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The third book in the Jack Nightingale supernatural thriller series.

What goes around, comes around. Jack Nightingale learned that as a cop and discovered that it was just as true in the world of the supernatural. His life changed forever on the day he failed to stop a young girl throwing herself to her death. Ever since, he's been haunted by thoughts that he could have done more to save her.

Now her cries for help are louder than ever. Is she trapped in eternal torment? Can Nightingale put things right? Or are the forces of darkness torturing and deceiving him in order to gain the ultimate prize - his soul? Nightingale will have to face down the powers of the police, south London gangs and Hell itself to find out. And evil is closer than he thinks . . .

486 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

114 people are currently reading
764 people want to read

About the author

Stephen Leather

245 books1,528 followers
Stephen 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 - 30 of 155 reviews
Profile Image for Ubiquitousbastard.
802 reviews67 followers
February 25, 2013
This might actually be the best of the three, which is a relief. The repetition that so annoyed me in the other books was still present, but significantly lessened. Yes, the ending still felt like it was thrust along by deus ex machina plotting, but the resolution was somewhat satisfying, so I forgive it that. Actually, I'm not sure if the ending irritates me, or makes perfect sense. Somehow both, maybe. It sort of feels like I shouldn't have bothered with the second book and just gone from the beginning of the first to this one. But since the series wasn't all that bad, I guess it wasn't a waste of time.
33 reviews6 followers
December 30, 2011
Jack Nightingale is single, 33 years old and haunted by memories of the death of Sophie Underwood, a nine year old girl he watched throw herself from a balcony two years before. He is an ex cop who now works as a private detective but people close to him seem to have a nasty habit of either killing themselves or being killed.

Superintendent Ronald Chalmers used to work with Jack and seems to want to have him in the frame for any and all crimes imaginable including the shooting of a Brixton gangster. Chalmers’ sidekick, Inspector Dan Evans, is more supportive of Jack although Dan lives in a world where crimes are solved by examining physical evidence and questioning suspects - unlike Jack who is drawn into the world of the supernatural.

Stephen Leather is truly a master at skillfully weaving an excellent tale; I find Jack Nightingale to be a very credible and likeable character whose exploits I enjoy following. The author’s talent at producing fully rounded central characters is second to none - I rapidly became so engrossed in the story I was even standing reading while trying to cook, so much was my reluctance to put the book down!

I am not generally a great lover of occult type books but feel this series provides more of a compelling thriller type read and as I live in a house that is 200 years old, it certainly came across to me as being quite plausible and extraordinarily thought provoking.

I sincerely hope there will be more books in this series, as I would love to see where the author takes the central characters to now. So far this is the third full length book but there is also a short story to whet your appetite.

Try it with an open mind and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
Profile Image for Nora.
286 reviews49 followers
March 25, 2015
I really enjoy this series! Those are the perfect books for times in which you just want to read pur entertainment! The books are thrilling and very funny, just great when you don´t want to deal with difficult stuff :)
558 reviews40 followers
October 5, 2021
This time, Jack Nightingale is on a quest to save the soul of Sophie, the traumatized little girl whose suicide he witnessed as a police officer.

Like the previous books in this series, it is intermittently effective but has several barriers to complete enjoyment. Author Stephen Leather gins up forced conflict in an attempt to manufacture tension, such as the police inspector who always suspects that Jack is the murderer just because his name comes up in the course of the investigation, while simultaneously diminishing tension with extraneous plot threads that don’t have much relevance to the main story. Jack seems pretty careless in his approach to the supernatural, yet he always comes out on top, so the demons in these stories don’t seem as dangerous as they should be. There is also too much repetition. There is also too much repetition.

https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot....
Profile Image for Tharina.
41 reviews27 followers
January 7, 2013
A book about active Satanists. What bothers, and REALLY bothers me, is: if you are plagued by spells and stuff from Satanists, why do the "hero" turn to the dark side for answers? If he believes in the dark side, he must acknowledge the "light". TURN TO THE LIGHT YOU BLOODY IDIOT!!
Profile Image for Vance Knox.
Author 2 books
November 3, 2025
Transcription from my video review:


(0:01) Hello, my name's Vance. (0:05) I like to read a lot and I do a lot of book reviews. (0:11) And usually I like to take time and write the book review down and put a picture of the cover.
(0:17) But this time I thought I might try something a little different and do a video review. (0:24) Oh, I'm getting right into this video stuff. (0:26) See the green screen behind me? I'm hoping to be able to cover that with an image or something.

