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It Happened at Two in the Morning: A Novel
In this fast-moving, fast-talking legal thriller, brash young New Yorklawyer Tom Weldon happens to witness the 2 a.m. murder of a businesstycoon and finds himself held captive with the murdered man's arrogantdaughter. The two escape and go on the run, trying to stay one stepahead of a hitwoman while Tom unravels the mystery behind the violence.Alan Hruska is the author of the novels Borrowed Time, Pardon the Ravens and Wrong Man Running, the writer of several plays, and the writer and director of multiple films, most recently The Man on Her Mind. A former trial lawyer, he is a New York native and a graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2017
794 people are currently reading
1413 people want to read
About the author
Alan Hruska
8 books15 followersAlan Hruska is the author of the novels Wrong Man Running, Pardon the Ravens, and It Happened at Two in the Morning, the writer of several plays produced in New York and London, and the writer and director of the films Reunion, The Warrior Class, and, most recently, The Man on Her Mind. A New York native and a graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School, he is a former trial lawyer who was involved in the some of the most significant litigation of the last half of the twentieth century. The Inglorious Arts is his fifth novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
March 14, 2025
So, let’s see if we get this straight.
It is 2 in the morning. Ella is on her way to meet her estranged father when she witnesses him being killed by an assailant. But that isn’t all.
Attorney, Ted Weldon has just quit his job, and is leaving his office at 2 in the morning. He can’t find a taxi, so he is walking along, when he witnesses a woman being attacked and kidnapped. And then, he is hit and knocked out.
But wait, there is more.
Then, they both wake up. And, find themselves in a cage somewhere on a farm. But they easily escape. And, eventually find a highway where they are picked up by the police. Only to find out that they are wanted by the police for the killing of her father.
What?!
You know, that same woman who witnessed her father being killed by an assailant at 2 in the morning? Yes, that one. And, the same one who was walking down the street after quitting his job at 2 in the morning? Yes, that one. Did you get all that?
Seriously? Supposedly these 2 also know each other? But as it turns out, they don’t know each other. They just met in this very odd way entrapped in a cage at a farm.
So, the question becomes…who set them up and why?
And, that is the gist of this mystery.
So, readers are you still with me?
What really happened at 2 in the morning? But most importantly, what will it take for these 2 to prove their innocence?
This is a fast-moving, page-turning, thriller, with multiple characters (keep a list handy) that is complex and tedious and somewhat complicated. But with its short chapters, it was also quite engaging. I know, I was conflicted about this one.
3.5 stars
It is 2 in the morning. Ella is on her way to meet her estranged father when she witnesses him being killed by an assailant. But that isn’t all.
Attorney, Ted Weldon has just quit his job, and is leaving his office at 2 in the morning. He can’t find a taxi, so he is walking along, when he witnesses a woman being attacked and kidnapped. And then, he is hit and knocked out.
But wait, there is more.
Then, they both wake up. And, find themselves in a cage somewhere on a farm. But they easily escape. And, eventually find a highway where they are picked up by the police. Only to find out that they are wanted by the police for the killing of her father.
What?!
You know, that same woman who witnessed her father being killed by an assailant at 2 in the morning? Yes, that one. And, the same one who was walking down the street after quitting his job at 2 in the morning? Yes, that one. Did you get all that?
Seriously? Supposedly these 2 also know each other? But as it turns out, they don’t know each other. They just met in this very odd way entrapped in a cage at a farm.
So, the question becomes…who set them up and why?
And, that is the gist of this mystery.
So, readers are you still with me?
What really happened at 2 in the morning? But most importantly, what will it take for these 2 to prove their innocence?
This is a fast-moving, page-turning, thriller, with multiple characters (keep a list handy) that is complex and tedious and somewhat complicated. But with its short chapters, it was also quite engaging. I know, I was conflicted about this one.
3.5 stars
October 30, 2017
The best I can give this is a 2 star.
Two unlikely people are thrown together when the father of one is shot at 2am when both seem to accidentally bump into each other. Good premise.
