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Book Jacket

Blacklight Blue:
The Third Enzo Files
by Peter May

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication date: 11/10/2008.
Mysteries, 326 pp.

Number of reader reviews: 18
Readers' Consensus: 4.0
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First Impressions: Page 2 of 3
Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Stephen (Aston PA)

Enzo rides again with great success...
I have never been a big fan of authors who stick to writing series on the same character such as Cornwell with Scarpetta. I recognize that these type of series get large fan followers however I feel it limits authors in their imaginative approach to writing. Peter May has his own series here with the Enzo MacLeod character.

With 'Blacklight Blue' it is my introduction to May and his MacLeod series. I was very impressed with May's characters and how true to life they come across with their day to day challenges of life. Enzo is not your super sleuth but is a flawed character that you grow to like.

In 'Blacklight Blue' he is being stalked by a person that wants to ruin his life by affecting the people around him. The goal is to steer Enzo away from trying to solve a series of cold cases referenced in a book by his daughter's boyfriend. I was impressed by how well the forensics breakdown was done.

The book has short chapters much like the Spencer series by Parker. It's an easy read but very well done and extremely entertaining. I think I'm going to go and get the first two books in this series to see if they equal this one in suspense and entertainment.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Sandy (Houston TX)

A fast paced thriller
A quick, entertaining read filled with mystery, humor and family drama. The third Enzo installment in the Enzo chronicles plays out in Paris and small towns in France and Spain, a fascinating backdrop that held my attention. The action is fast paced and non-stop, if not a tad far-fetched and predictable at times. I have not read the other two books in the Enzo files series but plan, in particular, to seek out "The Critic" which involves the disappearance of a famed wine critic in a French vineyard. "Blacklight Blue" is recommended for mystery buffs … although it might be wise to read the first two in the series for additional character development and background.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Roberta (Mesa AZ)

Good thriller, but....
The ending left me cold. I'm not going to put any spoilers here, but the ending definitely brings to light that this is number 3 in a series. The main detractor in this novel was the fact that it was written in flashback style, which is much more effective on film than it is in print. It had a disjointed feeling at points. This is definitely NOT a mystery, but is indeed a thriller. As someone who has not read any previous Enzo File novels, it left me wishing for more mystery and less "Grisham".

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Rachelle (Chicago IL)

Fantastic
Having never read the previous Enzo novels I was pleased to find that the book, the 3rd in a series, was readable as a stand alone novel. Peter May takes you on a thrilling mystery tour where just when you think you have it figured out it turns out that you're not even close. The characters felt well developed and the mystery inside a mystery kept me guessing for most of the book. I look forward to reading more from Mr. May in the future.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Harriette (Northbrook IL)

Blacklight Blue
Enzo MacLeod is a professor of forensics, helping a journalist to solve "cold cases". When he comes too close to a solution of a 20 year-old murder, he becomes the target and the chase is on. In the style of one of my favorite mystery writers, Harlan Coben, he keeps us guessing all the way through with twists and turns to keep us interested. Some of the characters were not fleshed out enough, but all in all, a good, not great read. I'm interested enough in this author to try some of his previous efforts.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Carolyn (San Carlos CA)

Good, but....
This book certainly held my attention but I found it a bit convoluted. I liked the characters well enough that I wanted to know them better and I liked the writing well enough to buy the first two books in this series. But the ending left me unsatisfied; I kept looking for more pages that might have been left out of my copy :). There would be a lot to discuss, if only to try to deconstruct the plot in order to figure it out. I think mystery readers would enjoy reading it, but it's not a 'cozy'.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Maureen (Medina WA)

Blacklight Blue
This is a mature mystery that took me awhile to really get into. However, once you understand how the author is approaching the story, you realize how well written it is. The author has a marvelous method of describing the people and the various places where the actions take place. Being set in many locals in Western Europe has added to the richness of the story. Besides the cold case mystery itself, there are very interesting backgrounds of each of the characters and their relationships with one another. A good read!

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