’ under either ‘red’ or ‘blue’), I was anxious to read the work of a writer who’d followed the same path as I. And okay the prose and dialogue are occasionally a bit clunky, and Stephen Leather should probably throw away his copy of ‘The Big Book of English Clichés’, but this is an entertaining and easy read, as well a gripping and genuinely spooky thriller.
Jack Nightingale, private detective and ex police negotiator, receives a legacy from a father he never knew he had. Unfortunately this father also tells him that he sold Nightingale’s soul to a demon at birth. This soul will be claimed on his 33rd birthday, a matter of a few weeks away.
If one was to think about it too hard then ‘Nightfall’ would appear totally preposterous, but this is a fun and occasionally gory thriller which never twists in a predictable direction. There are a few loose ends, but the fact this is ‘Jack Nightingale Volume 1’ suggests they will be answered at some point. I for one will be grabbing myself a copy.
Jack Nightingale, private detective and ex police negotiator, receives a legacy from a father he never knew he had. Unfortunately this father also tells him that he sold Nightingale’s soul to a demon at birth. This soul will be claimed on his 33rd birthday, a matter of a few weeks away.
If one was to think about it too hard then ‘Nightfall’ would appear totally preposterous, but this is a fun and occasionally gory thriller which never twists in a predictable direction. There are a few loose ends, but the fact this is ‘Jack Nightingale Volume 1’ suggests they will be answered at some point. I for one will be grabbing myself a copy.
September 1, 2010
I thoroughly enjoyed this book which was very easy to read and definitely falls into the category of a real page turner. Which there were no real twists that I didn't expect and I was pretty certain of where and how the story would end, I would still highly recommend it and will most certainly be reading other books from the author
February 26, 2013
Very entertaining read. Great paranormal detective fiction premise. Nice meaty characters. Brilliant narrative opening. I really enjoyed it.
June 21, 2012
Jack Nightingale was a cop, a negotiator to be specific. He becomes a private investigator after a series of strange and tragic events. Things get really weird for Jack when he finds out the parents he lost as a teenager had actually adopted him, and his real father has left him a huge mansion in the countryside. I should also mention that his biological father was an evil bastard who sold Jack’s soul to a demon, and only a few days remain till said demon comes to collect. Jack the level-headed investigator doesn’t buy into any of it, until his loved ones start having “accidents.” He tries to find out who is doing the killing while trying to unravel the mystery of his family’s past.
Nightfall is a bloody mystery thriller with fantasy elements mixed in. It had its scary moments, but didn’t keep me up at night. I found much of the story to be very sad, actually. The things Jack has to deal with in this story will break your heart. You can feel him suppressing his reactions to the events as they happen. That’s where the book lost me a bit; Jack handles all of this a little too well. I know he is a hard bitten ex-cop, but there are times he seems psychopathic in his emotional detachment.
The writing itself is top-notch. Nightfall is precisely plotted, with tension, action, and humor in all the right places. The characters are engaging and the action is intense. I found the mystery elements of the story to be its strongest parts, which comes as no surprise, since mystery thrillers are Leather’s bread and butter. This book would be a great gateway into fantasy for someone who’s into mystery or crime novels.
I listened to Nightfall on CD from Brilliance Audio, narrated by Ralph Lister. Mr. Lister did an excellent job with the gritty crime noir feel the novel exudes. I would highly recommend this version to readers. Amazon is currently selling the audiobook version for $10. At that price, this is a no-brainer.
-Justin for FantasyLiterature.com
Nightfall is a bloody mystery thriller with fantasy elements mixed in. It had its scary moments, but didn’t keep me up at night. I found much of the story to be very sad, actually. The things Jack has to deal with in this story will break your heart. You can feel him suppressing his reactions to the events as they happen. That’s where the book lost me a bit; Jack handles all of this a little too well. I know he is a hard bitten ex-cop, but there are times he seems psychopathic in his emotional detachment.
The writing itself is top-notch. Nightfall is precisely plotted, with tension, action, and humor in all the right places. The characters are engaging and the action is intense. I found the mystery elements of the story to be its strongest parts, which comes as no surprise, since mystery thrillers are Leather’s bread and butter. This book would be a great gateway into fantasy for someone who’s into mystery or crime novels.
I listened to Nightfall on CD from Brilliance Audio, narrated by Ralph Lister. Mr. Lister did an excellent job with the gritty crime noir feel the novel exudes. I would highly recommend this version to readers. Amazon is currently selling the audiobook version for $10. At that price, this is a no-brainer.
-Justin for FantasyLiterature.com
May 30, 2013
I was recommended this book by a member of the bookclub I attend. Stephen Leather is a popular British thriller writer and he has written another fast paced thriller which is more horror than pure suspense/thriller.
