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Sniper's Moon: A Novel of Suspense
As the New York City Police continue to find the mutilated bodies of murder victims--all of whom were somehow connected to NYPD sniper Frank Keogh--the department begins to suspect that the Vietnam veteran Keogh may be the killer.
370 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1990
13 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Carsten Stroud
39 books173 followersCarsten Stroud is the author of the New York Times bestseller Close Pursuit, and the award-winning Sniper's Moon, both set in the New York City Police Department. He lives and writes in Thunder Beach, Ontario, Canada.
Awards:
* Arthur Ellis Award Best First Novel (1991): Sniper's Moon
* Arthur Ellis Award Best Novel (1993): Lizardskin
Awards:
* Arthur Ellis Award Best First Novel (1991): Sniper's Moon
* Arthur Ellis Award Best Novel (1993): Lizardskin
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 24, 2015
I read this novel when it was released in 1990. It made an impression on me then. I was twenty-two and finishing up my college career with hopes of getting into law enforcement (boy was I young). Now in 2011 I'm forty-three and I've been a cop for over ten years - though I have never been a police sniper. I also spent many years in the Army between college and my current career.
Twenty-one years later I am pleased to report that "Sniper's Moon" is still a fast moving novel, full of little observations about the world of cops that ring true in 2011. The author used to be an investigative journalist and understands the world of police and criminals. His observations are dead on in my opinion. It's a cracking good police procedural novel with several nicely choreographed action pieces in it.
However there is another level to the novel. It deals with the relationships between people and the power of memories and past events. This was an element that wasn't very important to me in 1990. I simply hadn't been alive all that long, but it has a greater significance now. Much to my surprise I found there was a bittersweet element to the story that went by me the first time.
I recommend this novel highly.
Twenty-one years later I am pleased to report that "Sniper's Moon" is still a fast moving novel, full of little observations about the world of cops that ring true in 2011. The author used to be an investigative journalist and understands the world of police and criminals. His observations are dead on in my opinion. It's a cracking good police procedural novel with several nicely choreographed action pieces in it.
However there is another level to the novel. It deals with the relationships between people and the power of memories and past events. This was an element that wasn't very important to me in 1990. I simply hadn't been alive all that long, but it has a greater significance now. Much to my surprise I found there was a bittersweet element to the story that went by me the first time.
I recommend this novel highly.
June 23, 2013
NYPD Detective Frank Keogh is the son of a New York cop and a police sniper on the Emergency Services Unit. He's good at it, but perhaps too good - his partner fears he has begun to enjoy his job more than he should, and his home life is suffering.
When a cop with whom Frank has argued is murdered, no one seriously believes him capable of the crime, but when his mistress is killed in similar fashion - using an m.o. recalling a long-ago case solved by Frank's father - he looks like the prime suspect. As homicide detectives scramble to arrest him, Keogh escapes, fleeing cross-county, his only hope to make some very fast connections to a case whose long shadow could destroy him, all the while dodging a deadly armed robber with revenge in mind.
This is the author's first work of fiction, and I read a couple of his other novels - which I thoroughly enjoyed - before getting to this one. It's solid - more of a three and a half stars than a three - but not as tight and focused as either "Black Water Transit" or "Cuba Strait", which are excellent.
The plot is a bit loose at times, and there is some strain on the suspension of disbelief, but it's balanced by the author's uncommon command of the language and gift for imbuing his storytelling with grit and a sense of reality. "Sniper's Moon" has compelling and memorable characters and a plot that pushes forward propulsively after the first half of the book lays some groundwork. It's worth reading both for fans of Carsten Stroud and for anyone seeking a mystery-thriller a cut above the run of the mill.
When a cop with whom Frank has argued is murdered, no one seriously believes him capable of the crime, but when his mistress is killed in similar fashion - using an m.o. recalling a long-ago case solved by Frank's father - he looks like the prime suspect. As homicide detectives scramble to arrest him, Keogh escapes, fleeing cross-county, his only hope to make some very fast connections to a case whose long shadow could destroy him, all the while dodging a deadly armed robber with revenge in mind.
