Let the Devil Sleep

Semi retired detective Dave Gurney is recuperating from gunshot wounds received on a previous case. A friend asks him to help her daughter with a project tied to her studies as a journalism student in which she interviews families of six murder victims killed 10 years ago. The killer, known as the "Good Shepherd" was never caught and the point of the interviews would be to show how these people have reacted both to the original crimes as well as the killer still being at large Gurney agrees to help the daughter and goes along on several interviews with her including a meeting with the president of the media company that will air the interviews. Along the way he confronts opposition from the FBI since they feel that everything has been show more done and documented 10 years ago and reopening the cases would possibly cast dispersions on them. Gurney, who thinks beyond the pale, and does not allow majority opinions from others to sway his judgment begins to see areas that point towards a killer clever enough to have distorted public views at the time of the crimes. His opinion is that this was not just a serial killer, but one that had a goal in mind and set up the murders in a way to get the police and the FBI to look in the wrong direction.

This is the third book by John Verdon that I have read. I love the character Dave Gurney. He isn't always likable but it is believable. His adventures are always different and the outcome is never predictable. show less

Oh, this series has grabbed me. And this latest installment was really hard to put down. I read when I should have been sleeping, when I should have been doing housework, when I should have been paying attention to cooking supper -- a bit of a hazard, actually. I read at train crossings. It almost tempted me into sneaking a few pages in quiet moment at church before the service -- which would have been quite inappropriate, especially on Good Friday.

Retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney is asked to help a journalism student with her latest project, which is turning into a TV series. It's a look at the families of the victims of a serial killer on the 10th anniversary of the unsolved so-called Good Shepherd murders. Kim, the student, is show more quite emotionally invested in her project, but is distracted by strange incidents which she blames on a stalking ex-boyfriend who worked with her early in the project's development.

What starts for Dave as a one-day consultation project quickly develops into something much more intense, as he is drawn into Kim's stalking drama and begins to question basic assumptions held about the long-ago killings. Dave's barn is set on fire. He manages to make an enemy of the lead FBI agent on the Good Shepherd case. And, perhaps creepiest of all, are the words of a mysterious whispered voice in a dark basement: Let the Devil Sleep!

This installment of the series also brings into sharper focus family relationships, particularly Dave's relationship with his grown son Kyle.

There's something about this writer's style . . . I can't quite put my finger on it. It's fast-paced, driving, yet there's room for character introspection. Anyway, when I'm in the mood for a suspenseful read, it really works for me. show less

was lucky enough to be an early reader (and fan) of John Verdon's debut novel - Think of a Numb3r. I love getting in on the ground floor of a new series. His second book - Shut Your Eyes Tight - was just as good and proved that Verdon wasn't a one book wonder. The latest book in his Dave Gurney series - Let the Devil Sleep - was fantastic! John Verdon just gets better and better.

Retired NYPD Homicide Detective Dave Gurney has spent the last six months recovering from gunshot wounds sustained during his last attempt to bring down a serial killer. Yes, he's retired - but can't help himself - puzzles intrigue him and unsolved cases still call his name. He had the highest solve rate in the NYPD's history when he retired. But this time, he show more just can't seem to shake things off - he's out of sorts, short tempered with his ever patient wife Madeleine, can't stop worrying about his lingering symptoms and has no interest in doing anything. When Connie, an old journalist friend contacts him to ask a favour, he agrees out of a sense of obligation. Her daughter Kim is doing a series of interviews with families of the victims of a serial killer dubbed The Good Shepherd. Ten years ago, the killer targeted the wealthy, specifically those driving black Mercedes. The case remains unsolved and Kim would like to have him look over what she's doing with his cop's eye and give her feedback.

But a lot occurs in that one day - there's more going on with Kim than she initially mentioned. And the interviews and files on The Good Shepherd pique Gurney's interest. It is Madeleine who notes that Gurney has done more in a day than he has in months - and he's not worrying about his symptoms every five minutes. Slowly, but surely, Dave is hooked again. He believes the initial investigation was flawed.

In the beginning of the series, I wasn't sure what I thought about Gurney. But, as the series grows, so
does Dave. This time out, we get to meet his son Kyle, with whom Dave has a difficult relationship. Verdon explores this dynamic well, letting us get a view of Gurney beneath the controlled exterior. Gurney's enigmatic wife Madeleine continually intrigues me. Her love of nature, colour and life are in stark contrast to Gurney's pursuit of killers. What makes this marriage work? Verdon allows to see into this relationship a little more every time. Madeline is still my favourite supporting character. Another recurring character is Detective Jack Hartwick. The testy relationship between Jack and Dave is entertaining. I did find it hard to warm up to Kim; I found her to be manipulative and self centered.

So, the characters are great. What about the plot? Well, this is where Verdon shines. The plotting is impeccable, complex and devious. There are two plot lines running simultaneously - could they connected? Gurney's reasoning and thought processes were fascinating. I enjoyed the matching of wits between the FBI, their psychologist consultant and Dave. We get to reopen the case with Dave as he explores past files. However, the past is not content to stay buried and the tension, thrills and stakes are heightened as the killer puts Dave squarely in his line of sight. I had absolutely no idea whodunit until the last few pages. I love not being able to figure out the case until the end.

Just a great series. You could read any of the books as a stand alone, but I bet you'll be hunting down the other two! show less

I guess I joined the Dave Gurney series at volume three. I don’t think this was a disadvantage however. The story gave enough background that you could get the sense of this character without necessarily reading the other books. I enjoyed the book so much that I would not hesitate to recommend readers to pick up the other two.

I am still trying to put my finger on exactly what it is about this novel that has me thinking about it almost a week after finishing it. The main character, Dave Gurney, is a retired New York City detective that now lives upstate and is recovering from gunshot wounds received in the line of duty.

He is drawn into a support role for the daughter of an acquaintance who is currently working on a documentary about a show more serial murderer called “The Good Shepherd” who has been at large for the last ten years. The student who is producing this documentary has become embroiled with both a psycho ex-boyfriend and a tabloid driven television channel called RAM who made its reputation and fortune on 24 hour news coverage of the “The Good Shepherd” murders ten years earlier.

Unlike many detective/mystery/thriller novels, the twists and turns were so deftly executed that I was not able to pin down the “who done it” until it was revealed. Normally it so telegraphed by the last third of the novel that most readers can figure out. There were plenty of options but still, the answer was not easily discerned.

There a depth in the characters that was somehow different. I cannot put my finger on it but I can tell you that I would put the novel down to go to sleep and find myself picking it back up – sometimes after only a few hours of sleep- driven by a curiosity to finish this book.

There was one weakness that takes a star away from the rating. There were a few interesting story lines that were pursued in the course of the story that were wrapped up rather quickly and superficially at the end of the book. If the author was under pressure to limit pages, then I say shame on the editors. I think those story lines were worth more than the quick wrap up they got.
Overall, an entertaining novel with a certain indefinable something that I loved. show less

I’m still enjoying this author; though this time I guessed the identity of the bad guy very early on. Verdon develops the relationships of Gurney with his wife and with his previously more absent son more deeply in this installment. The tension with the FBI must have places to go next time. Looking forward to more.

This third installment of the Dave Gurney series follows the same formula as the first two. Dave is once again brought in on a seemingly unsolvable case, but unfortunately, the plot lacks the suspense of the first 2 books and the story didn't warrant >400 pages. Also, for being such a Supercop legend Dave does some amazingly stupid things and he never actually solves the case (the same device was used in the first 2 books). Instead there is a climactic scene where Dave gets in a bind, his life is threatened, and the killer is revealed before reinforcements arrive to save the day. Dave was surprised at the identity of the killer and so was I, but not in a good way. in fact, the killer was such a minor character I barely remembered him.

I show more do like the main characters and I liked that there seems to be some character growth with his wife Madeleine and his son Kyle. Verdon writes well and is very creative, but I'd like to see tighter plotting and a different type of ending in the next book. show less

Once again, Dave proves how brilliant a detective he is, then does something a bit dumb, almost dies, and ends up in the hospital. Still, the stories are interesting, with a good mix of suspense and humor, and a lot of interesting characters. I guessed fairly early one of the key parts of what was going on, although it didn't really spoil the story as I was never really sure. I think I've read so many mystery novels that my mind automatically finds these tricks.

All in all, it's an interesting series with a lot going on in each book and interesting characters to get to know. I look forward to reading more.