This book features former cop turned private investigator,Jack Nightingale, who discovers his true father (he was adopted at birth) has sold his soul to a demon who will take possesion on his next birthday.The plot follows his struggle to get out of the bargain his father made and there are many deaths of people around him on the way. It is one of those books which you can't put down and is easy to read. A great holiday read.
This appears to be the first book in a new series as there are still a few loose ends which weren't tied up at the end of the book. Jack Nightingale is an engaging character with a good sense of humour and there is a possible romantic liaison to develop. Looks like an interesting series to follow.
This book features former cop turned private investigator,Jack Nightingale, who discovers his true father (he was adopted at birth) has sold his soul to a demon who will take possesion on his next birthday.The plot follows his struggle to get out of the bargain his father made and there are many deaths of people around him on the way. It is one of those books which you can't put down and is easy to read. A great holiday read.
This appears to be the first book in a new series as there are still a few loose ends which weren't tied up at the end of the book. Jack Nightingale is an engaging character with a good sense of humour and there is a possible romantic liaison to develop. Looks like an interesting series to follow.
June 9, 2010
Simply one of the worst books i have read in a long time! Really! The one star is because there isnt an option for half a star and the half a star would be because i kind of did like Jack Nightingale's character... but the rest was utter and complete nonsense... Stephen Leather should have to pay me back for those hours wasted... That should teach me about reading every advance copy that arrives in the post from publishers!
May 8, 2011
I was suckered in to this by the cover and the blurbs, but quickly I realised I'd made a mistake.
The best way I can describe Stephen Leather's writing is that it's like a GCSE English student, and not a particularly bright one. The characters are paper-thin and it's either a book about the occult which isn't scary or a book about investigation that isn't particularly clever.
I only give it two stars as somehow the poor writing flows, against all reason, and I managed to finish it.
The best way I can describe Stephen Leather's writing is that it's like a GCSE English student, and not a particularly bright one. The characters are paper-thin and it's either a book about the occult which isn't scary or a book about investigation that isn't particularly clever.
I only give it two stars as somehow the poor writing flows, against all reason, and I managed to finish it.
October 12, 2016
This book had its flaws, and it was a little predictable at times, but I still enjoyed it very much and I'm looking forward to the next one.
February 25, 2017
Actual rating:2.75-3 stars
I'm not even really sure what to say about this book. It was entertaining enough. But I was never truly creeped out or scared, as I'm sure I was supposed to be. It felt lacking. I don't plan to continue the series.
I'm not even really sure what to say about this book. It was entertaining enough. But I was never truly creeped out or scared, as I'm sure I was supposed to be. It felt lacking. I don't plan to continue the series.
August 1, 2020
I've been wanting to start this series for a while and I'm glad I finally got around to it. Jack Nightingale is a former police officer who loses his job following the suicide of a young girl. Shortly afterwards Jack inherits property from an unexpected source, but rather than the inheritance being a boon to his financial coffers, this proves to be the beginning of a situation that will change his life.
The writing was a little repetitive in places, but an entertaining read and storyline that I look forward to following in the future.
The writing was a little repetitive in places, but an entertaining read and storyline that I look forward to following in the future.
May 26, 2012
In a Sentence: Nightfall had a decent story line and made for an interesting read, but I could have used a little more suspense.
My Thoughts
Nightfall was a book that I hadn't heard much about prior to picking it up, but apparently, Stephen Leather is a fairly popular thriller author in the U.K. When the book was pitched to me, it was the synopsis that immediately caught my attention. A race-against-the-clock to save a soul from the a demon? It sounded like an episode of Supernatural to me (back when I was still watching the show, though I've been meaning to catch up on it...eventually). I decided to give it a go, even though I hadn't heard much about it from other book bloggers. But sometimes, it's those books that you've heard nothing about that end up being awesome, right? So I accepted the review request and started reading Nightfall during my last week of the school semester.
Nightfall didn't take long to grab my attention, especially considering that a major event happens within the first few chapters. The rest of the book is pretty similar in pace. While to me, it wasn't one of those books that would keep you up all night reading it, the plot moved pretty quickly, and I didn't feel like I was bogged down in the middle...which frequently seems to happen with books I read in this genre.
However, Nightfall's constant stream of dramatic events ended up being a double-edged sword. While it was hard for me to really get bored when big things kept happening every other chapter, I also got a little burned out on those "big" things about halfway through the book. It's kind of like the first time you go on a roller coaster...it's exciting and thrilling and loads of fun (to me, at least), but when you ride that same roller coaster for the tenth time, it's just not quite as good as it was the first time. You know where all of the drops and the sharp turns are, and there's not a lot left to surprise you, which is half the fun of the ride in the first place. This is kind of the way I felt about Nightfall by the end of the book.
