Night Terrors

Daniel Rinaldi #3

by Dennis Palumbo, Tom Taylorson (Reader)

Night Terrors is the third in the critically acclaimed mystery series featuring psychologist and trauma expert Daniel Rinaldi. In the midst of a brutally cold winter in Pittsburgh, Daniel Rinaldi is asked to treat Lyle Barnes, a retired FBI profiler whose terrifying nocturnal visions cause him to wake up screaming. Barnes, after twenty years spent inside the minds of the nation's worst serial killers, is not only falling apart psychologically but also finds himself the target of an unknown assassin, whose mounting list of victims is paralyzing the city. Hidden for his own protection by his former bureau colleagues, Barnes secretly escapes, drawing Daniel and a joint task force of the FBI and the Pittsburgh Police Department into a desperate manhunt. They must try to find the missing agent before the killer does. Meanwhile, another case competes for Daniel's attention. The mother of a young confessed killer, now in jail in nearby West Virginia and awaiting trial, is convinced that her son is innocent and appeals to Daniel for help. Against his better judgment, he becomes involved but soon realizes that much about the case is not as it appears. As time is running out, Daniel uncovers an unexpected web of murder and madness that not only connects the two investigations but also puts his own life at risk. Complicating matters further is his deepening relationship with the beautiful Detective Eleanor Lowrey. Will the danger closing in around him threaten to ensnare her as well?

Genres: Mystery

MP3 CD

First published April 28, 2013

About the author

Formerly a Hollywood screenwriter (My Favorite Year, Welcome Back, Kotter, etc.), Dennis Palumbo is now a licensed psychotherapist and author

His mystery fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, The Strand, and elsewhere, and is collected in From Crime to Crime.

His acclaimed series of crime novels (Mirror Image, Fever Dream, Night Terrors, Phantom Limb, and Head Wounds) feature psychologist Daniel Rinaldi, a trauma expert who consults with the Pittsburgh Police. All are from Poisoned Pen Press. For more info, visit www.dennispalumbo.com.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 3rd book in the 'Daniel Rinaldi' series, the psychologist put his life in danger when he pursues a murderer. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****



Dr. Daniel Rinaldi, a Pittsburgh psychologist, gets involved in two police cases. The first involves Wesley Currim, an unpleasant, wise-cracking young man who's confessed to the murder and decapitation of rich executive Edward Meacham. Wes's mother Maggie, however, swears she was with her son at the time of the murder and implores Dr. Rinaldi to help the boy.

At the same time Rinaldi is working with the FBI on a case involving serial killer John Jessup, who was convicted of murdering four prostitutes. Jessup, who was killed in a prison riot, had an admirer who wrote him complimentary, supportive letters signed 'Your Biggest Fan'.



The admirer is now on a murder spree of his own, killing people responsible for Jessup's imprisonment and death. He seems to be targeting a prison guard, the judge, the prosecutor, jurors, the defense attorney, and Lyle Barnes, the FBI profiler who fingered Jessup. Barnes now suffers from night terrors and needs the help of a psychologist.

Local police are working with the FBI to protect potential victims and nab Jessup's admirer. They're hampered, however, because the killer seems to have inside information: he knows where the authorities are hiding potential victims, knows when they're about to question a witness, etc. Clearly, the investigation is compromised in some fashion.

While working on the cases Rinaldi can't seem to go a day without getting involved in a life-threatening situation such as chasing down a gunman, being run off the road by truck, putting himself in the path of a murderer, and so on.





This seems unwise since Rinaldi apparently doesn't carry a weapon or possess martial arts skills. To me, he's somewhat of an unrealistic character - a sort of psychololgist/superhero - but he seems to be a decent enough guy. There's also a touch of romance in the story since Rinaldi gets together with Detective Eleanor Lowrey, a woman he's been attracted to for some time.

Eventually Rinaldi comes across information that's pivotal to both cases which leads to the book's climax. I thought this was a pretty good story with interesting characters and a nicely-constructed plot.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

[Terri Wino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounding up to 4 stars.