When I started reading, I found the writing awkward and somewhat difficult to get into. Even when I was deep into the book, I found the writing unpolished. It had its good parts but I thought they were eclipsed by its not so good parts. Other things I didn't like about it was there were too many people in the story and too many things going on at once. These people and things didn't segue together well so it was sometimes difficult to switch gears to keep track of them when the story went from one part to another. The "romance" between the protagonists felt forced, there was no chemistry or passion between them.
I would have liked it a lot more if the author had cut some characters or perspectives from the book and concentrated on the others. When you have so many things going on at the same time, the story only advances a little while reading a lot. And the book is only 299 pages long so there is only so much the author can do for each character and some of them became caricatures.
In the end I just lost interest. The forced romance was the final straw as there was absolutely no development in that regard, there was a few forced banters, seeing each other in bedclothes, then bam, bedtime.
I got this as a free ARC.
Two unlikely people are thrown together when the father of one is shot at 2am when both seem to accidentally bump into each other. Good premise.
When I started reading, I found the writing awkward and somewhat difficult to get into. Even when I was deep into the book, I found the writing unpolished. It had its good parts but I thought they were eclipsed by its not so good parts. Other things I didn't like about it was there were too many people in the story and too many things going on at once. These people and things didn't segue together well so it was sometimes difficult to switch gears to keep track of them when the story went from one part to another. The "romance" between the protagonists felt forced, there was no chemistry or passion between them.
I would have liked it a lot more if the author had cut some characters or perspectives from the book and concentrated on the others. When you have so many things going on at the same time, the story only advances a little while reading a lot. And the book is only 299 pages long so there is only so much the author can do for each character and some of them became caricatures.
In the end I just lost interest. The forced romance was the final straw as there was absolutely no development in that regard, there was a few forced banters, seeing each other in bedclothes, then bam, bedtime.
I got this as a free ARC.
June 29, 2018
A great procedural!
A man is murdered in front of his building and his daughter and a passerby kidnapped by the killers. They are locked together without phones or money but still manage to escape. In the course of their escape both are pegged as the ones who arranged the murder and run to keep themselves free while they find out who the culprits are. Their interaction with each other and the authorities is witty and remarkably humorous, especially for two people running for their lives. The plot is complex and involves all sorts of sundry characters leading to a climax that is true to the genre, a gathering of all the culprits with the hero and his lady coming out on top. Thanks to the author and publisher for an ARC for an honest review. It was great and reminiscent of old Nick and Nora Charles mysteries.
A man is murdered in front of his building and his daughter and a passerby kidnapped by the killers. They are locked together without phones or money but still manage to escape. In the course of their escape both are pegged as the ones who arranged the murder and run to keep themselves free while they find out who the culprits are. Their interaction with each other and the authorities is witty and remarkably humorous, especially for two people running for their lives. The plot is complex and involves all sorts of sundry characters leading to a climax that is true to the genre, a gathering of all the culprits with the hero and his lady coming out on top. Thanks to the author and publisher for an ARC for an honest review. It was great and reminiscent of old Nick and Nora Charles mysteries.
December 14, 2017
Very cute, complex, romantic crime thriller. Completely unbelievable, of course -- no DA ever would do that--but fun while it lasts.
November 13, 2017
Popcorn. This is a popcorn thriller that follows the path of Tom and Elena as they run from the bad guys and try to solve the mystery of who murdered her father and stay alive. There's a lot going on for a fairly slim book, with a lot of cameo characters; it would have benefited I think from a detached editing to both pare and beef up different people/scenarios. That said, it does start with a bang (hah!) and keeps moving briskly. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC of this page turner.
November 16, 2017
This was so good!!
Good plot, good characters, some romance, some laughs, a lot of murders!!! Nothing grizzly.
Billionaire dad gets murdered. Daughter kidnapped and set up to be the murderer.
Darling Tom is just walking by and gets kidnapped with her and also set up!!
They are wanted by the hitman, the police, etc etc. And while on the run they need to figure out whodunit!!!
Good plot, good characters, some romance, some laughs, a lot of murders!!! Nothing grizzly.