I also wished that Nightfall had had more of a suspenseful atmosphere. While the resolution of the major plot line in Nightfall didn't happen until the end of the book, I felt like I knew the answers to a lot of Jack's questions already, even if he wasn't as sure as I was. The story was solid, but I guess I felt like it could have used a little more mystery or suspense to truly deserve the title of thriller.
For me personally, Nightfall was a decent, enjoyable read, but at the same time, it's probably not a book I will end up rereading in the future. From what I've heard, Nightfall is supposed to be the first book in a series about ex-cop Jack Nightingale, and while I'm not sure the sequels would be at the top of my to-read list, I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to checking them out either. For those of you who are fans of mysteries, especially ones with a touch of the occult and the supernatural, this might be something you'd really enjoy though!
My Thoughts
Nightfall was a book that I hadn't heard much about prior to picking it up, but apparently, Stephen Leather is a fairly popular thriller author in the U.K. When the book was pitched to me, it was the synopsis that immediately caught my attention. A race-against-the-clock to save a soul from the a demon? It sounded like an episode of Supernatural to me (back when I was still watching the show, though I've been meaning to catch up on it...eventually). I decided to give it a go, even though I hadn't heard much about it from other book bloggers. But sometimes, it's those books that you've heard nothing about that end up being awesome, right? So I accepted the review request and started reading Nightfall during my last week of the school semester.
Nightfall didn't take long to grab my attention, especially considering that a major event happens within the first few chapters. The rest of the book is pretty similar in pace. While to me, it wasn't one of those books that would keep you up all night reading it, the plot moved pretty quickly, and I didn't feel like I was bogged down in the middle...which frequently seems to happen with books I read in this genre.
However, Nightfall's constant stream of dramatic events ended up being a double-edged sword. While it was hard for me to really get bored when big things kept happening every other chapter, I also got a little burned out on those "big" things about halfway through the book. It's kind of like the first time you go on a roller coaster...it's exciting and thrilling and loads of fun (to me, at least), but when you ride that same roller coaster for the tenth time, it's just not quite as good as it was the first time. You know where all of the drops and the sharp turns are, and there's not a lot left to surprise you, which is half the fun of the ride in the first place. This is kind of the way I felt about Nightfall by the end of the book.
I also wished that Nightfall had had more of a suspenseful atmosphere. While the resolution of the major plot line in Nightfall didn't happen until the end of the book, I felt like I knew the answers to a lot of Jack's questions already, even if he wasn't as sure as I was. The story was solid, but I guess I felt like it could have used a little more mystery or suspense to truly deserve the title of thriller.
For me personally, Nightfall was a decent, enjoyable read, but at the same time, it's probably not a book I will end up rereading in the future. From what I've heard, Nightfall is supposed to be the first book in a series about ex-cop Jack Nightingale, and while I'm not sure the sequels would be at the top of my to-read list, I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to checking them out either. For those of you who are fans of mysteries, especially ones with a touch of the occult and the supernatural, this might be something you'd really enjoy though!
October 22, 2020
A private eye finds out that his soul was sold to the devil by his dead father and now he must find a loophole in the deal.
Lots of padding and repetition make this book a bit of a slog. There’s a good basic story here, but it needed to be a lot shorter. Kind of like this review.
https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com
Lots of padding and repetition make this book a bit of a slog. There’s a good basic story here, but it needed to be a lot shorter. Kind of like this review.
https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com
not-interested
August 25, 2014Quote from author:
""One thing I have never been able to understand is why an organisation like the National Black Police Association is allowed to exist. It is by its very nature racist - hoping to promote the interests of a group solely on the basis of the colour of its members. A police officer can lose his job if he is found to be a member of the British National Party, which in the past excluded non-whites. But the NPBA, which is solely for non-white police officers, is allowed to operate with impunity. Hardly seems fair, does it?""
Source.
"Stephen Leather, who churns outs [sic] ebook and paperback thrillers, boasted at last month's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival: 'As soon as my book is out I'm on Facebook and Twitter several times a day talking about it. I'll go on to several forums, the well-known forums, and post there under my name and under various other names and various other characters. You build up this whole network of characters who talk about your books and sometimes have conversations with yourself.'
Leather was not ashamed. He crowed like a prize cock and expected his fellow crime writers to applaud his cunning.
Jeremy Duns, a British thriller writer who exposes plagiarists in his spare time, found that Leather was nastier than that. When he wanted to fake an identity, Leather picked on Steve Roach, a minor writer who had made disobliging remarks about one of his books. Leather created Twitter ""sockpuppet"" accounts in the names of @Writerroach and @TheSteveRoach. Roach described on an Amazon forum how one account had '16,000 followers all reading ""my"" tweets about how much ""I"" loved SL's books'. He was nervous. He told Duns in a taped conversation that Leather was 'very powerful' and not a man to be crossed. Roach emailed Leather and begged to be left alone. Pleased that his cyber bullying campaign had worked, Leather graciously gave Roach control of the @Writerroach account he had created, to Roach's 'great relief'."