Another engrossing mystery featuring Pittsburgh psychologist Daniel Rinaldi. These books don't rely on a lot of fanfare and shocking twists; just solid plotting and feeding the reader all the information needed to solve the mystery -- or at least at the end of the book to think, "Now how did I not figure that out?"

This is the third book in this series and I have enjoyed each one a little more than the last as I read them. My only complaint is that in three books there hasn't been one yunz to be found. Come on, man, it's Pittsburgh!! Surely one of the native characters could let a yunz fly in conversation. ;)

Don't let the fact that it took me a month to read this lead you to believe it's not an interesting book. It only took that long because I read it as my secondary book that I only read a few pages from each day.

(2017 reading challenge category: a book set in your home state)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a very enjoyable book. After reading the 1st 3 books in this series, my only complaint is that the author may be settling into a plot rut. In each book, there are separate crimes or mysteries that initially appear separate and distinct, but by the end of the book, the main character, Daniel Rinaldi has figured out they are related and neatly tied them up together. I think this is an interesting approach, but if done consistently, the books start to sound formulaic. Hopefully, the fourth book won't follow this pattern. This book introduced a new character, an older, retired FBI profiler who is also a psychologist, and I really enjoyed this character. I hope he shows up in future books. If you like psychoanalysis and plenty of literally crazy characters with your suspense and mystery, I really recommend this series,

[Chris A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Par for the course... although I'm still baffled by some of the geographical blunders Palumbo continues to make about the greater Pittsburgh area.

Crossing a downtown bridge and seeing the Allegheny Mountains in the distance? Impossible.
Repeatedly mentioning heading Eastbound on I-70 in order to get to West Virginia?! Still using the Ft. Pitt Bridge to get to/from Mt Washington from/to downtown Pittsburgh?!

Baffling that on the third book of a series based in Pittsburgh that it still seems like he does not have a local person as one of his proofreaders before release.

[Julia Wachowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. Lots of ups and downs in the character's story made it feel as if you were right there with him. Definitely recommend!

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty good story about a killer wiping out the people who sent his favorite murderer to jail where he gets murdered.

[Suspense Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Rinaldi, psychologist and police consultant, is just trying to have an ordinary day. After finishing up with his patients, he finds himself kidnapped into a waiting vehicle, complete with tinted windows and guys with guns. Fortunately for Daniel, these guys are FBI agents who want his help, sort of.
Daniel’s presence has been requested by the killer himself. He will only show where he left the body if the famed psychologist Daniel Rinaldi is there. Having no choice, he goes along for the ride. They do find the victim’s body, with the head missing, which the killer finds rather amusing and for which he is very proud. And now the killer’s mother wants Dr. Rinaldi’s help as she swears her son is innocent and she can’t understand why he is confessing to a murder she knows he did not commit. Or did he?
Thinking he really has nothing to do with this case, as the killer has already confessed and the FBI now has a body, he can’t understand why the FBI is keeping him around. He finds out soon enough when he meets his new patient. Agent Barnes, a retired FBI profiler who has apparently lost his mind and hasn’t been able to sleep since retirement due to his Night Terrors. Unfortunately, again, the good doctor’s new patient runs away and now the FBI are on a manhunt for one of their own.
Between his new client, the road trip to the headless victim, and the egos of the FBI, Dr. Rinaldi just wants to go back to work. However, the good doctor now becomes part of a new investigation. A purported “fan” is writing letters to a convicted murderer and is determined to take revenge on those who put his hero in prison...hunting them down one by one.
Dennis Palumbo has once again shared his extraordinary imagination with his readers. Twists and turns abound in this thriller and it is a page-turner until the very end.
Reviewed by Sherri Nemick for Suspense Magazine

[Gloria Feit · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third Dan Rinaldi novel is a complicated tale, compounded by two unrelated story lines in which the psychologist overexerts his derring-do despite the fact that he’s supposed to use his mental powers instead. The title refers to the reaction of a retired FBI profiler, Lyle Barnes, to the years of being exposed to the various horrors of interviewing serial killers. Barnes seems to be an interesting character, but unfortunately is less than fully developed, somehow playing a fleeting presence when necessary to move the plot forward.

To begin with, we learn of a series of murders of persons who played a role in the conviction of a serial murderer, first identified by Barnes, of prostitutes. The assassin appears to be acting on a list in some sort of progression. Dan is called in by the FBI as a consultant to treat Barnes’ malady, placing him the middle of the investigation. Then Dan is confronted with a second case, that of a confessed killer whose mother claims he is innocent because he was with her at the time of the murder.

As the two plot lines move forward, Dan seeks answers to various questions he confronts. More important, instead of psychology, we witness his superman efforts in attempting to find the answers. Perhaps, because of the author’s background as a Hollywood screenwriter, or more likely an eye on a movie contract. All in all, there is a lot of bravado which is somewhat overdone. Nevertheless, the book is well-written and moves swiftly to its surprising conclusion, and is recommended.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story has an interesting premise. I don't want to give details away, so I'll only say that I enjoyed the unique spin on the killer and the motive. The plot moves at a quick pace and Palumbo does a great job of adding twists and keeping readers on edge.

Unfortunately, I had a few problems that kept this from being a great read for me. First, Palumbo's writing style includes the use of a lot of incomplete sentences. I have no problem with sentence fragments sprinkled throughout a book. In fact, they can often emphasize immediacy and increase pace. But the overuse here made the writing feel jagged and kept jolting me out of the story.

My other problem stems from this book having a large number of characters and a whole lot going on. Consequently, I felt the characters lacked development and I wasn't able to really connect with any of them. This was particularly true with Daniel Rinaldi and Lyle Barnes. Lyle's character here is vital, even being responsible for the book's title, yet I never really felt I knew him. In fairness to my disconnect with Daniel, I have to say I did not read the first two books in this series. It may be that those books unravel his story, giving a better idea of who he is. If that is the case, then this book doesn't work as well as a stand-alone and the series needs to be read from the beginning.

All that being said, there is still much to love about this fast-paced story with a unique angle on the serial killer.

[Gayle Pace · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW:

This book is the third book in the series. It is NIGHT TERRORS, Daniel Rinaldi Mystery, who is a Psychologist in Pittsburgh. If you love being scared stiff, then this book is for you. Every time you turn the page you will wonder what terror could be next. Te is having trouble sleeping with the horrible nightmares about the killers and their tormenting their victims. Agent Barnes ends up on the run, while the FBI and police try to find him before the killer does.

The doctor has another case which he feels might be related to Agent Barnes' case. It's about a murder of a business man and the young man accused of doing it. The doctor is starting to have trouble handling both cases. I felt Doctor Rinaldi was a little smug about his confidence over how good he is at his job and he believes he is always right, no matter what. If you have the time you can read this book in one sitting. Don't start reading it unless you plan to not stop until it is finished. This is a stand alone book even though it is the third in the series. You will really want to read the first two. Dr. Rinaldi will reel you in, hook, line and sinker. A very good read even with some of the gore and terror. Read it on a storming night when you are all alone. You will start to think the shadows are moving. Good terror story.

I would give this book 4.5 stars.

I was given this book NIGHT TERRORS by PoisonedPenPress on behalf of the author Dennis Palumbo for this unbiased review.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Night Terrors is one of Dennis Palumbo's best Daniel Rinaldi mysteries. I was hooked on the first two books, but Night Terrors sealed the deal by the end of the first chapter. The characters are believable, fun to hang around with, and there's never a dull moment. The novel builds terrific suspense with lots of twists and turns and has a finale on top of a finale. Just when I thought the mystery was solved, there were more amazing revelations to come just around the corner. In addition to the characters and mind-bending plot, I especially enjoyed the terrific sense of place. A wintry Pittsburgh, and its environs, becomes a major character in itself as psychologist/trauma expert, Daniel Rinaldi, FBI agents and local police hunt for the killer (or killers) across a forbidding landscape. Don't take my word for it. Grab your copy right now. You won't be disappointed. Night Terrors is an amazing read.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can almost guarantee that you will not be able to see the ending of this book coming! What a roller coaster ride! The characters come to life and are extremely believable.

