Nothing Like the Night (Paperback)

Nothing Like The Night is Lawrence's second novel to feature DS Stella Mooney, follow-up to the marvellous The Dead Sit Round in a Ring. Stella, life still a bit of a mess - drinks too much, is about to walk into an affair with her eyes wide open, doesn't seem to really know what she wants - finds herself in the middle of a troubling murder: Janis Parker has been murdered viciously; over 50 stab wounds are recorded in the autopsy. At first, it looks like a relatively simple domestic, either that or perhaps drug-related (some are found in her flat). However, when another body with identical wounds turns up, the case takes its inevitable sinister turn.

Lawrence - who'd previous written a couple of thrillers under the name Jack Curtis - is one of my favourite new crime writers. To me, his gritty, chilling London-set police thrillers are everything Mark Billingham's books should be but aren't always. Lawrence, too, is far more subtle and powerful a writer than Billingham. As much as I like Billingham's work, Lawrence is just that notch higher, yet he's far less well-known. Hopefully, that should change.

Nothing Like the Night is a second great crime novel, and I am VERY positive about Stella Mooney, who is simply a great protagonist, a real success. Here, the developments in her private life provide a great occasional diversion from what is a rather harrowing case. She herself probably has enough underneath to be as interesting as Rebus or Bosch, and as enduring, too. This is not hyperbole: if this series is handled right, and Lawrence delivers a couple more excellent entries, this could be something special.

This second book isn't quite as good as the first in terms of plot (serial killers have been done so often...though Lawrence does it adequately enough to keep his head well above water), but in terms of writing it's a clear step up. The writing here is taut, hard, and yet beautiful. Lawrence doesn't use a sledge-hammer to drive things home, he's too subtle for that. An award-winning poet, he's got an economy and way with words that makes his sentences say a great deal indeed.

This second effort has confirmed all the promise of his debut. I - and a slowly growing fan-base - eagerly await the third.

DCI Stella Mooney has a patch in the Notting Hill area. She has a long standing boyfriend and toys with another male. She's troubled of course. What crime fiction cop isn't? But she's different.

In this book women are found murdered and it becomes apparent that it's a team in action. Mooney and her team are on the trail; a troublesome one at that.

This is not just another cop novel set in London. Lawrence creates crimes with a bit of a difference and is excellent at evocation of time and place. London is shown in its true light through the eyes of this cop. There are pockets of London in which we'd fear to tread but Mooney has no option. She may even have been brought up in them.

She's bright, courageous, yet still vulnerable. Her realistic character works well.

Great and gritty writing from Lawrence, who is also a scriptwriter. I want more.