Reviews

Previously published in England under Higgins's real name, Harry Patterson, this 1960s police thriller is the first of three featuring Detective Nick Miller to be released in the United States. Ben Garvald, a notorious thief, is finally getting out of prison, much to the dismay of his former wife and sister-in-law, who go so far as to enlist police protection. While Miller, an educated officer versed in judo and karate, tracks Garvald, hoping that the ex-con will lead him to stolen money never recovered from his final crime, Detective Constable Brady, a jealous colleague of Miller's, secretly confronts Garvald's ex-partner in an effort to solve the case himself. Instead, Brady winds up in a hospital bed, and Garvald, having witnessed the attack, becomes a target. Despite Miller's sophisticated front, he muscles information out of Garvald's acquaintances with the finesse of a hardboiled detective. Miller's abrasive personality takes some getting used to, as does his way with words (like a true '60s detective, he refers to women as "birds" and "tarts"). Though mystery buffs will appreciate the Mickey Spillane-like characters and cadence, this straightforward procedural lacks the espionage elements and historical content of Higgins's bestselling novels (The Eagle Has Landed) and may prove too dated for popular consumption. (Dec. 3) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

First published in Britain in 1965 and written under the name Harry Patterson, Graveyard Shift introduces police detective Nick Miller. Young, well educated, and soft-spoken, Nick must establish his credibility with his colleagues as well as solve a perplexing mystery. On his first night on the graveyard shift, Nick is instructed to locate recently discharged convict Garvald and warn him away from his ex-wife. Nick meets many characters in his search, and he soon realizes that someone else is looking for the convict, someone with lethal intentions. Patrick MacNee reads compellingly and makes the many characters come alive. He uses accents, pacing, and tonal variations to delineate gender, age, and personality of people meeting in the night. Recommended for mystery collections.-Juleigh Muirhead Clark, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Lib., Colonial Williamsburg Fdn., VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.