Source.
""One thing I have never been able to understand is why an organisation like the National Black Police Association is allowed to exist. It is by its very nature racist - hoping to promote the interests of a group solely on the basis of the colour of its members. A police officer can lose his job if he is found to be a member of the British National Party, which in the past excluded non-whites. But the NPBA, which is solely for non-white police officers, is allowed to operate with impunity. Hardly seems fair, does it?""
Source.
"Stephen Leather, who churns outs [sic] ebook and paperback thrillers, boasted at last month's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival: 'As soon as my book is out I'm on Facebook and Twitter several times a day talking about it. I'll go on to several forums, the well-known forums, and post there under my name and under various other names and various other characters. You build up this whole network of characters who talk about your books and sometimes have conversations with yourself.'
Leather was not ashamed. He crowed like a prize cock and expected his fellow crime writers to applaud his cunning.
Jeremy Duns, a British thriller writer who exposes plagiarists in his spare time, found that Leather was nastier than that. When he wanted to fake an identity, Leather picked on Steve Roach, a minor writer who had made disobliging remarks about one of his books. Leather created Twitter ""sockpuppet"" accounts in the names of @Writerroach and @TheSteveRoach. Roach described on an Amazon forum how one account had '16,000 followers all reading ""my"" tweets about how much ""I"" loved SL's books'. He was nervous. He told Duns in a taped conversation that Leather was 'very powerful' and not a man to be crossed. Roach emailed Leather and begged to be left alone. Pleased that his cyber bullying campaign had worked, Leather graciously gave Roach control of the @Writerroach account he had created, to Roach's 'great relief'."
Source.
December 27, 2024
Loved this story. It does help if you are interested in the subject though. A terrifically fast paced thriller/horror that drew me in immediately I began reading it.it's been a long time since I've picked a book up and read it so avidly.I couldn't wait to find out what direction the story would take. Was it paranormal , was it a straight forward thriller , I couldn't tell but I absolutely devoured it . Now for the next one.
I’ve just re read this and enjoyed it as much as the first time 91/2 years ago . Love the subject matter and it has a 1970’s feel despite the fact it was written about 15 years ago . Reminded me of the old James Herbert books of my youth . Nightingale and Jenny reminded me very much of Strike and Robin from the Robert Galbraith books . Picked this book up in a charity shop for a quid and it was great to revisit it especially as I couldn’t remember much more than the general premise.
I’ve just re read this and enjoyed it as much as the first time 91/2 years ago . Love the subject matter and it has a 1970’s feel despite the fact it was written about 15 years ago . Reminded me of the old James Herbert books of my youth . Nightingale and Jenny reminded me very much of Strike and Robin from the Robert Galbraith books . Picked this book up in a charity shop for a quid and it was great to revisit it especially as I couldn’t remember much more than the general premise.
January 9, 2011
I'm relatively new to Stephen Leather's books. This work was unlike his others that I have read. It tells the story of a police negotiator whose character is somehow quite familiar;
Police career ends under a cloud ... tick.
Likes the whisky a bit too much ... tick.
Loner ... tick.
Misunderstood ... tick.
Attracts the ladies ... tick.
The occult theme might not be to everyone's taste but it wasn't sufficiently Crowleyesque to deter me.
In spite of this I enjoyed the tale and the cliff hanger provides an obvious opportunity for the follow up, Midnight to be published Jan 2011.
Is she his sister?
Police career ends under a cloud ... tick.
Likes the whisky a bit too much ... tick.
Loner ... tick.
Misunderstood ... tick.
Attracts the ladies ... tick.
The occult theme might not be to everyone's taste but it wasn't sufficiently Crowleyesque to deter me.
In spite of this I enjoyed the tale and the cliff hanger provides an obvious opportunity for the follow up, Midnight to be published Jan 2011.
Is she his sister?
November 2, 2010
I'm going to be very harsh with this review, because this was seriously the worst book I have ever read. The synopsis sounded fantastic, luring me into a book that seemed like it was written by an eight year old. It was poorly written, predictable and boring.
The first chapter is somewhat gripping, but the quality of the story deteriorates quickly.
The first chapter is somewhat gripping, but the quality of the story deteriorates quickly.
March 19, 2014
I was recommended this series of books my brother and I'm so glad he did. These arnt the sort of books I would normally go for but I really enjoyed it and was gripped all the way through. Can't wait to read the second one.
September 14, 2024
Read it fast cause I was scared the whole time
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