The Night Killer

Diane Fallon #8

by Beverly Connor

Forensic investigator Diane Fallon fights for her life in her eighth mystery.

Diane is driving through a downpour on a windy mountain road after picking up a set of rare Indian artifacts when a tree suddenly slams across the hood of her car, revealing a human skeleton in its hollow trunk.

As she starts to investigate, she's ambushed by a stranger and forced to run for her life. Stranded in the night with a killer, Diane must uncover a secret hidden away by time and distance-or she may not live to see another morning ...

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Ebooks, Thriller, Detective, Suspense

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 6, 2010

About the author

I'm Beverly Connor and I love archaeology. I worked in Georgia and South Carolina as an archaeologist doing both fieldwork and analyzing artifacts. I also love mysteries. I combined these two loves and now write mysteries in which I weave my professional experience as an archaeologist into stories of murder and intrigue in both my Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation series and Lindsay Chamberlain Archaeology Mystery Series.

Reviews

[Ericka Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hit the road running and kept going. I wasn’t sure who the bad guy was until nearly the end. The book kept me guessing.

It was fun, a good mystery and a good story.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was that a banjo I hear playing in the distance? Diane Fallon starts out with adding an impressionable collection of arrow heads donated by a lovely old couple that live in a very secluded home in the mountains. A major thunder and lightening storm strikes on her way down the mountain, before you can blink a tree falls on her SUV and with it a skeleton cemented into the hollow of the tree. The home owners where this happens are very sketchy and it appears they would do harm to anyone and everyone that steps in their way.

This book had me from the first - a chase through the woods, a stranger that appears out of nowhere, power hungry hick cops, caves, gold mines, and lots of forensic stuff.

Ms. Connor's books just keep getting better and better!

2 thumbs up and 5 solid stars

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. Dr. Diane Fallon is an extremely interesting character. She is the director of a small museum in Georgia and the head of the county's crime scene investigation unit. The combination of the two make for some very interesting situations.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm fond of the Diane Fallon forensic anthropologist mysteries - and this one has some very nice bits. However, I felt in places like the plot was reaching a bit too much. However, I really enjoyed parts of it, and there are some lovely character moments throughout.

[Elvan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skeletons falling out of trees, multiple murders, red-neck power-hungry elected officials and the usual dash of caving and forensics.

Another entertaining read brought to you by the vivid imagination of Beverly Connor.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

After obtaining a collection of arrowheads for the RiverTrail Museum from Ray and Ozella Barre, Diane starts down the mountain as a rain storm begins. At one point a tree falls across the hood of her SUV containing a skeleton; she gets a good look at the skull. Slick Massey tries to take Diane away from her SUV, but she manages to run away. She spends the next five to six hours in the woods, hearing dogs after her and trying to find a house. She meets a man who gives her his poncho, hat and a knife, taking her jacket in exchange to mislead the dogs. She finally makes it back to the Barre’s house only to find them duct tapped to chairs with their throats slit. Events continue to develop from there involving another double murder, Diane being arrested al9ng with Kiam, the man she met in the woods and Andie, her assistant getting kidnapped. Things just seem to happen whenever Diane gets near bones or a murder.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane is driving in a down pour when a tree falls across the hood of her car and a human skeleton lands on there too. As she is investigating it a stranger ambushes her and now Diane is forced to run for her life. Trying to find help she lands at the home of the man who donated artifacts to her where him and his wife throats are slit. Now Diane has to find who killed them and who the skeleton is. Keeps you turning pages till the end.

[MELISSA · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joy ride of a read

I so enjoy all the amazing information in this series - archaeology, anthropology, geology, forensics, research on time of death - I could go on. The there is/are the crime/s, detective work and the characters (especially Diane’s museum crew, CSI lab and, of course, Frank. So fascinating.

[Nicole Diamond · Rating 1 out of 5]

If it has one star I liked it a lot
If it has two stars I liked it a lot and would recommend it
If it has three stars I really really liked it a lot If it has four stars I insist you read it
If it has five stars it was life changing

[Morag Riddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another great Diane Fallon mystery involving many different clues. They moved the setting out of Rosewood, which was refreshing as that town has a really high crime rate for a small town. Lol

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning plunges Diane Fallon into a life-threatening situation, and another scene of terror occurs later, plus there's caving and several nasty murders and an abduction: all very exciting, with a big twist at the end.

[Bette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane Fallon series, I am still reading out-of-order because haven’t been able to locate copies of all title in order. Well written, entertaining with likeable characters

[Brenda Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is great. Have loved every one of them.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent...love all the characters.... the plot is exciting and keeps u on the edge of your seat...

[Carol Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, an easy read.

[Paschalis]

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[Billy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great read for a "pulpy" murder mystery. Unique characters, interesting science, and exciting action.

[Lorlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forensic Mystery. Lots of interesting stuff happens at the museum where she works I learned a lot about evidence

[Dion · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good:
It's readable. The forensics are quite good. The chapter ending cliffhangers.

The not-so-good:
At times, the characters seem 2D and the dialogue clunky. Maybe it's true to the Georgia US setting. Lack of credibility. How the central character just demands her entire team and romantic interest to attend to her whims immediately. It seemed like a first novel at times.

I guessed the villain.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Diane Fallon, director of the RiverTrail Museum of Natural History and the Rosewood, GA crime lab, is returning from a trip to the mountains of Rendell County, Georgia where she arranged for the loan of an arrowhead collection from Roy Barre. Diane’s SUV is struck by a tree during a storm and a skeleton rolls across the hood of her car. Unsettled by this, Diane gets out of her vehicle and is accosted by a stranger. She escapes into the forest, pursued by the stranger’s dogs. Diane meets up with a man who tells her he had been taking photographs when he heard the commotion and offers his aid. When Diane refuses his help, he loans her his poncho and knife and agrees to call the police. Diane makes her way back to the Barre place, only to find Roy Barre and his wife have been brutally murdered. From that point on, Diane is involved in two separate cases: identifying the human bones in the tree that hit her SUV and finding the murderer of the Barres. But the sheriff of Rendell County isn’t making things easy for her when he orders her out of his county and off the case. Even worse, the killer soon murders another couple and appears to have targeted Diane.

Beverly Connor’s versatile thriller will appeal to readers on many levels. Her incorporation of forensics, geology and anthropology into an intriguing plot creates an excellent whodunit. Connor tackles complicated forensics in several different fields, but her straightforward, didactic narrative not only proves intriguing and entertaining but easy to follow and understand. Connor’s smart writing, evolving characters, captivating storylines, and fascinating forensics ensure this series’ continued popularity

[Deyth Banger · Rating 3 out of 5]

"April 6, 2018 –
70.0% "100 out of 118"
April 6, 2018 –
50.0% "55 of 118

...

Some books just go as typical as hell... why even bother somebody to go over them and read them?"
April 6, 2018 – page 88
23.91% "33 out of 118"
April 1, 2018 – page 88
23.91%
February 1, 2018 – page 81
22.01% "A writer who hides his mistakes by using complex words and trying to fool all.

...


Why every author is No 1 BestSeller?"
February 1, 2018 – page 81
22.01% ""Finger bones can be very small.”



“Looks like they’re from a baby,” he said.



“They’re from an adult. Infant bones are tiny indeed, and they wouldn’t be ossified—hardened into bone.”"

- It's a pointless... argument!"
January 24, 2018 – page 81
22.01%
January 22, 2018 – page 66
17.93% "Short Chapters."
January 22, 2018 – Shelved as: fast_view
January 22, 2018 – Shelved as: fast_read
January 22, 2018 – Shelved
January 22, 2018 – Started Reading"

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forensic investigator Diane Fallon is driving through a downpour on a mountain road after picking up a set of Indian artifacts when a tree suddenly slams across the hood of her car, revealing a human skeleton in its hollow trunk. As she starts to investigate, she's ambushed by a nasty stranger and forced to run for her life. Stranded in the night, with dogs tracking her, she encounters a mysterious man who helps. Then just when she comes upon a dwelling and feels finally safe, she discovers the inhabitants with their throats cut. Since Diane is also the director of a progressive southern museum as well as a forensic anthropologist, the action slows down a bit to describe all the procedures of running a museum as well as a forensic investigation. Not bad, but the characters she encounters are a little forced.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

No messing about in Beverly Connor's books on page 5 we have a skeleton by page 20 we have 2 more murder victims. As one review I read on goodreads (sorry can't remember the name) said the Fallon series is always a bit of a personal crusade pitting Diane against the "hicks" of local law enforcement but this instalment was even more so, however, I much prefer the parts of the story that concentrate on Diane's team working to put the pieces of a mystery together. That for me is when the story comes alive reading their dialogue as if you were sitting there amongst the group as they share information and ideas. I am sad to say that this series is beginning to lose its edge for me and maybe it is time to move on but I am sucker and will probably be giving the character one more chance.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forensic archeologist Diane Fallon is driving home on a winding mountain road in heavy rain when a tree suddenly hits the hood of her car, revealing the skeleton hidden within its hollow trunk.

As she gets out her car for a closer look, a strange man tries to grab her and she runs for her life into the woods ... she seeks refuge further up the mountain road with friends but makes another startling discovery, they have been murdered in the few short hours since she left them.

What begins as a terrible night, descends into more threats in the coming weeks as Dianes' investigation leads to some local secrets that would be better staying buried.

An easy, engaging thriller that speeds along at a quick trot - nicely done.

[Taylor Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment of the Diane Fallon Forensic Investigator series really picked up from the last book. I've found in this series that all the books are enjoyable, but there are some you just can't put down. By reading the synopsis on the back, you may think the book is about her night in the woods but it's not. I was a little disappointed since I thought it was going to be very different than previous books. However, I wasn't disappointed for long. I found the story very interesting and enjoyed the ride. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed though, plus I figured out most of it by the end. I still really enjoyed it.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Round and round she goes, who the killer is, nobody knows. Well, actually Beverly Connor is very good at wrapping everything up. The plot takes many twists and turns leaving you constantly guessing as to the identity of the killer and the reasons behind the murders. If you pay attention and work at it a bit you should be able to figure out who did it and why. A very fast paced enjoyable mystery.

[Marja McGraw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm currently reading this one, but I've read others in the series already. I thoroughly enjoy the Diane Fallon series. It can be a little graphic from time to time, but the author doesn't belabor the violence and consequences. This is a forensic investigation series and the stories are intriguing.

Very well-written, and I've started reading another series by this author, too.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this book, I saw the twist coming way in advance. I really liked the characters in the book and liked the new character that was introduced to the gang. I really love this series, and I know there is only one book left. I hope it's not the conclusion, because I'm not ready for it to end yet.

[Phillipa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, I enjoyed this one. I like the series but I suspect it is getting a little formulaic. Every one I read has the lead character ending up personally embroiled and attacked in some way ... which I suspect is not how it happens in real life at all, ever.

That said I still enjoy the characters and will keep reading.

[Dantegideon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the most well-crafted of the stories so far. Genuinely gripping. Dialogue still quite clunky though!

"There's some of your favourite science fiction on TV tonight," Frank smiled.

"Humans don't talk like that, Frank."

"Darn," said Frank. "It's back to the robot factory for me!"