(0:31) We'll see. (0:34) Anyway, about 2010 I got a free book from one of the publishers as a review copy. (0:43) And it was called... (0:48) Let me check, hang on.

(0:51) It was called, it was called, it was called Nightfall. (0:54) It was called Nightfall and it was written by Stephen Leather. (0:57) Now it took me two and a half years to actually get around to reading it.

(1:02) The cover was just black, there was no information on the back. (1:06) It just said proof copy and for reviews only. (1:11) And that was it.

(1:12) So I thought, oh, if I have some time one day I'll probably give it a look. (1:18) But turns out when I finally did get around to reading it, because I ran out of books, (1:23) it was a fantastic book by Stephen Leather. (1:29) It was really, really excellent.

(1:31) I got totally hooked on the characters pretty much from page number three. (1:36) And when I went online I found out that there was another book. (1:41) Oh, look at that.

The second book in the series, Nightmare. (1:45) So I thought, oh, that would be awesome. I'll go grab that.

(1:48) Actually it was Nightfall I think. (1:51) Midnight, haha. (1:54) I really should be writing this down, it would be much easier.

(1:56) Anyway, so I saw Midnight, I read Midnight and that blew me away as well. (2:02) I thought, oh my god, that is fantastic. (2:05) So I have to get all books in this series as he writes them.
(2:11) On Amazon he released a book, a short story one called Curse. (2:17) It's a short story about Gypsy Curse being put on a cop. (2:22) And that was such a good read, I just blew through that within half an hour or so.

(2:29) And jumped online and brought his book number three in his three book series, (2:37) called Nightmare. (2:41) Nightmare is classic Stephen Leather. It is fantastic.

(2:48) Jack Nightingale, he is a PI, an ex-police officer. (2:54) And he discovered that his soul was sold at birth, before he was born actually, to a devil. (3:01) And since then he has been trying to make good on a whole bunch of cases that he gets now and then.

(3:10) But most of it revolves around 666, which kind of drew my attention to it straight away. (3:19) Of course. (3:21) In Nightmare, Jack Nightingale is having dreams about a girl called Sophie Underwood.

(3:28) Sophie Underwood, if you read book one, is a nine year old girl who jumped from the balcony of her apartment (3:39) because her father was abusing her and her mother didn't really care or didn't say anything anyway. (3:47) And he's been having dreams about this girl saying, help me, help me, save me Jack, save me, help me. (3:53) And he goes to his real father's house where there is a whole bunch of occult books and supernatural books (4:08) and there is even a supernatural mirror that can look into the darkness.

(4:16) Now, in that mirror, he thinks or he believes he can see Sophie Underwood. (4:25) So he moves towards her, even though he has been warned not to touch the mirror. (4:31) But of course, Jack Nightingale, not really much going on for him to listen.

(4:36) So he reaches out and he touches the glass. (4:42) When he touches the glass, a beast appears. (4:46) A real horrendous, vicious, disgusting beast with heaps of teeth and kind of stuff.
(4:53) And having survived that, I'm not going to tell you how he survives it. (5:00) But having survived that, he then makes a deal with one of the devils. (5:07) Rockefole, I think, or Rockefelly, or something like that.

(5:12) And the deal is for him to go... (5:15) See, these demons, they all want his soul, but so far he's managed to keep his soul. (5:21) So he makes a deal with Rockefelly saying, I'm going to give you my soul. (5:25) No tricks, no trappings, nothing, it's yours, I sign it off, boom, you've got it.
(5:32) And in return, he wants to go back in time. (5:36) Back to the day when Sophie Underwood jumped off the balcony and killed herself. (5:42) He wants to go back to that day and try, if he can, to save her.

