The Night Watcher

By: John Lutz

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Someone is killing wealthy Manhattanites. One by one, the victims are discovered in luxurious high-rises bound, gagged, and brutally murdered in the "safety" of their own homes, by someone whose modus operandi is as horrifying as anything NYPD Detectives Ben Stack and Rica Lopez have ever seen. As they investigate the cruel deaths, they have no idea that they are being watched from the shadows, observed by a cunning murderer picking up all the clues necessary to stay one step ahead of the police while perfecting a deadly craft. And when a pattern slowly emerges, the detectives realize that the killings aren't the random acts of a maniac, but the personal campaign of someone bent on retribution, someone who's been watching closely and knows their case too well.

©2002 John Lutz (P)2002 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Lutz's details concerning police procedure, fire-fighting techniques, and FDNY policy ring true, and his clever use of flashbacks draws the reader deep into the killer's troubled psyche....Unlike many authors in the genre, however, Lutz manages to present a fully realized villain who simultaneously inspires the reader's sympathy and revulsion." (Publishers Weekly)

Very Good

I like this author. Lots of suspense. Good reader.

Predictable but entertaining

I was able to easily identify the Torcher with about three hours left in this novel but my deduction didn't detract from my listening pleasure. There's was plenty of action in this story and enough misdirection to keep the listener thinking. I personally enjoyed the character development and the relationship between Rica and Stack. I think Lutz created characters that you could empathize with and some that you could easily loathe. When all the loose ends were tied, there were some aspects that strained credulity, but most fiction does. And with Scott Brick doing the reading, it's hard to go wrong. A good listen.

boring book

loved the narrator he is one of my favorite's but the story was so boring just didn't have that kind of grab ya that we all look for just wasn't. there you had the ending before it came.....

Good story, well done

Very good story. Holds your interest and moves along well. The ending is a surprise.

Disappointed

I've loved every one of his novels even though I pretty know what the basic plot is going to be. This one just didn't hold up like the others. I was very disappointed. It went on too long and didn't have the kind of suspense I'm used to with this author.

Great Story ruined by unnecessary language

Would you try another book from John Lutz and/or Scott Brick?

Scott Brick is the best! I have many books narrated by him. This is my first John Lutz book and probably my last. GD and all the F bombs didn't add anything to the book but took away a lot! The story would have otherwise been interesting. What a shame that Lutz doesn't understand that.

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

His style is unique and his inflection is interesting. He is an excellent narrator.

Good book

Loved narrator
Really a true to life story which made it the good book it was!!!!!!!

Is it just me or...

...Do the cops in Lutz's books just kind of wonder around, doing little more than looking around at murder scene after murder scene without making any progress (at all)? Like Night Spider, be prepared for not much happening until (once again) luck saves the day about 90% of the way through.

The book is not badly written and Scott Brick is great as always, but it's frustrating to watch so little progress happen for so long.