Billionaire dad gets murdered. Daughter kidnapped and set up to be the murderer.
Darling Tom is just walking by and gets kidnapped with her and also set up!!
They are wanted by the hitman, the police, etc etc. And while on the run they need to figure out whodunit!!!
July 23, 2018
Won this ARC thru a giveaway. IT HAPPENED AT TWO IN THE MORNIING, written by Alan Hruska.
Tom Weldon, a young lawyer who quits his job after being passed up for a promotion, while exiting in the wee hours of the morning, stumbles upon a murder of a wealthy broker. Is then kidnapped and framed with the daughter of said broker for his murder. They escape and ultimately while running for their lives must prove their innocence.
Here's my honest review of this suspenseful thriller and thank you Goodreads and Prospect Park Books for allowing me the chance to read this new Author, whom I will absolutely be reading more of AND highly recommend you read this as well!!!
This book is a suspenseful thriller. The characters are many. From the good, to the bad, to the very very ugly, lol. The story is fast moving and thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you might have things figured out, WHAM another twist. Found it more riveting and harder to put down, the further into the story I read. A must read for fans of this genre and for newbies like myself . There were nights that I was up till 2 in the morning reading it lol.
Tom Weldon, a young lawyer who quits his job after being passed up for a promotion, while exiting in the wee hours of the morning, stumbles upon a murder of a wealthy broker. Is then kidnapped and framed with the daughter of said broker for his murder. They escape and ultimately while running for their lives must prove their innocence.
Here's my honest review of this suspenseful thriller and thank you Goodreads and Prospect Park Books for allowing me the chance to read this new Author, whom I will absolutely be reading more of AND highly recommend you read this as well!!!
This book is a suspenseful thriller. The characters are many. From the good, to the bad, to the very very ugly, lol. The story is fast moving and thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you might have things figured out, WHAM another twist. Found it more riveting and harder to put down, the further into the story I read. A must read for fans of this genre and for newbies like myself . There were nights that I was up till 2 in the morning reading it lol.
January 25, 2018
E-Reader. Murder Mystery
Tom Weldon is a young lawyer in NYC. He gets fired after staying very late to write a brief for his boss.
He starts to walk home. When he gets in front of the Riles Whitney & Company, a man standing by the door way and a young woman, who he's going pass. At that moment a car stops, two large men grab Tom and the woman and shoved them into a car. He tries to fight and is hit in the head and is unconscious.
They find themselves in a garden shed made of stone.
He introduces himself as Tom Weldon and she's Elena Riles. She was there to speak with her father, Robertson Riles, CEO. It's a deserted farm.
What they don't know is her father was murdered. And evidence the police have says it was Tom and Elena who murdered her father. The DA has issues orders for their arrest.
They break of the garden shed. Tom used a rake to loosen stones by a small window. As he helps Elena out the window the whole wall falls down. They now feel they were set up. So more happens after this point in the book.
They are running for their lives as a hit woman is after them.
There is so much more to this story. You need to read this book!
Tom Weldon is a young lawyer in NYC. He gets fired after staying very late to write a brief for his boss.
He starts to walk home. When he gets in front of the Riles Whitney & Company, a man standing by the door way and a young woman, who he's going pass. At that moment a car stops, two large men grab Tom and the woman and shoved them into a car. He tries to fight and is hit in the head and is unconscious.
They find themselves in a garden shed made of stone.
He introduces himself as Tom Weldon and she's Elena Riles. She was there to speak with her father, Robertson Riles, CEO. It's a deserted farm.
What they don't know is her father was murdered. And evidence the police have says it was Tom and Elena who murdered her father. The DA has issues orders for their arrest.
They break of the garden shed. Tom used a rake to loosen stones by a small window. As he helps Elena out the window the whole wall falls down. They now feel they were set up. So more happens after this point in the book.
They are running for their lives as a hit woman is after them.
There is so much more to this story. You need to read this book!
January 18, 2018
Thus page turner will keep you guessing!
Lawyer Tom Weldon accidentally stumbles into a murder/kidnapping plot at two am as he's leaving the law firm where he's just put the finishing touches on a brilliant brief for a senior partner. When he tries to intervene, he's knocked out, stuffed in a car, and wakes up hours later, trapped with the kidnapped young woman he was trying to help. The two manage to escape their confines (with strategically placed tools left to help them), only to find themselves the targets of a cross country manhunt as the accused murderers of the young woman's billionaire father. Thus begins this fast paced "murder for hire mystery" that will keep you riveted to the very end. With an international cast of characters, including reps from the United Arab Emirates, high powered lawyers, competing CEOs from companies trying to effect a takeover of the dead man's business conglomerate, various members of the dead man's family, and the low level minions eager to get rich quick doing their bidding, as well as a suspected mole in the police department feeding info to the press and the criminals involved in the conspiracy, there are enough suspects to keep you guessing until all is revealed. Underlying it all, is the gradual development of a mutual attraction between Tom and Elena, the dead man's daughter who is originally accused of murdering him to get access to her trust fund. How they manage to stay alive, and out of jail, will keep you up all night, turning the pages to find out! Really enjoyable read!
Lawyer Tom Weldon accidentally stumbles into a murder/kidnapping plot at two am as he's leaving the law firm where he's just put the finishing touches on a brilliant brief for a senior partner. When he tries to intervene, he's knocked out, stuffed in a car, and wakes up hours later, trapped with the kidnapped young woman he was trying to help. The two manage to escape their confines (with strategically placed tools left to help them), only to find themselves the targets of a cross country manhunt as the accused murderers of the young woman's billionaire father. Thus begins this fast paced "murder for hire mystery" that will keep you riveted to the very end. With an international cast of characters, including reps from the United Arab Emirates, high powered lawyers, competing CEOs from companies trying to effect a takeover of the dead man's business conglomerate, various members of the dead man's family, and the low level minions eager to get rich quick doing their bidding, as well as a suspected mole in the police department feeding info to the press and the criminals involved in the conspiracy, there are enough suspects to keep you guessing until all is revealed. Underlying it all, is the gradual development of a mutual attraction between Tom and Elena, the dead man's daughter who is originally accused of murdering him to get access to her trust fund. How they manage to stay alive, and out of jail, will keep you up all night, turning the pages to find out! Really enjoyable read!
May 28, 2024
I’ve found myself rushing through this book mostly because I could not keep straight who was who the entire time except for Tom and Elena.
The ending was good and quite unexpected, unless it is mentioned in the beginning and I skimmed over it.
The ending was good and quite unexpected, unless it is mentioned in the beginning and I skimmed over it.
January 27, 2018
I've read his books before but I just could not get into this one. Maybe I'll try it again sometime.
January 24, 2018
Interesting premise.
I started reading this with an expectation of something similar to The Bourne identity without the international flavor or premise. I just expected a chase and attempt on the main characters part to establish their innocence. It turned out to be very convoluted. Enough said.
I started reading this with an expectation of something similar to The Bourne identity without the international flavor or premise. I just expected a chase and attempt on the main characters part to establish their innocence. It turned out to be very convoluted. Enough said.
January 25, 2018
Very interesting book. The author kept you guessing who was at bat. Quite a few players in his story
Enjoyed the cast of characters but sometimes hard to keep track of all of them! Would read this author again!
Enjoyed the cast of characters but sometimes hard to keep track of all of them! Would read this author again!
January 22, 2018
Initially I found this book a little confusing - too many characters, many of whom resembled each other in the beginning. Persevering however, the characters started to differentiate and the plot became clearer. The Tom and Elena couple was what kept me reading. I enjoyed their interaction.
Finally, I read this book as an outsider. I never felt part of the book and I was never second-guessing the developments. Maybe me being lazy - maybe the author was missing something in his style.
Finally, I read this book as an outsider. I never felt part of the book and I was never second-guessing the developments. Maybe me being lazy - maybe the author was missing something in his style.
January 21, 2018
Intriguing
Liked all the action and the convoluted manner in which the plot expanded. Really enjoyed the main characters, Tom and Elaina. Thank you for the entertainment.
