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Night Work
Award-winning author of the acclaimed Alex McKnight series Steve Hamilton delivers his eagerly awaited, breakaway thriller with Night Work.
Joe Trumbull is not a man who scares easily. As a juvenile probation officer in Kingston, New York, he's half cop, half social worker to the most high-risk youth in the city. And when he's not pounding the streets, trying to keep his kids out of jail, he's pounding a heavy bag in the gym to stay in shape.
But tonight Joe Trumbull is scared to death.
It's been two years since his fiancée, Laurel, was brutally murdered. Two years of grief and loneliness. On this hot summer night, he's finally going out on a blind date, his first date since Laurel's death. He's not looking for love, just testing the waters to see if it's possible to live a normal life again. The thought of it is turning his knees to jelly.
Marlene Frost is a beautiful woman. She's warm and funny, with a smile to match. After the first awkward minutes, Joe finally starts to think this isn't such a bad idea after all. In fact, maybe this blind date will turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him.
He couldn't be more wrong. Because somehow, for reasons Joe can barely understand, this one evening will mark the beginning of a new nightmare. A nightmare that will lead him to the faceless man in the shadows, and to the most terrible realization of all.…
For Joe Trumbull, the past is never past. And the worst is yet to come.
RUNNING TIME ➼ 8hrs. and 11mins.
©2008 Steve Hamilton (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
Joe Trumbull is not a man who scares easily. As a juvenile probation officer in Kingston, New York, he's half cop, half social worker to the most high-risk youth in the city. And when he's not pounding the streets, trying to keep his kids out of jail, he's pounding a heavy bag in the gym to stay in shape.
But tonight Joe Trumbull is scared to death.
It's been two years since his fiancée, Laurel, was brutally murdered. Two years of grief and loneliness. On this hot summer night, he's finally going out on a blind date, his first date since Laurel's death. He's not looking for love, just testing the waters to see if it's possible to live a normal life again. The thought of it is turning his knees to jelly.
Marlene Frost is a beautiful woman. She's warm and funny, with a smile to match. After the first awkward minutes, Joe finally starts to think this isn't such a bad idea after all. In fact, maybe this blind date will turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him.
He couldn't be more wrong. Because somehow, for reasons Joe can barely understand, this one evening will mark the beginning of a new nightmare. A nightmare that will lead him to the faceless man in the shadows, and to the most terrible realization of all.…
For Joe Trumbull, the past is never past. And the worst is yet to come.
RUNNING TIME ➼ 8hrs. and 11mins.
©2008 Steve Hamilton (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
Audible Audio
First published September 18, 2007
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About the author
Steve Hamilton
53 books1,684 followersTwo-time Edgar Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of the Nick Mason series, The Lock Artist, and the Alex McKnight series. AN HONORABLE ASSASSIN (Mason #3) coming August 27, 2024!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
May 24, 2011
I simply can't get enough of Steve Hamilton's novels! I finally read all of the Alex McKnight series and his remarkable "The Lock Artist" picked up the last novel, the stand-alone "Night Work" and... wow! He's created a totally different protagonist than McKnight, but this guy could easily have his own series... and I hope he does.
The only criticism I have of Steve Hamilton's novels is that he doesn't write fast enough. I want more!
The only criticism I have of Steve Hamilton's novels is that he doesn't write fast enough. I want more!
March 31, 2022
I've read almost every book written by Steve Hamilton. Through the years I kept coming back as I knew it would be enjoyable. Sadly, this book was my first disappointment. The storyline, in particular the ending, was far fetched. Nothing really grabbed me but, due to my positive history with the author, I continued reading.
I view this book, however, to be an isolated reading experience. I remain a Steve Hamilton fan.
I view this book, however, to be an isolated reading experience. I remain a Steve Hamilton fan.
