Night of Reunion

by Michael Allegretto

Alex, his wife, Sarah, and their young son, Brian, are living happily in Colorado Springs until Christine Helstrum, an escaped mental patient who had killed Alex's first wife and child, returns to stalk the family.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

305 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Michael Allegretto (b. 1944) is an American author of thrillers and mystery fiction best known for creating Colorado private detective Jacob Lomax. He made his debut in 1987 with Death on the Rocks, a story of murder, blackmail, and pornography that introduced Allegretto’s only series character: Jacob Lomax, an ex-cop who becomes a private detective after the brutal murder of his wife.

Reviews

[Christine Mathieu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the 6th time that I've re-read this compelling thriller since 1993.
Fortunately the TV movie made me aware of Michael Allegretto's other crime novels and I've read all 9 of his books.
Lots of atmosphere/landscape descriptions and not too much dialog...just the way I prefer crime novels.

Michael Allegretto was a masterful storyteller. I only wish he had written more. His last book was published 30 years ago.
If anybody knows what happened to him (I wrote to his publishers to no avail), please let me know. Thank you.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very scary or suspenseful... A bit bizarre at the end.

[Tumelo Moleleki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess in order for the ride to be full of suspense and keep us on the edge of our seats, the victims have to often experience that phenomenon of seeming to act in a stupid way that aids the perp in victimising them. Sarah was such a bore and Alex even worse, but the most interesting character was the crazy Christine and I could imagine the ill-fitting clothes on her making her look even more sinister yet hilarious. Officer Pearl and Maestas were so very useless when the action required of them to use their wits and skills... they were only good at checking icoast.

[Faizan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Night of Reunion Review

[Iwona · Rating 2 out of 5]

° der Spannungsbogen wird sehr langsam aufgebaut, sodass die Geschichte stellenweise langweilig war
° nette Protagonisten, die jedoch meist zu blauäugig im Alltag agierten, obwohl sie sich der Gefahr bewusst waren
° die Auflösung wirkte unglaubwürdig konstruiert

[Abraham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Interesting

[Nell Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

[Miss A M Denyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a good book, twists and turns, good suspense. worth reading.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

My View:
Allegretto is the master of creating suspense and tension. This novel starts of slowly, providing plenty of details of a cosy life, a happy family, a peaceful existence, and then it explodes with fear and apprehension. The reader sits in the background screaming – Get out! Get out of the house! What a great device to create tension – the reader is privileged with information about the villain; knows of her existences, her whereabouts, her plans, the cat and mouse games she is playing with the family. The reader knows where she is hiding. The family are oblivious. The tension just keeps ratcheting up. A great psychological drama unfolds.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing. In this book Allegretto plays with innocence and evil in a wonderful and twisted way. Sara Whitaker, a normal and good woman, moves to a new house with her husband Alex, and her son Brian. Everything was okay until the phsycopath who killed Alex's wife four years ago comes back and threats to repeat the story with Sara, so she is forced to give all of her to protect her family. Awesome book, intense and dark. Many times I caught myself holding my breath, screaming or bitting my nails. Christine is the perfect model of dangerous insane woman, so well developed that you can feel the fear and adrenaline running through your veins. One of the best books that I've ever read.

[AsILayReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Night of Reunion by Michael Allegretto is a gripping sleeping thriller about a psychotic thriller who comes back to claim her son once again after giving him up for adoption.

Christine Helstrum — escaped mental asylum patient and murderer plots her way to finish the unfinished. She believes her son is still alive and living with Alex. A thrilling stalker-tale where the psychotic killer plays cat and mouse.

You can read the entire review at: http://asilayreading.com/night-of-reu...

[Rachel Noding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book the 3rd time round as much as I did the first two times I read it - over ten years ago now. After a lot of searching for this book, it was found after a loft clear out and is safely now on my bookshelf. A fast paced, cat and mouse thriller, I found this book to be very entertaining.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Family in Colorado Springs comes under atack by an escaped mental patient. Said mental patient killed the husbands previous family 4 years earlier. How could you not tell that someone was living in the basement???

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Night of Reunion" has been filmed with Genie Francis in 1995, a fairly good TV adaptation of this Michael Allegretto stand alone thriller.
Almost as good as "Shadow House", the other Allegretto stand alone thriller. I highly recommend both books.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing fast-paced suspense thriller about a family in jeopardy from an escaped homicidal psychopath who has brutally killed before and will stop at nothing to achieve vengeance and to replace her son.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, simple and a little scary.

[Kathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Karen Germer.

[Julie Stauss]

People who are single minded will do anything!