This is the author's first work of fiction, and I read a couple of his other novels - which I thoroughly enjoyed - before getting to this one. It's solid - more of a three and a half stars than a three - but not as tight and focused as either "Black Water Transit" or "Cuba Strait", which are excellent.
The plot is a bit loose at times, and there is some strain on the suspension of disbelief, but it's balanced by the author's uncommon command of the language and gift for imbuing his storytelling with grit and a sense of reality. "Sniper's Moon" has compelling and memorable characters and a plot that pushes forward propulsively after the first half of the book lays some groundwork. It's worth reading both for fans of Carsten Stroud and for anyone seeking a mystery-thriller a cut above the run of the mill.
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September 19, 2023This one was a surprising find under the 'mystery' category. It is every bit a thriller but instead of the usual detective - murder trope, it follows the framing a sniper for crimes he didn't commit trope. Like all mystery novels, there is a big reveal at the end but the story keeps the reader intrigued.
The story is about an army sniper Frank Keogh who is still working as a sniper after the war but for NYPD. In addition to dealing with PTSD and struggling with his family, Frank is falsely accused of 2 murders. Frank tries to uncover this mystery to clear his name. He crosses path with a thief, who screws up in his latest heist and who ends up assisting Frank in the right direction.
The whole sniper shootout - bone bridge thing reminisces of Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter which seemed to be the trend in early 90s. The 'Sonny' character is pretty useless to the storyline. The ending lays out all the cards but feels a bit sloppy and abrupt.
The story is about an army sniper Frank Keogh who is still working as a sniper after the war but for NYPD. In addition to dealing with PTSD and struggling with his family, Frank is falsely accused of 2 murders. Frank tries to uncover this mystery to clear his name. He crosses path with a thief, who screws up in his latest heist and who ends up assisting Frank in the right direction.
The whole sniper shootout - bone bridge thing reminisces of Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter which seemed to be the trend in early 90s. The 'Sonny' character is pretty useless to the storyline. The ending lays out all the cards but feels a bit sloppy and abrupt.
July 30, 2020
Great book!! I've read this before, but it's been quite a while. A real twisted plot and the 90's cop language was great. I really want to read some more books by Stroud and see how his other books were. Frank is a police sniper and that is a large part of the story, but also the past with his father being a NYPD cop as well a generation earlier. Again, great plot and great writing.
May 7, 2015
1991 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel
Thriller - Frank Keogh is a sniper with the NYPD ESU. A hostage negotiator breaks down and becomes suicidal. Frank gets him into the hospital and has a one night fling that threatens his marriage. The negotiator and the girlfriend are both murdered in a manner that throws suspicion on Frank. Frank goes on the run to find the link to a case solved by his father.
Thriller - Frank Keogh is a sniper with the NYPD ESU. A hostage negotiator breaks down and becomes suicidal. Frank gets him into the hospital and has a one night fling that threatens his marriage. The negotiator and the girlfriend are both murdered in a manner that throws suspicion on Frank. Frank goes on the run to find the link to a case solved by his father.
July 3, 2013
I thought this was a fabulous book! It was an extraordinary first novel for this author. The resolution was a bit suspect, but all in all, I found this to be a very exciting story that I just couldn't wait to finish to find out who the "bad guy" was. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
March 13, 2014
snipers moon is the quentessential vietnam cop genre. what the concrete blonde does on the west coast. snipers moon does on the east coast. the plot is inventive. the charachters are well done. while close pursuit was a non fiction book. in snipers moon he got to pull out all the stops. unfortunately its also a dying genre.
August 11, 2016
A good story, but not told in a manner as refined as his Niceville trilogy. The beginning and end read almost like a non-fiction procedural, at times seeming to be tacked on to a smoother fictional tale told in the middle half. All in all an enjoyable read.
October 24, 2010
Probably closer to a three star, but gave it a four because the boring parts went very smoothly and it wasn't tedious. Had the twists more or less figured out, still entertaining.
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December 9, 2012first novel, good but graphic
January 12, 2013
Like his other books... Very gripping story telling.
November 10, 2013
I read this book in grade school. I know not typically the subject matter you'd expect but this was one of the first real "novels" I'd ever read. I found it quite entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews