Black Light

Bob Lee Swagger #2

by Stephen Hunter

Forty years ago, Bob Lee Swagger's father, a state trooper, was killed by two robbers in an Arkansas shoot-out. Now a young writer has arrived at Swagger's door with some penetrating and troubling questions. What really happened that long-ago Arkansas night? The powers that be don't want that question answered, but Swagger, to his surprise, finds that he does -- even if it means having to use his long-abandoned combat skills and cunning to find out. Like the infrared "black light" that exposes a sniper's target in the night, Swagger homes in on the shadowy figures desperate to keep the secret of his father's murder buried.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Action, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

528 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Stephen Hunter is the author of fourteen novels, and a chief film critic at The Washington Post, where he won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Reviews

[Olaf Gütte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Hunter lässt erneut seinen großen Helden
Bob Lee Swagger zu gewohnter Hochform auflaufen.
Spannung pur von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite!

[Mike French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star book in the Bob Lee Swagger series! This book features Bob Lee looking into the death of his father, Earl ,an Arkansas State Trooper shot in an attempted arrest of 2 killers. Kept me riveted from beginning to end WARNING: This book is far from being PC!

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some negative reviews have called 'Black Light' predictable, racist and violent. Yeah, what's your point? Look, this is a book in Stephen Hunter's 'Bob Lee Swagger' series. Swagger is an ex-Marine sniper in the south. He hunts bad guys. Violent? I should HOPE so!

In Black Light, Hunter's hero--Bob Lee Swagger-- is helping the search for clues regarding his father's death. (His father is ANOTHER S. Hunter major character, Earl Swagger). This journey bounces the reader from 1955 to the 1990s effortlessly, telling two stories at once and builds an excellent little mystery while keeping action junkies on the edge of their kindle.

As he so often does, and does so well, Hunter reprises characters from past novels. It's like running into old friends (or enemies, as the case may be), but knowing these recurring characters is NOT a prerequisite for enjoying any of the Hunter novels.

The plot? It's the 1990s, and a young reporter sets out to find who, back in 1955, murdered Arkansas State Trooper (and national celebrity) Earl Swagger. And WHY? The would-be author enlists the help of Earl's son Bob Lee, and from there... the action doesn't stop until the last page.

At the risk of sounding sexist, this IS a "guys book." It has guns (lots of them), violence and much bloodshed. And, yes, it IS as predictable as any action novel or film. But is that always bad? The PLOT isn't predictable, there were plenty of twists and turns. But the genre itself is surely lends itself to predictability.

One negative review called Black Light "racist." It isn't. It might upset our sensibilities to hear even the good guys use racist language from the 1950s, but that's just the REALITY of the times, location and the folks with whom we are dealing.

Can't deny it...I thoroughly enjoyed this Bob Lee Swagger outing. But then, I've enjoyed all the adventures Hunter has taken me on. If you're a first time Stephen Hunter reader, many will recommend "Point of Impact", but I started with Hunter's 'stand alone' novel "Dirty White Boys"...which, as it turns out, is more tied into Bob and Earl Swagger than meets the eye.

Predictable, violent, down and dirty. Stephen Hunter may not be great literature, but he can write some damned entertaining books that men will love.

[Verge Noir · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became a fan of author Stephen Hunter upon reading The 47th Samurai. Since then, I’ve yet to come across an author who can describe a violent scene the way he does, or dispel so much knowledge when it comes to guns and ammo.

According to the acknowledgments page, the book Black Light is the third novel of a Bob Lee Swagger trilogy which include the books; Point Of Impact (Which I’ve yet to read, because I saw the movie ‘Shooter’ which is based on the book, hey don’t judge—I got to get my money’s worth when it comes to Netflix you know) the other book is Dirty White Boys.

First a word of Warning: If you are offended by the N word stay away. That word is very popular in this novel…. you good to go? Let’s move on then.

The story takes place roughly five years after the events in Point Of Impact; Bob Lee is now the father of a four year old name Nikki product of his marriage to Julie Fenn (widow of the now dead sniper spotter Donnie Fenn) Two interconnected plots weave along this novel. One takes place in the present and the other in the 1950’s and it involves the investigation of a gruesome crime which saw the death of a young black girl and Bob Lee’s own father; State Trooper Earl Swagger, in the fictitious town of Blue Eye Arkansas. There is a good surprise for Bob Lee I did not see coming, involving a new family member, to say more will ruin things for those among you who’ve yet to read Black Light (which I believe refers to a type of sniper rifle scope technology?) I wasn’t too crazy about how the case gets resolved involving the rich dude at the shooting range near the end, that plot device came across as a bit of a cop-out, I was like wtf? Despite of this I still give it a five star rating, because at the heart of this tale, and amid the flying bullets, viscera, explosions and gunpowder lays a story about fathers and sons. About family, and the ties that bind us through time. Also, the book has one of the best satisfying endings (I mean the very end) I’ve come across in a Stephen Hunter novel.

[John McDermott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic 90’s action thriller. A genre in which Stephen Hunter excels and of which Black Light is a fine example . Fine writing , dynamic action, the book also lays bare the institutional racism of the 50’s Southern States of America. Well worth checking out.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUPERB ! Why don't the bad guys realize if you mess with Bob Lee Swagger he will prevail at all costs ! A sizzling read to say the least. Wish I could rate it SIX stars. I read this one in just over 24 hours. At over 490 pages Kindle, this one flew by chapter after chapter. A must read in a must read series. Do not miss out ! check it out.

[Tom S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I stumbled across this series, but what a fun read. Bob Lee Swagger is a former sniper for the military and gets pulled back into action to avenge the death of his father.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Bob Lee Swagger. I have seen the movie and series Shooter based on the first book in the series, Point of Impact, so I thought I would move on to number two. This is an excellent almost epic tale that spans two generations. And while it is a mystery at heart, it is also a tale of race relations that could have come from a Grisham novel along with some fantastic action not unlike Jack Reacher or the Gray Man. The basic plot involves Bob Lee looking in to his father's death. It is longer than what I prefer in a book, but I was always engaged. That and the ending kept me from going with a 5, but it is a solid 4.5 and I can't wait to read #3. Plus the narration was first rate.

[Stasia Bruhn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this yesterday but I had a hard time figuring out how I wanted to rate it..In the end I'm giving it a 3 and I will explain my reasons in just a sec.
1. The amount of "GD" said (taking the lords name in vain) Look a few times fine I know not everyone is religious but every other word in a sentence is a bit much..I myself cuss but the amount of cussing was too much even for me..
2. The amount of the "N" word in this book. I get it people in the south say it but the amount was uncalled for and certainly didn't add anything to the story..A few times was way enough.
3.Gross (character saying they would do something with a dead girl)..really? It's because of something like this I stopped reading Stephen King.I know dark stuff /weirdos in the world I seriously dont want to read about it.

U might think through all of this I hated it..If U could get through the above mentioned reasons it is a good book..It was quite frankly hard to read sometimes not because of it was boring(that it wasn't) The racist overtones could b a bit much..and I'm from the true South baby..So I understand some of it and have heard some of it..but still some went over and beyond anything I have ever heard ever..

Now what did I like:finding out what happened to Earl..This is the reason why I wanted to read it and why I stuck with it even when it was hard.

Unfortunately I will no longer b reading anymore Bob Swagger books..which I really wanted to get into because of the show.This book was the last from this author I will read..Too bad!

[Milt Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good author. Tough hero. He wouldn't let a little back ache keep him down.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

For awhile after starting this book I wasn't sure if it was gonna be half as good as Stephen Hunter's predecessor , but since I stuck with it, I turned out to be dead wrong! The main reason is because I was for the longest time very skeptical, because for about the first 150 pages it keeps going back and fourth from the past back to the present, but like I said, I'm glad that I stuck with it because the ending made reading all the flashbacks worth it.

Former Marine Bob Lee Swagger, one of the world's deadliest snipers believes he has finally put his dark past behind him, taking place 5 years after the events of , now married to the widow of his Vietnam friend, with a daughter, living happily on a ranch in Arizona. But one day a young reporter shows up at Swagger's doorstep, and Swagger who wants to be left along refuses to talk to him or do any interviews, but when the reporter says he's not there to talk about him but about Swagger's long deceased father, who was also a Marine during WWII and a State Policeman of Swagger's hometown of Arkansas, and who was supposedly gunned down in the mid 50's when chasing down 2 local boys for armed robbery, while also at the same time was investigating the rape and murder of a young woman the very same day.

But Swagger soon realizes that other parties were involved, and teams up with the reporter who's name is Russ Pewtie, and the two of them search for the truth buried in forty years of lies, and the outcome will change both men's lives forever.

What I also discovered after finishing Black Light is reading in acknowledgments that Stephen Hunter intended for this book to be part 3 of a trilogy, with Point of Impact being Book #1, (which I have yet to read), and Black Light.

Unlike Point of Impact, which is considered to be a Political Thriller, I found Black Light to be more in the realm of Mystery/Detective, still a very good read though!!

[Larry Purcell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by the first book in this series (Point of Impact) and thought I'd take another gamble on the second book in the series, Black Light. I finished it, which says something, but I found it more construed and less interesting than the first book.

The story shifts between two time periods, the death of Bob Lee's father, and the present time for Bob Lee. In each story there is a cast of characters with some overlap or overlap with descendants.

As in the first book, Bob Lee is, of course, the hero and the nerves-of-steel hero. It is also set once again in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas, which is familiar territory for me.

Google tells me there that at this time there are 12 books in the Bob Lee Swagger series. I may dip my toe back in the Bob Lee Swagger water if I'm searching for something light to read, but it'll need to be a while.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get through this one, I had to keep bumping it to read library books so I could get them back on time. I still have 12 library books here but I just wanted to read this one. You can only hold off so long.

This is as the title above says the second of the Bob Lee Swagger novels. We pick up here years after the events of the first novel when a young man shows up wanting to write a book about the events that surround the death of Bob's father.

This book grows into a somewhat more intricate novel "mystery wise" than the first. It also has it's share of action. While I like the first book a bit better this one is a very good read.

Traveling from Bob's home out west where he's been happily living with his wife and child the action moves back to Arkansas. From there the investigation swings from east back to the west and finally ends having tentacles that stretch as far as Washington DC and beyond. While there's a bit of a sneaky trick to the mystery if you're trying to figure it out it's not bad. To be fair the book does mention the key piece of evidence but you need to be really astute to spot it. It was there buried in the story, but buried very deeply.

So, a good book, a little wordy in places but not often and if you're looking for action (as I do at least in part) this one has it. From a mechanized ambush to a stalk in the woods there's plenty of adventure. Well done, well laid out with a mystery that holds together and plenty of action.

4 stars.

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very good action thriller novel from Stephen Hunter. I had picked this one up thinking it was the second in the Bob Lee Swagger series and while it is the direct sequel to Point Of Impact, it is best to read the "non-Swagger book" Dirty White Boys first as the events of that book are referenced and have an impact here. This novel definitely ties together the two Swagger series, that of Earl Swagger and that of his son, Bob Lee Swagger.

Good action scenes, more character definition, and of course, the gun-oriented action that you would expect from a main character who was a Vietnam Sniper and has earned the nickname, "Bob the Nailer". Pretty good mystery as well, complex and well plotted. I definitely need to go back and read Dirty White Boys though before I continue with either series.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent thriller that pulls together the plots and characters of the author's previous books Point Of Impact and Dirty White Boys. Had my favorite type of plot, great characters, and realistic action.

[Paul Falk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swagger's been plagued his whole adult life with a horrible event of the past. His father's unsolved murder. Four decades have crept by since his death. Long overdue, the time had come to find some answers and gain some closure. Hopefully. Nothing is going to get in his way.

[Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a re-read. Hunter is a reliable read, part of a well-done series. It's a two generational series and,as in this book, the stories sometimes weave between the two generations.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Bob Lee novel. Ties the first and Dirty White Boys together.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book, my first by Hunter. If you saw Sniper-that was one of his books, so you have an idea what this is like.

[Rex Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

First rate. I will read all of the Bob Lee Swagger books Hunter ever writes.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read the Bob Lee novels in order, and I went back and caught up with this one. I enjoy this character. I also like how Stephen Hunter has interwoven several characters across the decades and in different novels together. I might go back one day and reread them all in order to get the full effect, but Bob Lee’s story is not his alone and lots of other people have shaped it and in turn he has shaped many other people’s lives.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most everyone is familiar with the first book of this series because it was made into a movie. This book continues the story of the Bob Lee Swagger and incorporates family history into the story. I was really into this book for about the first two thirds of it and lost a little interest over the last third but overall it is a very entertaining read. I like the main character but found his secondary character, a reporter named Russ, to be flat and not very believable. I will continue to read these books as I feel they are well written and interesting. There is a great deal of information about guns and other items which reminds me somewhat of Tom Clancy and does give these stories a more "real" feel. Very good sophomore effort!

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I like this series - although a lot of technical information that loses my interest.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUBJECTIVE READER REVIEW WITH PLOT SPOILERS FOLLOWS:

It never ceases to amaze me how Stephen Hunter writes in the vernacular of a story's timeframe, to hell with modern social mores or political correctness. Sorta gives the damn thing a stamp of highly credible authenticity. Having dispatched my personal nuances, 'Black Light' is about the development and use of night vision technology and its transformation of 'the sniper.' Infrared scopes, along with muzzle suppressors, made snipers all but invisible at night and incredibly efficient. See, I didn't know about this part of it, as I remember the sniper movies and the guy's hiding in the jungle with his spotter making a daylight hit on some cartel type--and the shot was not suppressed, that's for damn sure, as both shooter & spotter high tail it hoping to escape the cartel's army that reacts like a disturbed nest of hornets. And Bradley Cooper wasn't making night hits in 'American Sniper,' so 'Black Light' sorta caught me off guard, but it makes perfect sense!

Bob Lee Swagger's coaxed into partnering with a journalist on investigating a Cold Case murder that was not only solved, but the convicted murderer was executed in Arkansas' electric chair. Swagger agrees to pursue the investigation because it just doesn't make sense, and in the process of peeling the onion he and Russ Pewtie begin to make important guilt-splattered participants nervous. Interestingly, the murder of Shirelle Parker was the last case Bob Lee's father Earl investigated, as he was killed during an encounter with the fleeing assailants in a wild rejection of civilized order. So of course the two cases are destined to intersect; Shirelle Parker's innocent and convicted assailant was set up by the same mastermind that orchestrated the night sniper murder of Earl Swagger.

Shirelle Parker's murder, by a male in a car offering a ride, took place in 1955, as did Earl Swagger's. Interestingly there is a major cross-generational continuation of the blights and biases, except that Bob Lee's just a bit more paranoid than his father, and figures out when somebody's about to kill him! Once Bob Lee Swagger survives a hit, in his parlance, 'it's time to hunt.' So then Bob Lee's got an investigative journalist mind to assist him around the edges of modern technology ignorance, and he peels the onion until the object of his concern is revealed. Then he finally makes it back home to Julie and his daughter Nikki.

Stephen Hunter is a hard writer not to admire when you're reading. I'm an author, and I feel mostly like a rookie compared to the paranoia that Hunter manufactures. It's a gift, and he manifests it perfectly via the Swagger men. Find this book--published in 1996--read it and see if you don't agree. Hunter's one helluva writer!!!

[Barry who enjoys well-written thrillers, mysteries , & espionage & loathes romance, horror & supernat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Light, by Stephen Hunter, is the back story of Bob Lee Swagger. Bob Lee, who has always refused to do interviews aimed at doing a book about his exploits, agrees to help a budding writer do a book on his father, Earl Swagger, a WW II Medal of Honor awardee and a decorated Arkansas State Trooper. As they conduct research for this book, which focuses on the day that Earl Swagger was killed, they uncover more than they bargained for (not exactly a stunning surprise).

For the first half of the book, the pace is much like that of the Arkansas and Oklahoma born main characters, slow and easy going but appropriately slow as that reflects the pace at which they are moving and the difficulty that they have as they try to learn what happened on that fatal (literally) day. The four main characters are very well developed and each has his own style and personality. The plot has a few twists but is primarily linear until the end where a couple of major twists occur.

Black Light will appeal to those who enjoy reading about a master tracker, Bob Lee, as he unravels (okay, okay, I'm know I'm mixing metaphors but who is really going to make an issue out of it?) the threads of events that led to his father's death. Bob Lee is a person of amazing abilities and, in fact, it would not have been surprising to see a big red "S" on his chest - although, given the location, S would have been pronounced with two syllables. There seem to be quite a few books about people with Superman's qualities and if you find that to be an annoyance, this book is not for you.

On my 1 to 10 enjoyment scale (1 = didn't enjoy it; 10 = couldn't wait to get back to it each evening), I would give Black Light a seven or a thin eight.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book reminiscent of James Lee Burke and that it almost reached the levels of excellence and intensity that Burke delivers when he's at his best. Just not quite. For me, two main reason I deducted a star. Firstly, the gun porn. Seriously, I could have done without the screeds of information on sniper rifles. Couldn't the characters just use a "sniper's rifle", instead of a "Remmington Steele MDX-454534, loaded with Bulldog soft nose magnesium tipped 4.55mm bullets, delivering a velocity of 2,659 feet per second and a pressure impact....." Blah, blah, blah. Secondly, the good men who take down the bad men are not just good men. They are American Gods. If you even thought of besmirching their mama, they'd blow you out of your slippers with a Wessington Magnum P454aa2, sporting a 180 mm barrel of tungsten carbide, loaded with titanium cased.....you get the picture. How many times do I have to read that the deceased lawman father was a man among men, a giant of American virtue, a man who stood tall with values that are unceasing, moral and virtuous, a man who would let no wrong go unpunished.....you get the picture.
Outside of that however, this was a really enjoyable read, with a great plot that tears along and takes you with it. The characters are well drawn and there's a depth and colour to the setting and story that really holds the interest. The plot snakes and twists but stays just the right side of the almost credible line. The baddies are clever, scheming and interesting. It's just unfortunate that they've come up against the son of one of the most honourable, strong, brave, stoic, righteous, truthful, honest and goddam heroic lawmen ever to have sported a Smith & Wesson Special Edition XP003e lightweight....

[Dipanjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Black Light” is the 2nd book that features Bob Lee Swagger, a jungle-smart hillbilly and premier sniper who had exploded into the scene in the 1st novel “Point of Impact”. Bob had served in the Vietnam War and is considered as the crème-de-la-crème of his area of expertise.

The plot open where Bob has put his past behind him until he meets Russell Pewtie, who wants to write a book about Bob Lee's father, Earl, a state trooper who died in a shoot-out in 1955. The link between Pewtie and Bob Lee, is that Lamar Pye, the escaped con who almost killed Pewtie's father, turns out to be the son of one of the men who killed Earl. Behind that death, it is revealed here, lies a 40-year-old conspiracy that is somehow tied to the brutal murder of a young black girl that Earl was investigating on the day he died.

Through this action-packed tale of revenge, Mr. Hunter confirms his status as one of the most skilled hands in the thriller business. The plot is fast-paced, well-constructed and builds to a pulse-pounding night ambush that echoes the finale of Point of Impact but that stands on its own as a classic one-on-one confrontation. Other echoes of the earlier novels sound as well, giving this one the feel of a recapitulation, or a farewell. But then Mr. Hunter has set a high standard for himself. This book should seal his reputation as an author who not only can write bestselling thrillers, but write them exceedingly well.

It’s a taut thriller and a fantastic continuation to a long running series featuring Bob Lee Swagger. This series should definitely be included in your reading list.

[Dlora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well-written, bigger than life characters, explosive action, great detail about snipers, and rich setting in backwoods Arkansas. Author Stephen Hunter has done a great job jumping from a shoot-out in 1955 between trooper Earl Lee Swagger and recently released teenage punk Jimmie Pye and the modern-day investigation by Earl's son, Bob Lee Swagger, trying to uncover the motives and real happenings of that long ago day that stole his father from him. Jumping back and forth between the two times lets the author tease out details little by little, controlling the release of information and increasing the tension, and it lets us experience the action first hand--then and now--including the thoughts and feelings of the characters. Mixed up in all that is Earl Lee's last case: the rape and murder of a black girl complicated by the black-white tensions of that earlier era. Hunter did a great job fully realizing his characters with strengths and weaknesses that brings them all came alive from the minor to the main players in the story. In addition to great characters and great action is the great detail about snipers and their guns. Character-wise, Bob Lee Swagger is not like Jack Reacher and yet they both know their weapons and are expert in its use. One book blurb said, "Hunter has done for the rifle what Tom Clancy did for the nuclear submarine." I've found a new favorite author to follow!

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Stephen Hunter authored Bob Lee Swagger book I've read. I literally couldn't put it down.

Russ Pewtie, a struggling writer wants to write a book about Bob Lee's father, Earl Swagger, Medal of Honor winner and State policeman. Earl died in the line of duty in a gunfight in Blue Eye, Arkansas, July 23, 1955. At first, Bob Lee, a war hero and renowned sniper is not interested but when it appears that Earl may have been killed by a sniper, Bob and Russ head for Blue Eye to find the truth.

The search will put them in conflict with Red Bama, a wealthy businessman with extensive interests in both legal and illegal enterprises. Red tries to keep Bob and Russ from the truth because his father had a hand in Earl's murder. The story unfolds from there with a few sub-plots, some interesting characters, good and bad, and a great deal of action.

The story jumps back and forth between 1955 and today. It also jumps from one character's actions to another's. All comes clear in the end with a surprising twist. The last two short chapters tie up a few loose ends. There is no need to have read the other books in the Swagger Series in order to enjoy this one.

[Patrick Stirling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, but not as good as the first one in the series (Point Of Impact). Hunter spent too much time setting up the plot and I found myself skimming at the beginning, wanting to get to the action. This is a military style action thriller series, after all. I did like the puzzle aspects of the plot, as Our Heroes piece together what the baddies are up to. That and Hunter's writing were enough to keep me engaged, and once the action got under way it was a real page turner. I find that the excitement is somewhat muted in these series as you know Our Hero will make it to the next installment. It's an art to create a sense of risk and danger with this in mind, and Hunter didn't quite manage that here. Swagger comes over as a bit of a superman, and the passages where Hunter explains how scared Swagger is are a little klunky.