Daniel, a psychologist who sometimes is an outside consultant for the police is always getting into trouble-he just can't let the police do their jobs-and he has the bruises and broken bones to prove it. He just has to get involved in the investigations, much to the consternation of the police officers--some of whom he doesn't exactly get along with!

This is the third book in the Daniel Rinaldi Mystery series. It can definitely be read as a stand alone. I have a feeling that I am going to try to get the first two books as well as the 4th!!!!
Night Terrors: A Daniel Rinaldi Mystery

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to rate. It was a good story but it was difficult for me to read. I can't put my finger on the problem but I think it is just that I didn't care about the characters. Daniel Rinaldi is a phychologist who is called to treat Lyle Barnes, an FBI agent who is suffering from night terrors. He was involved in the arrest of a serial rapist murderer who is himself killed. But then the people involved in the case have been murdered one by one. The judge, the prosecutor, and everyone involved in the arrest and conviction have been killed. Dr. Rinaldi looks for answers in the psychological but the killer is one step ahead.

[Laurie Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any book that makes you want to visit Pittsburgh has got to be a good book. Suddenly I was overwhelmed with an urge to put on a down coat and trudge through "ash-colored snow" to visit abandoned steel mills. Dennis Palumbo is so adept at using setting as a character, the city "Pitt" is just as intriguing as the mystery. His main character, Daniel Rinaldi, is a psychologist who is called upon to help cure a FBI profiler of night terrors. In the interim, Rinaldi finds himself involved in the profiler's murder case. It's a page-turner, to be sure, and you will like Rinaldi's wit and his empathy for both his patients and the tough cops who reluctantly need his services.

[Donald Armfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a copy of this from publisher in exchange for review.

My main interest was "Night Terrors" remembering my younger brother having them in his younger days. But there is only 2 small parts in book that talks about "Night Terrors".

The book picks up somewhere around page 210 when the two big twist come into play. One being who the killer is, where technically you can pretty much guess.

The lack of police terms and the dragged out plot gave it a boring run. The main character Daniel Ranaldi is a likeable character some of his dialogue was entertaining. Overall I was board.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 3.0

Daniel Rinaldi is a psychologist who specializes in handling patients who have experienced significant trauma. The authorities are using his services to work with Lyle Barners, a retired FBI profiler who is having terrible night terrors as he relives all the horrors he has seen. Information about the villain, who should have been obvious, was only revealed in the last segment of the book. And I had to wonder about Rinaldi's dedication to the case at the expense of all his other needy clients.

[Babus Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crime thriller about a psychologist with a hero complex. I did enjoy this third book in a series but I found it more interesting when Lyle Barnes was in the picture as the interaction between Barnes and Danny was humorous and interesting. I found it a little predictable but still enjoyed it. The pace was good mostly but there were times I wished we could just get to the action.

A good read for crime thriller fans.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychologist Daniel Rinaldi is once again drawn into dangerous situations where his skill working with victims of traumatic crimes is needed. Set in a wintery Pittsburgh, this roller coaster ride of a thriller is a worthy third entry into the series.

Check out my blog for a more complete review Book Keeping

[Anne Meehan-Dunham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Interesting characters, especially Daniel Rinaldi. The story opens with a scene fraught with tension and then doesn't let up. He uses the harsh Philidephia winter as its own character and this adds more layers to the tension. Thumbs up and a definite recommendation!

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rinaldi Rules!

I love this character and this series. Has to be one of the most consistently thrilling series I've ever read. I always look forward to the next book knowing that I won't be disappointed. Far from it. It's always a marathon session until I finish the last page.

[David Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a major improvement on Fever Dreams and shows Dennis Palumbo developing into a reliable mystery author.

http://opionator.wordpress.com/2013/0...

[Kristen Neall]

good, easy rid, interesting story

[Tamra LeValley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Private review for Readerviews

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great addition to this series. Dennis Palumbo just gets better and better.