November 19, 2014
In his first standalone, following his wonderful Alex McKnight series, Steve Hamilton introduces Joe Trumbull, a probation officer in Kingston, New York, an upstate city in the Hudson Valley. He lives in an apartment above a converted bus station now serving as a gym, where he works out every day to try to keep in shape, at which he mostly succeeds. He describes his job as follows: “I’m part cop, part social worker, part guidance counselor, part rehab coordinator, part bounty hunter. Every hour of every day, I’m your official court-designated guardian angel. I can come to your house on a school-day morning and drag your ass out of bed, because going to school is an absolutely nonnegotiable part of your probation.” He sees himself as helping the kids with whom he works to make something good of their lives when those lives are at a critical juncture.
Just as idealistic is the young woman to whom he is engaged: she works at a battered women’s shelter, and is passionate about her work, up until the day, three days before their wedding, when she is murdered. Her killer has never been caught. As the book opens, Joe has been at a sort of disconnect from the life around him, going into work on his day off, feeling “This was where I belonged, no doubt about it, reading over somebody’s PSI [presentence investigation] instead of being outside enjoying a perfect August day,” when he decides that “after two long years, it was time to start my life again,” and is about to embark on a blind date, his first date since the death of his fiancée, who he still refers to as ‘my Laurel.’ His date goes remarkably, and unexpectedly, well. And then the unthinkable happens, followed shortly by the unimaginable. At which point everything changes, and the book becomes impossible to put down. The suspense kept this reader glued to the page right up until the ending. My one complaint was that that ending was almost anticlimactic, and nearly fails to live up to what had preceded it. Which does not at all inhibit my recommendation of this terrific read.
I particularly enjoyed Mr. Hamilton’s protagonist love of jazz, at one point describing a great saxophone solo “with the perfect smooth tone like the sound of your lover’s voice. It was impossible for someone to play that well, absolutely impossible, but that’s the thing about live jazz. When it comes together it sounds better than you ever could have expected. As good as anything you’ve ever heard.” In this, as well as in his fine writing, the author joins another wonderful contemporary mystery author, Michael Connelly—high praise indeed.
Just as idealistic is the young woman to whom he is engaged: she works at a battered women’s shelter, and is passionate about her work, up until the day, three days before their wedding, when she is murdered. Her killer has never been caught. As the book opens, Joe has been at a sort of disconnect from the life around him, going into work on his day off, feeling “This was where I belonged, no doubt about it, reading over somebody’s PSI [presentence investigation] instead of being outside enjoying a perfect August day,” when he decides that “after two long years, it was time to start my life again,” and is about to embark on a blind date, his first date since the death of his fiancée, who he still refers to as ‘my Laurel.’ His date goes remarkably, and unexpectedly, well. And then the unthinkable happens, followed shortly by the unimaginable. At which point everything changes, and the book becomes impossible to put down. The suspense kept this reader glued to the page right up until the ending. My one complaint was that that ending was almost anticlimactic, and nearly fails to live up to what had preceded it. Which does not at all inhibit my recommendation of this terrific read.
I particularly enjoyed Mr. Hamilton’s protagonist love of jazz, at one point describing a great saxophone solo “with the perfect smooth tone like the sound of your lover’s voice. It was impossible for someone to play that well, absolutely impossible, but that’s the thing about live jazz. When it comes together it sounds better than you ever could have expected. As good as anything you’ve ever heard.” In this, as well as in his fine writing, the author joins another wonderful contemporary mystery author, Michael Connelly—high praise indeed.
June 1, 2019
Who in the Human Services field hasn’t made a logical decision that has gone wrong and comes back to haunt them? This is a solid crime book about a Probation Officer that takes a different perspective from most and shows an understanding of the grey areas where people who make decisions about risky behavior struggle with unforeseen consequences. I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the build up to the conclusion although I thought the climax of the story was a little whacky.
February 17, 2019
This was not an Alex McNight, but a Joe, who is a probation officer in the upper hills of NY State, and has all kinds of bad things happen to him, murders, that were caused by his actions, but not his fault. It's complicated. But good read and I like the guy, and his colorful friends.
July 13, 2011
Really 3.5 stars. This one had me all the way - hard to put down - but I never quite "got" the killer's motivation.