(5:51) The book itself is written really, really well. It's fast-paced. (5:56) But one thing I do have to say that was not in the other three books of his I've read.

(6:05) Nightingale is a kind of the man's man, kind of 1950s style, no emotion, lack of emotion P.I.

(6:17) But in this book, Stephen Evers tried to make him into a more rounded 3D type of person by having him visit his friend's grave. (6:30) And then having his assistant, kind of like a girlfriend, in Book Number 3 anyway, having his assistant killed before his eyes.

(6:43) And it doesn't really work.

(6:47) Maybe I'm just really cold-hearted or jaded from all these horror books I've read.

(6:54) But the emotional pages, they're a flat read. (7:02) Sorry Stephen, if you ever see this, but it's a flat read.

(7:06) I'm kind of hoping you're going to stay away from such deep emotional stuff with Nightingale in the future because it just did not work.

(7:15) I did not skip any pages because that's not what I do. (7:21) But it was easy to close the book, if you know what I mean.

(7:26) I'm sure a lot of other reviewers love the fact that you've given him more emotions and more feelings.

(7:32) But the Jack Nightingale I really preferred was hard-nosed, cold, did what he had to do to get the job done. (7:44) I'm still going to read Book Number 4 because I know it's out now.

(7:48) And if you make it Number 5, I'm pretty sure I'm going to read that too. (7:53) You've got a fan for life here mate. (7:56) So Stephen Lever's Nightmare is Book Number 3 in the series.

(7:59) Book Number 1 is Nightfall. (8:03) If you need to read Nightfall to understand Book Number 3, after Nightfall you get Nightmare. (8:09) After Nightmare you get Midnight.

(8:19) So Nightfall, Midnight and now Nightmare. (8:26) And he's got Number 4 book out as well. (8:28) And the short story you can get online, I think it's only 99 cents or $1.99 or something like that, is called Cursed.

(8:35) And that's a real good introduction to Jack Nightingale. (8:38) If you don't want to spend $10.99 on a book. (8:42) OK guys, I blundered my way through that review.

(8:47) But hey, it's my first time doing a book review on camera. (8:52) Thank you for watching.
Profile Image for Julia Macdonald.
5 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2012
Fantastic new book due out on 19th January, Stephen gave me the chance to read it for review. At that time I hadn't read the others in the Jack Nightingale series - so I can honestly say it's a great stand alone novel. What a fabulous and fast read! The way it's written it just flows so well I couldn't put it down! Read in an afternoon and evening. Not a genre I normally would have gone for - but it is easy to read, cleverly written and it will draw you into the storyline to identify with the main character. Once I find an author I like I tend to stick with them for a while reading everything they've published - so I'll be reading Stephen's books for the next while.
Profile Image for Mick Mulley.
107 reviews2 followers
January 24, 2012
I love Leather's style of writing. Couldn't put the book down. Have read all of the three books in the series - brilliant!!
Profile Image for Katie.
39 reviews
November 24, 2025
Gets better each time

I really can't get enough of these books and can't read them quick enough, every time a new one is released I start from book 1.... 3 down...3 to go!
Profile Image for Jude Samson.
Author 2 books1 follower
dnf
July 8, 2025
It’s getting ridiculous how many times the SI keeps trying to arrest Jack. He can easily file a harassment complaint. Also his father didn’t die around Jack. The wild leaps of assumption he makes is beyond believable.

If it’s been 6 months and they wouldn’t consider it a coma why wouldn’t they have moved to have him unplugged a while ago especially if he’s essentially a ward of the state. And would a patient really be in icu once stable and not expected to make changes?

If the SI was that concerned with what the patient was saying why isn’t he leaning in too so he can listen. Or recording.

The SI says the time but not if it’s am/pm

NOW Jack suddenly knows technology by saying his phone has gps they can track where he was in July.

This is being absolutely ridiculous when it was clear the patient asked for his help and he’s making a dramatic leap claiming it was an ID. And he’s being perfectly reasonable stating he doesn’t remember and to check his date book but yet SI keeps insisting that’s an admission of guilt. This entire interaction is infuriatingly obscene.

It was said in the first book the case with Sophie’s dad was closed as long as he left the force. Why is it still considered open.

