While The Midnight Promise (Text Publishing Company) is marketed as a detective's story in 10 cases, the slide then fall of the private inquiry agent John Dorn shows a dark side of human interaction.
The first two cases show Dorn as troubled but active enough to help some difficult people who are in difficulties.
Suddenly, Dorn is sleeping rough in his office, fending off criminals and battling his own demons. Chopping up Dorn's fall from grace into 10 stories, gives plenty of time to digest and reflect about the decisions he makes in his life and work.
Sometimes, readers should find themselves laughing out loud at the audaciousness of Dorn, who is not afraid to confront the meanest of criminals.
By the time readers reach the second-last chapter entitled "Troy", Dorn is in a full meltdown. He has lost his licence but in his booze-addled mind, he is still seeking justice for one of his clients - albeit a non-paying one. He takes a beating - a really bad beating - but as he lies in hospital recovering, Dorn hears of the revenge he sought.
Lovitt was a documentary film-maker before turning his hand to crime fiction. Hopefully, he can reproduce the urgency of The Midnight Promise in future books.
Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who cannot stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In a year's time he will be out of the department completely. Well, that is what he thought until the body of his niece is found in the property of one of the city's wealthiest citizens.
Readers will have to deal with a binge-drinking Muslim detective who remains devout, even while sucking peppermints (euphemistically speaking) to hide the smell of alcohol on his breath. Like Dorn, Rashid seems destined to live on a path of self-destruction as he disobeys orders from above, launches his own investigation, sees his wife and daughter threatened by the targets of his investigation all while battling his department heads.
The first half of the book was a difficult read as the author does not really explain why Rashid drinks (and drives) so much.
All is revealed at the end of the book.
For once, a book ends the way it should do without the much favoured epilogue. It cannot be called a happy ending, but it remains very satisfactory.
- Dene Mackenzie is a Dunedin journalist.