December 9, 2013
PROTAGONIST: Joe Trumbull, juvenile probation officer
SETTING: Kingston, NY
SERIES: Standalone thriller
RATING: 3.5
It's been two years since juvenile probation officer Joe Trumbull's fiancée, Laurel, was strangled to death. He's been wallowing in grief ever since. On an intellectual level, he knows he needs to move on; on an emotional level, he's finding it difficult. He finally gets up the nerve to go on a blind date with a jewelry designer named Marlene who is new to the area. It starts out badly but then turns around. For the first time in a long time, he feels alive. His happiness is short lived. Shortly after their date, Marlene is murdered as well. And worse yet, she has been strangled.
Naturally, when the police discover the links between Laurel and Marlene's deaths, Joe becomes a person of interest. Although they don't charge him with the murders, they grill him relentlessly and seem to be building a case against him. He knows he needs to do what he can to uncover the truth. He's considering the possibility that one of his probation cases has a grudge against him. As he begins to interrogate some people who can possibly help him, more murders occur, with the commonality between them being that each person had interacted with Joe.
There are a lot of little details about the evidence from the various murders that Joe cannot explain. It appears that the tie he was wearing on the blind date was used as a murder weapon. Another death used his shoelaces. Hamilton ratchets up the suspense to unbearable levels as he plants the seeds of doubt about Joe's veracity. The book's pacing was tremendous; I found myself gobbling up the pages and reluctantly viewing Joe as the prime suspect.
And then the plot fell apart. As Joe races to save another potential victim, it becomes clear exactly what was going on with all of the murders. The explanation of the killer's motivations and actions was completely unconvincing, verging on preposterous. And parts of it flat out didn't make any sense – why would the murderer kill someone Joe had spoken with for 3 minutes but not the wife of his best friend, with whom he had a long and intimate friendship?
Hamilton is one of my very favorite writers, and I am a huge fan of his Alex McKnight series. I was really looking forward to this standalone work. It held such promise for the first two-thirds of the book. The lead character was so achingly drawn and sympathetic. Between his love for his fiancée and his devotion to a difficult job, I had to believe in his innocence. Despite the fact that Hamilton excels at creating setting and building tension, the plot didn't hold up. What a disappointment to see it fall apart in its resolution.
SETTING: Kingston, NY
SERIES: Standalone thriller
RATING: 3.5
It's been two years since juvenile probation officer Joe Trumbull's fiancée, Laurel, was strangled to death. He's been wallowing in grief ever since. On an intellectual level, he knows he needs to move on; on an emotional level, he's finding it difficult. He finally gets up the nerve to go on a blind date with a jewelry designer named Marlene who is new to the area. It starts out badly but then turns around. For the first time in a long time, he feels alive. His happiness is short lived. Shortly after their date, Marlene is murdered as well. And worse yet, she has been strangled.
Naturally, when the police discover the links between Laurel and Marlene's deaths, Joe becomes a person of interest. Although they don't charge him with the murders, they grill him relentlessly and seem to be building a case against him. He knows he needs to do what he can to uncover the truth. He's considering the possibility that one of his probation cases has a grudge against him. As he begins to interrogate some people who can possibly help him, more murders occur, with the commonality between them being that each person had interacted with Joe.
There are a lot of little details about the evidence from the various murders that Joe cannot explain. It appears that the tie he was wearing on the blind date was used as a murder weapon. Another death used his shoelaces. Hamilton ratchets up the suspense to unbearable levels as he plants the seeds of doubt about Joe's veracity. The book's pacing was tremendous; I found myself gobbling up the pages and reluctantly viewing Joe as the prime suspect.
And then the plot fell apart. As Joe races to save another potential victim, it becomes clear exactly what was going on with all of the murders. The explanation of the killer's motivations and actions was completely unconvincing, verging on preposterous. And parts of it flat out didn't make any sense – why would the murderer kill someone Joe had spoken with for 3 minutes but not the wife of his best friend, with whom he had a long and intimate friendship?