Okay I’ve done two books and this third one is just so absolutely annoying I have to DNF it and be done with the series. Maybe if the writer learns the craft better I’ll try some of his other stuff.
Profile Image for Maureen Randall.
15 reviews11 followers
March 15, 2020
I am confounded by this series. This is the third in the series and I almost stopped reading it about 3/4 of the way through because of several things:

1. The main character's stubbornness and the way that he continued to go down the same paths.
2. It seemed like the books were turning into a rehash of the same plot over and over.
3. Some gaffs in the plot that seemed trite.

BUT.... Bam! The author totally flips the plot and ends the book on a totally unexpected note and now I am hooked again.

The writing in the series is pretty good. Not "underline every other page because of the great quotes" good, but "I have to at least find out what happens" good. Like I said above, this is the 3rd book in the series. I read the first two and really enjoyed them. They are a good escape. Not too long, and not brain twisting deep, but entertaining. This one I had decided that it would be the last one that I read, simply because I felt that the series was going to turn into a repeating of the same plot. The ending however, solidified my interest. Looking to read book number 4 now.
Profile Image for Steve.
515 reviews19 followers
August 15, 2019
Book 3 in the Nightingale series and for me this one was the best by a country mile.

We pick up virtually where book 2 finished this for me is a win win as all three books have only elapsed a very short time in nightingales life, we find Jake this time trying to put his life in order after the events of the previous 2 books but demons and vengeful police try to foil him at every twist and turn.
The story is well constructed with a killer ending that blew me away and makes me eager to read book 4 all the characters are well fleshed out the book keeps you turning the page.

Most serial books can be read as a stand alone novels but I would say that these should most definitely be read in order otherwise you miss the impact that this book has.

Absolutely worth your time and hard earned cash a fantastic read.

Profile Image for Terry.
11 reviews
November 17, 2017
So, three books into the Jack Nightingale series, and I have to say, I like it. The overall series that is. The third book, Nightmare, reads about the same as the other two, which is why I only "liked it" instead of "really liked it". As a matter of fact, Nightmare can be a little frustrating as you're reading and wondering, "Haven't we been here before?" And I won't even go into the Constantine rip off (the Keanu Reeves movie). Thankfully, there were some "Holy Crap!" escapades towards the end of the book which kept me from wanting to put the thing down, something that happens all to rarely most days. Too bad I had to wait until the end for that business, though. Here's hoping the next Jack Nightingale story does a little better.
362 reviews
September 19, 2025
The best one yet.

This one was extra in every possible sense. Jack has started to play with the Other Side in a chilling & dangerous way, demons looking to entrap him. It all hinges on a few seconds that could make or break the rest of his existence. In a ripple effect, those he loves suffer through his actions or inaction. Yes, it really is that kind of story!

This has one of the best endings that I've come across for a long time. I loved Jack Nightingale's character before but this has pushed it to new heights. If only he'd make a proper move on Jenny then all would be right with the Nightingale universe. This series gets better with each successive book - long may it continue, although it's going to be hard to top this one.
Profile Image for Plum-crazy.
2,466 reviews42 followers
October 29, 2017
Another cracking read in this mystery/supernatural series, this one sees Jack's soul on offer again (won't say more I don't want to spoil it for future readers!) & the return of Lucifuge Rofocale as Jack tries to help Sophie, the girl he fear he failed in life. The characters are all credible in their role (IMHO) from the very nasty Marcus Fairchild, the gangsters (liked Nightingale's banter with these guys) to even the fake medium, all of whom help build up a great storyline. Can't wait for the next episode as am sure there must be more to Wainwright than meets the eye... & that goes double for Mrs Steadman!
Profile Image for Timelord Iain.
1,845 reviews5 followers
March 9, 2023
This series has been such a disappointment... I was planning to continue past the 3 entries available on KU Read & Listen, but no more. My review of the previous book commented on how it was too similar to the first book... The same can be said of the first 80% of this book... then big things happened, but they were horribly planned out...
160 reviews1 follower
November 14, 2018
Nightingale Beats the Odds

This 3rd book was definitely a page Turner. Alot of action and alot of plot tie ins. Character development was great. The twist at the end was unexpected and intriguing. The supernatural element gives this detective novel much more mystery. It also introduces a different context to the spiritual world. It is a wonderful reading experience to have a new world with its own set of rules or order to explore. I was greatly entertained. I would highly recommend this novel and series.
Profile Image for Susan Lowe.
70 reviews1 follower
February 21, 2025
There aren't enough words . Incredible. Believable. Unbelievable.

