Alien Rites

David Silver #4

by Lynn Hightower

Detective David Silver and his Elaki partner String attempt to find the connection between the disappearances of a local college student and professor and discover a dark conspiracy that threatens human and Elaki relations.

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1995

About the author

Lynn Hightower grew up in Kentucky, and graduated from the University of Kentucky, where she studied creative writing with Wendell Berry and earned a degree in Journalism. She also teaches novel writing in the Writer’s Program at UCLA. Survival jobs include writing television commercials, catering waitress, and bartender for one day.

Her books have been included in the New York Times List of Notable Books, the London Times Bestseller List, and the W.H. Smith Fresh Talent Awards. She has received the Shamus Award, and been nominated for the Kentucky Literary Award, the Kentucky Librarians First Choice Award, and the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Hightower’s books have been published in numerous foreign countries, including Great Britain, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Israel and The Netherlands.

Hightower spends ridiculous amounts of time curled up reading, but also enjoys small sports cars and tame horses. She is married to The Frenchman, writes full time, shares an office with her Belgian Shepherd, Leo the Lion, plays bad but fierce tennis, loves to dance and is learning to Tango.

Hightower enjoys canoeing and is witty after two glasses of wine. She has studied French and Italian, but is only fluent in Southern.

Hightower is a Kentucky native, and lives in a small Victorian cottage with a writing parlor.

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last David Silver/Elaki novel stays true to its police procedural roots. Silver, and his partners Mel (a human) and String (an Elaki) get the late night call when the expensive car of a missing college student is found. The person who called it in is the missing student's girlfriend, Annie, who lives in the ghetto and being crucified in the press for the death of her infant son. This is the start of several plot threads that Hightower ties together very well by the story's end. Other plot points include Mel's missing girlfriend, a disease that has crossed over from the Elaki home planet, and an Elaki antique dealer (his primary good is Terran teddy bears and he is searching for the elusive Pez).

The procedural parts of the novel are very strong. Hightower though continues to neglect the development of Rose, Silver's wife, and their marriage. Rose acknowledges that something is wrong with their marriage, and that she wants it to work. All the while Silver hides his affair with Teddy from her (the previous book) and his severe dissatisfaction with their relationship. He barely acknowledges the effect this is having on their three children.

A stronger police procedural than the Inspector Ghote and Yellowthread books I recently read. I feel I can recommend the four book series, but be prepared to dislike David Silver by the end (as I did so-intensely).

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something tells me if I hadn't started with book 4 my reactions would have been less lackluster :-)