Death Never Sleeps by David Grace

Title: Death Never Sleeps
Author: David Grace
Available from: Amazon

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. That was quite some time ago and when David Grace asked me to review a new book, I realized I read this one and then never wrote a review.

So, I re-read it (because, of course, with almost 100 books in between, I’d forgotten the details), and I enjoyed it all over again. I rarely read a book twice anymore, so the fact that I read every single word a second time, rather than skimming through to refresh my memory, is a huge endorsement for this book.

I’m always looking for the trifecta of character, story and setting. This book hits all the marks. I live in Los Angeles, so I always enjoy stories set in LA. At times, the author seems to want to disguise the location, changing names of streets and some other locations, but for me, it wasn’t a distraction.

I realized how much I enjoy the character of Chris Hunter, and how Big Jim Donegan carefully schools the boy he sets out to mentor, to shape into a man who is not only a good person, but good for something. The reader sees how still waters run deep in the character of Chris, and how successful Big Jim has been in shaping his life.

For me, the story was mostly about character, and the characters. Each character is carefully constructed, serving as a foil for both Chris Hunter and the story.

The story could plod, yet it doesn’t. It flows steadily and thoughtfully from start to finish, mirroring Chris Hunter’s personality. It starts with the murder of a prostitute, and as the bodies start piling up, Chris finds himself having to sort through the data points, which he understands, and human nature, which he doesn’t, to solve the case. But this story isn’t just about solving a murder, it’s about how lives are shaped and about doing what’s right.

I definitely recommend this book. It’s well written, and there’s more here than just a murder and a police procedural on solving it.