Hamilton is one of my very favorite writers, and I am a huge fan of his Alex McKnight series. I was really looking forward to this standalone work. It held such promise for the first two-thirds of the book. The lead character was so achingly drawn and sympathetic. Between his love for his fiancée and his devotion to a difficult job, I had to believe in his innocence. Despite the fact that Hamilton excels at creating setting and building tension, the plot didn't hold up. What a disappointment to see it fall apart in its resolution.
August 31, 2011
This one started off quite good. I really liked the character Joe Trumbull is a juvenile probation officer, who loves old jazz, and lives in a room above a boxing gym. He's still mourning the loss of his fiance who was murdered two years earlier. This one was going great right up until the end, then it just got strange, and quite unbelievable. So, a page turner right up to the disappointing end.
March 28, 2020
It started off a little on the slow side. But once it picked up, I couldn't put it down. Hamilton does a great job as always of making you feel like you are there and able to identify with the characters.
October 12, 2017
Can't put it down!
December 27, 2018
Excellent. Flowed really well. Kept my interest throughout the whole book. Look forward to reading more of Steve Hamilton's books.
February 1, 2025
People are murdered, and the only common thread is the guy telling the story. The reveal was bananas. I've never giggled when the whodunnit comes forward before.
April 10, 2025
This was good and the plot twist was good and I didn’t see it coming but lowkey this was very slow and kinda boring at times haha, idk if I’d recommend but I wasn’t totally invested
November 23, 2022
At the library browsing the shelves I picked this book out. My first time reading this author, so I didn't really know what to expect. I was sucked in pretty quickly. Joe is a juvenile probation officer, going on a date for the first time since his fiancé was murdered two years ago. Later, his date turns up dead. And then another woman he cross paths with dies. The only connection seems to be Joe.
Told in first person narration, I enjoyed being in Joe's head as he begins to realize he may become a suspect, and then sets out to figure out who the real killer is. I laughed when his best friend, a detective, told him don't say find the real killer, you sound like O.J.
I gotta tell you, I started to wonder if Joe could possibly be the killer, like maybe he was having blackouts and didn't realize it. And then the last part of the book I was on the edge of my seat and my eyes actually kept darting ahead because I couldn't read fast enough. Talk about twisty turny.
Looking through my TBR, I realized I have one of the author's books, but it's the sixth book in a series, and I can't read a series out of order. But I do want to read more from him.
Told in first person narration, I enjoyed being in Joe's head as he begins to realize he may become a suspect, and then sets out to figure out who the real killer is. I laughed when his best friend, a detective, told him don't say find the real killer, you sound like O.J.
I gotta tell you, I started to wonder if Joe could possibly be the killer, like maybe he was having blackouts and didn't realize it. And then the last part of the book I was on the edge of my seat and my eyes actually kept darting ahead because I couldn't read fast enough. Talk about twisty turny.
Looking through my TBR, I realized I have one of the author's books, but it's the sixth book in a series, and I can't read a series out of order. But I do want to read more from him.
July 26, 2025
I loved it.
April 9, 2018
I really like Steve McKnights books. Well written and tight. This stand alone book was good and had me turning pages. The ending got very weird however. But all in all I like the characters and the book.
September 23, 2025
Decent but predictable.
January 15, 2014
I started off planning to give this book a five. By the time I got to the end though, I couldn't bring myself to give it more than a 3, but it would probably be a 3.5 really, if that helps. I have a couple of comments so I'm going to break them into bullets.
--The Main Character: In some ways Joe Trumbull is quite likeable, and I really liked him for a long time. Then he kind of got stupid. Maybe being accused of murder makes you irrational, but I thought he did and said some really stupid things.
--The Language: One of the reasons I was going to give this 5 stars initially is because it didn't have any F-Words in it. I really really liked that. But alas, one hit on Disc 5. It's like Steven Hamilton was writing and as he approached the end of the book he said, "Oh, shoot. I haven't added any F-Words yet. I better get that done." So he did. There were 4 total in the book. While I would have preferred none, 4 isn't bad for a book like this and I actually gave him that extra half star because of that. : )
--The Law Enforcement: The investigating officers (from FBIs BSU) were jerks, did some really crappy things (like call Laurel's parents and get them worked up and showing Joe the pictures of his dead fiance to name just a few), and not always super smart. It's probably because I now have a vested interested, but I don't like it when stories portray law enforcement like that.