Liked all the action and the convoluted manner in which the plot expanded. Really enjoyed the main characters, Tom and Elaina. Thank you for the entertainment.
January 19, 2018
A very fun read. Intriguing characters, major plot shifts throughout, some romance, and a very quick pace with many complexities thrown in...my kind of mystery. Don't want to put it down as I am so very engaged.
January 19, 2018
Lots of twists
This book is a wild ride. Lots of twists & turns. Tom & Elena are so lovable. Great cast of characters.
This book is a wild ride. Lots of twists & turns. Tom & Elena are so lovable. Great cast of characters.
January 18, 2018
Fun read
I really enjoyed this book. The main characters had an entertaining repartee and the story had enough twists and turns to keep you interested. I highly recommend.
I really enjoyed this book. The main characters had an entertaining repartee and the story had enough twists and turns to keep you interested. I highly recommend.
January 16, 2018
This was a terrific read..at first with all the players clogging your mind you might want to put it down, but they all come together at the ending!!
If you want a true "who dunnit" then give yourself a huge treat...
Rolando
If you want a true "who dunnit" then give yourself a huge treat...
Rolando
January 17, 2018
It Happened at Two in the Morning
Excellent crime novel, interesting storyline and characters. Many trails to follow but in the end they all merged into a believable outcome.
Excellent crime novel, interesting storyline and characters. Many trails to follow but in the end they all merged into a believable outcome.
January 14, 2018
I was hooked from the first page. A witness to a murder is kidnapped and suddenly finds himself (a lawyer) trying to escape. The woman ha was kidnapped with turns out to be the daughter of the murder victim -- and they are being framed. It took until the very end until the real assassin is. A good story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2018
The story contains plenty of action and plot twists. The plot is good, but the story reads more like a screenplay than a novel. The dialogue has an artificial snap to it, and the main character is too clever by far.
January 13, 2018
It happened indeed!
Terrific! Fast paced. Page turner. Couldn't put it down! The lead characters, Tom and Elena, are well developed and have personalities that truly involve the reader. The format of the book keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. Highly recommend.
Terrific! Fast paced. Page turner. Couldn't put it down! The lead characters, Tom and Elena, are well developed and have personalities that truly involve the reader. The format of the book keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. Highly recommend.
January 13, 2018
Who did it?
There is so much happening in this great book. Characters are real. The author kept me guessing the entire read.
There is so much happening in this great book. Characters are real. The author kept me guessing the entire read.
February 6, 2019
Frank Capra's acclaimed romantic comedy, It Happened One Night, told the tale of spoiled Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) escaping from her "kidnapping" by her tycoon father (Walter Connolly) and joining up with the cynical newspaper reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable) for a zany road trip. This movie is simply plotted but fiercely driven by the repartee motivated by the class, and gender, differences of the two leads.
Alan Hruska's It Happened at Two In The Morning pays homage to this cinematic classic. The dialog is witty. The pace is rapid. It's an entertaining novel. He adds a bang up mystery to the heart of the story. Utilizing another classic plot construct from the movies of that time (the Thin Man movies) he wraps up the mystery by gathering all the witnesses / suspects and forcing confessions through brilliant interrogation. (Or, maybe Hruska just likes Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot.)
Be warned, this is a mystery / thriller. Literature it ain't. Like all good mystery/thrillers, it's really more akin to a comic book than a book of fiction. The characters are more than one dimensional but not much. The settings are secondary to the plot. But, that doesn't matter in the mystery / thriller genre as the plot unfolding, quickly, is the thing.
Hruska does introduce some characters, e.g. Birdie the ditzy blonde, that I would like to have seen developed further. Tom, the male lead, is super analytical while Elena, the female lead, is more intuitive. They comprise the two competing halves of this successful partner story. His two protagonists are well positioned to do a return engagement if he's of a mind to create a series.
I liked the book.
I give it the strongest compliment I can, I'm off to find his first two books.
Alan Hruska's It Happened at Two In The Morning pays homage to this cinematic classic. The dialog is witty. The pace is rapid. It's an entertaining novel. He adds a bang up mystery to the heart of the story. Utilizing another classic plot construct from the movies of that time (the Thin Man movies) he wraps up the mystery by gathering all the witnesses / suspects and forcing confessions through brilliant interrogation. (Or, maybe Hruska just likes Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot.)
Be warned, this is a mystery / thriller. Literature it ain't. Like all good mystery/thrillers, it's really more akin to a comic book than a book of fiction. The characters are more than one dimensional but not much. The settings are secondary to the plot. But, that doesn't matter in the mystery / thriller genre as the plot unfolding, quickly, is the thing.
Hruska does introduce some characters, e.g. Birdie the ditzy blonde, that I would like to have seen developed further. Tom, the male lead, is super analytical while Elena, the female lead, is more intuitive. They comprise the two competing halves of this successful partner story. His two protagonists are well positioned to do a return engagement if he's of a mind to create a series.
I liked the book.
I give it the strongest compliment I can, I'm off to find his first two books.
June 17, 2018
The two main characters, a good looking and slightly arrogant lawyer and a rebel child go-it-alone daughter of a powerful billionaire, are set up and falsely accused of his murder. Thrown together on the lam from whomever really did it and the police, they must work together as international intrigue occurs to get control of his company and wipe out any evidence of the interconnected real crimes that cascade from this first event.
Things happen fast enough to keep the pages turning. The inevitable, predictable romance pays tribute to the classic film the title references, It Happened One Night. Their verbal sparring got tedious at times. The range of secondary and tertiary characters held my interest.
Things happen fast enough to keep the pages turning. The inevitable, predictable romance pays tribute to the classic film the title references, It Happened One Night. Their verbal sparring got tedious at times. The range of secondary and tertiary characters held my interest.
February 17, 2018
Bit of a Mess
Well, I finished it. That’s the good part. Too unrealistic. That the chief suspect in a murder investigation gets hired by the DA pursuing the case is a bit much, but then he solves the case and gets everyone to confess in two days all by himself puts it over the top. Everyone was equally sarcastic - not much character development. And an attorney, as the author apparently is, should know better than to use the fifth amendment as a excuse not to answer questions in a police interrogation. Has he never heard of the right to simply not answer questions in such a setting? That alone made it so it couldn’t get 3 of 5 stars. 2 may be generous.
Well, I finished it. That’s the good part. Too unrealistic. That the chief suspect in a murder investigation gets hired by the DA pursuing the case is a bit much, but then he solves the case and gets everyone to confess in two days all by himself puts it over the top. Everyone was equally sarcastic - not much character development. And an attorney, as the author apparently is, should know better than to use the fifth amendment as a excuse not to answer questions in a police interrogation. Has he never heard of the right to simply not answer questions in such a setting? That alone made it so it couldn’t get 3 of 5 stars. 2 may be generous.
March 1, 2018
As part of a mega takeover plot Elena is framed for the murder of her father, a billionaire CEO. She and Tom Weldon, a young lawyer are thrown together escaping from the FBI , police, and those that framed her. Lots of clever romantic repartee. The frame is so obvious that the DA enlists Tom to help trap and solve the real killers. This is the part which stretches the imagination that Tom becomes so expert in trapping the killers and getting the bad guys to confess that the book becomes a groaner.
March 18, 2018
This was an interesting book and a good read. A man witnesses an attempted kidnapping and get knocked out. He is also taken. He and the girl who he was trying to help wake up in a shed. They escape, only to find out that they are wanted for the murder of the girls father. Thus the adventure begins, with the couple trying to stay ahead of a hit woman, and beat the frame that has been set up against them. They end up going back to New York to try and prove that they are not guilty. The ending, I did not see coming. I recommend this book.
February 16, 2020
Reading this book is equivalent to watching an action/adventure movie. It has a good plot, quick tempo with each scene changes constantly (hence the short chapter). However, the characters are difficult to follow, and I had to flick back or forth many times to verify if I had already known about the person. I reckon this might be more successful as a movie than a book due to its lack of in-depth details on the characters. Instead of focusing on everybody, I think it is better to highlight on the main characters and climate events.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews