THE KILLING HOUR - Paul Cleave

THE KILLING HOUR is Cleave's second book - a totally new direction from THE CLEANER, his first book released (at least in Australia) last year.

And what a direction it takes.  Our "hero" Charlie doesn't know what he's done.  His clothes are covered in blood, there is a bump on his forehead and there are news reports that two women have been brutally murdered.  Charlie knows that Cyris killed them, but nobody else knows that Cyris exists and, let's face it, Charlie's not really sure he does either.  He can't think straight as long as the two victims come back to talk to him.  He can't think straight as long as the sinister, weird, obsessed Cyris is pursuing him.  He can't think straight so he kidnaps his own ex-wife.  Charlie really hopes that Jo believes he didn't kill those woman, but dragging her around the countryside, bound and gagged, isn't exactly the best way to win her trust.  Meanwhile DI Landry is quite convinced that Charlie is his killer and he's not too fussed about whether he's got enough evidence to charge him or not.  He's dying anyway - he's got few months left and he's not about to stuff around when it comes to resolving unfinished business.

THE KILLING HOUR has this marvellous, intimidating, disconcerting sense of weird, creepy, increasing tension.  Sure the visions that Charlie has of the victims of the murders have a certain "woo woo" element to them, but it really doesn't matter so much.  The sense that you're almost in this story with Charlie - the confusion over whether you're backtracking through the victim's lives; whether the victims are talking to Charlie; whatever is going on with Cyris and Landry - you're just gripped by this creepy, frankly scary, tension.  The panic that rises in Charlie and Jo as the book screeches towards it's conclusion infects you, the reader - you're panicked - it's too late to be awake but you're not going to be turning off any lights soon - and besides that you've got to finish this book.  And you're left with one question - who is this Paul Cleave and why is he trying to frighten me half to death!  

The author's website (http://www.paulcleave.co.nz/(link is external)) says that his third novel - Cemetery Lake is due for release in 2008.  THE CLEANER had me queuing for THE KILLING HOUR.  Form an orderly line to the left when CEMETERY LAKE appears.