20 words... Don't know if I convey how I feel after reading the 1st three books. Gob smacked..
Jaw dropping.
I've been a Stephen Leather fan for years. I have loved all his spider books, and never once did I ever think that he would write such brilliant supernatural books.
I stand in awe and I salute you.
And now I'm going to start the next book🤗🤗🤗
Profile Image for Jonathan Jeffrey.
106 reviews4 followers
November 20, 2017
Nicely done.

I really liked this book and look forward to reading the latter entries in the series.Jack Nightingale should really quit smoking,but other than that he's everything you want in a gumshoe: quick thinking smart talking and fearless but with a heart of gold under it all.
Profile Image for Sushant.
8 reviews4 followers
May 22, 2022
Fun read, bingeable and entertaining. If you liked the DC character John Constantine, this will be a fun getaway. Not a predictable plot and the ambience the author weaves balances the scales against the mild disappointment of a tried and tested finale. If you're in search of paranormal thriller, this is a great one to pick off the shelf.
Profile Image for Puteri Nor.
Author 6 books43 followers
March 27, 2023
I am usually a bit picky when it comes to reading supernatural novels, somehow, this one is exceptional.
Certain scenes gave me chills, and I find most incidents absorbing.
A character which seemed somewhat oblivious at first turned out to be 'ahem', leaving me heartbroken.
Still, the ending was good.
Profile Image for Anna.
101 reviews2 followers
July 29, 2017
Blown away

You know when you can guess certain plots but still shocked... Well you know you've read a remarkable book! This book had it all and the intense moments where I thought I'd have a heart attack really sealed it for me. Phenomenal writing!
438 reviews25 followers
September 6, 2017
This is a perfect holiday read a really nice change that has rocketed me back in time to the Stephen King and James Herbert books that I loved as a teenager. These are quite addictive and a perfect holiday read.
Profile Image for Vader.
3,821 reviews35 followers
October 24, 2018
The end of the book made it worth it. I will give it a 4.0 just because of the ending making me forget the issues I had during the book.

However, I realized I need to stay away from him, he has the worst luck ever.
Profile Image for Karen.
305 reviews
November 28, 2018
Book 3 in the series. It was okay for me it became repetitive and very much the same as book 2. So in the end skimmed read some of it. Have to say the final few pages became more intresting. Would I read another in the series I'm not sure.
96 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2019
Stephen Leather is a devil. Another great book in the Jack Nightingale Series.

Jack has to tackle the police, lawyers, devils and the past. Does he win or he is defeated?

Excellent story telling from a very talented writer!
Profile Image for Dave.
460 reviews
January 15, 2019
Wow! I didn’t see that coming! What a brilliant book with loads of twists & turns. I just couldn’t put this book down and I didn’t see the ending coming at all. Well done Stephen Leather for another brilliant Jack Nightingale adventure.
Profile Image for Angela Maynard.
162 reviews11 followers
April 5, 2019
I've never read any Stephen Leather books before. I got this book probably a good few years ago (hence it's number 3 in series) and it's been sat on top of my wardrobe on my tbr piles. I'm so glad I picked it as I really enjoyed it
Profile Image for Rumfuddle.
445 reviews
May 7, 2019
Well I gave it (nearly) 3 books in the series before I've thrown in the towel.

I had hoped that the writing style would improve as the Author honed their craft but if anything this book was even worse. With many other better books waiting to be read I will call closure on this series.
195 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2019
I really wanted to like this book and did until the last 20% of the book. The first 3 books led to a climatic ending then falls off to a cheap ending. I’m a little too upset to look into reading the next book in the series. Maybe in a year or so I’ll read it.
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