Nightwatcher, by Wendy Corsi Staub

Wendy Corsi Staub. Nightwatcher. New York: Harper, 2012. 371 pages. ISBN 9780062213181.

While at a conference in Las Vegas over the weekend, I continued to read a series of suspense novels as a way to keep my mind off other responsibilities. Nightwatcher was the next book on my list to do just that. Prolific author Wendy Corsi Staub has written a real page turner with the 9/11 tragedy as a backdrop.

Allison and Kristin live in the same apartment building, but have very different views about relationships. Kristin has a huge crush on a married neighbor who seems to be oblivious to her charms, but Allison remains distrustful and unwilling to make herself vulnerable in a relationship. While Kristin's crush goes unfulfilled, their building's handyman develops a crush on Kristin. When Kristin is found murdered the evening of September 11, 2001, Jerry becomes the first suspect, although Allison suspects that he isn't capable of such violence. Still, why is their neighbor Mack acting so suspicious? What really happened to Mack's wife Carrie? Who is the mysterious Jamie? Does he (or she) even exist? As the plot twists and turns, each of the characters seem suspect, but the book doesn't reveal all its secrets until the last few pages, keeping the reader turning them until the end.

Similar to The Money Kill, by Katia Lief (reviewed here), Nightwatcher proved to be a good distraction from work while I was at the ALA Annual Conference last weekend. And with the temperatures well over a hundred degrees while we were there, relaxing in air-conditioned comfort with a book was the best option.