Possible Spoiler Alert, but not Really
--The Conclusion: While there was an unexpected twist (I didn't have it figured out at all), the conclusion went on forever. Like for 2 whole disc, and by the end, I was like "enough already".
Overall,I liked the book and will probably try this author again.
--The Main Character: In some ways Joe Trumbull is quite likeable, and I really liked him for a long time. Then he kind of got stupid. Maybe being accused of murder makes you irrational, but I thought he did and said some really stupid things.
--The Language: One of the reasons I was going to give this 5 stars initially is because it didn't have any F-Words in it. I really really liked that. But alas, one hit on Disc 5. It's like Steven Hamilton was writing and as he approached the end of the book he said, "Oh, shoot. I haven't added any F-Words yet. I better get that done." So he did. There were 4 total in the book. While I would have preferred none, 4 isn't bad for a book like this and I actually gave him that extra half star because of that. : )
--The Law Enforcement: The investigating officers (from FBIs BSU) were jerks, did some really crappy things (like call Laurel's parents and get them worked up and showing Joe the pictures of his dead fiance to name just a few), and not always super smart. It's probably because I now have a vested interested, but I don't like it when stories portray law enforcement like that.
Possible Spoiler Alert, but not Really
--The Conclusion: While there was an unexpected twist (I didn't have it figured out at all), the conclusion went on forever. Like for 2 whole disc, and by the end, I was like "enough already".
Overall,I liked the book and will probably try this author again.
January 20, 2014
I had forgotten how much I liked Steve Hamilton as an author until I read "Night Work." The first book I read by him was "The Lock Artist", which I thought was so creative, and this book had a similarly ingenious plot. "Night Work" revolved around several murders that all led to one suspect, Joe. Joe claimed he didn't kill the women despite the evidence that mounted against him. Of course, the false accusations set Joe on a mission to find the real killer, and drew him into a web of mystery.
Joe was a good main character because he displayed a range of emotions and was likeable. I sympathized with him when he tried to explain himself to the detectives, but felt they didn't listen. The writing was direct and moved quickly. The conversations were good and the cop talk wasn't the boring dialogue so common in police investigation mysteries. I loved that it was obvious that the real killer was one of the characters in the book, but there weren't many clues about who it was until the end of the story. The final twists were pretty sick and mental! The book was a combination of mystery, thriller, and detective investigation all together. Hamilton is an impressive writer who has able to craft a seamlessly intricate mystery with effortless writing.
I liked everything about this story! I already looked up other books by Steve Hamilton and am anxious to try them. If you like mysteries with a little humor, then you must try this one.
Please read more of my reviews on my blog: http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com
Joe was a good main character because he displayed a range of emotions and was likeable. I sympathized with him when he tried to explain himself to the detectives, but felt they didn't listen. The writing was direct and moved quickly. The conversations were good and the cop talk wasn't the boring dialogue so common in police investigation mysteries. I loved that it was obvious that the real killer was one of the characters in the book, but there weren't many clues about who it was until the end of the story. The final twists were pretty sick and mental! The book was a combination of mystery, thriller, and detective investigation all together. Hamilton is an impressive writer who has able to craft a seamlessly intricate mystery with effortless writing.
I liked everything about this story! I already looked up other books by Steve Hamilton and am anxious to try them. If you like mysteries with a little humor, then you must try this one.
Please read more of my reviews on my blog: http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com
April 5, 2015
Joe Trumbell works in upstate New York as a probation officer. When the book opens he is about to go on a blind date: his first since his fiancee Laurel was murdered two years ago. The date with Marlene goes very well - but shortly afterwards her dead body is found. Despite assertations to the contrary, it is clear that Trumbull is the police's best suspect. As the evidence against him mounts, he becomes determined to find the killer and to clear his name before it's too late.
The storyline is a familiar one, but Hamilton has an enjoyable writing style and injects enough twists and surprises to hold the reader's interest. I was trying to make sense of the clues along the way but didn't guess what the final outcome would be. After a slightly slow start, the book picks up momentum and makes for a fast read to the end. Yes the eventual conclusion is pretty silly, but no worse than most books in this genre. I enjoyed this book.
Steve Hamilton is the author of a great series about a retired cop living in Paradise, Michigan. (If you haven't read any of them, start with A Cold Day in Paradise). Night Work is a one-off standalone novel, although on his website he suggests that there will be future books about Joe Trumbull.
The storyline is a familiar one, but Hamilton has an enjoyable writing style and injects enough twists and surprises to hold the reader's interest. I was trying to make sense of the clues along the way but didn't guess what the final outcome would be. After a slightly slow start, the book picks up momentum and makes for a fast read to the end. Yes the eventual conclusion is pretty silly, but no worse than most books in this genre. I enjoyed this book.
Steve Hamilton is the author of a great series about a retired cop living in Paradise, Michigan. (If you haven't read any of them, start with A Cold Day in Paradise). Night Work is a one-off standalone novel, although on his website he suggests that there will be future books about Joe Trumbull.
May 4, 2015
Finalist 2008 Gold Dagger Award. Here is a case where I don't agree with the award. After 7 entries in the award winning Alex McKnight series about an ex-cop in northern MI, author Hamilton has produced this unsatisfying stand-alone about a probation officer in upstate NY.
Thriller - Joe Trumbell is a probation officer in Kingston, NY. He goes on a first date two years after the murder of his fiancé and the next day this woman is killed with evidence pointing at Joe. Kingston detective Howie is on Joe's side but State Investigators suspect him. Atmosphere and characterization of Trumbell is good but plot is weak and wrap-up is terrible.
Thriller - Joe Trumbell is a probation officer in Kingston, NY. He goes on a first date two years after the murder of his fiancé and the next day this woman is killed with evidence pointing at Joe. Kingston detective Howie is on Joe's side but State Investigators suspect him. Atmosphere and characterization of Trumbell is good but plot is weak and wrap-up is terrible.
November 1, 2012
Steve Hamilton usually places his action in Michigan. This one is the only book he has written that takes place in New York state. I'd gone to a talk he gave in which he mentioned this book, noting that no one ever asks him to write another book about this character. Hmmm, I thought I'd read all his books. Missed this one, I thought. But I didn't, I had just lost it from my memory. If you like Steve Hamilton's writing, go for it. If you have never heard of Steve Hamilton, this is not a book to start to read his fiction.
February 14, 2016
Author Steve Hamilton's first non-Alex McKnight story. Joe Trumbull is a probation officer who has the worst luck with women imaginable. The woman he was going to marry was killed the night of his bachelor party two years ago. Now every woman he talks to winds up dead. Story is interesting but the title makes no sense. The killer doesn't always operate at night and a probation officer doesn't do his job at night.
May 13, 2010
Joe Trumble, a juvenile probation officer, finally decides he's ready to accept a blind date two years after his fiance Laurel's brutal murder. At first he gets cold feet and almost stands his date up, but then thinks better of it and is surprised at how well the evening goes. Then he learns the next day the woman was strangled to death.
Liked this hero.
Liked this hero.
February 5, 2017
Really enjoyed this one, kept me engaged to the end.
July 16, 2018
Joe Trumbull is a parole officer in New York. Two years ago his fiancee was murdered. Now after he returns to the dating scene, every woman he comes in contact is murdered in a similar manner. As he becomes the prime suspect the question is why.
December 22, 2009
A must Read if you enjoy Hamilton. !!!! Awesome book!
August 4, 2011
To be totally honest, I can't remember alot of this book except to say it was my first steve hamilton book which got me hooked on his writing...it was that good!
July 1, 2016
Weak effort . I Can't believe this stand-alone was written by the same author that penned
' The Lock Artist ' , which I enjoyed so much !?
' The Lock Artist ' , which I enjoyed so much !?
February 12, 2021
Another fast read that was thoroughly enjoyable!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews