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Men with guns break into a house in Glasgow, Scotland, screaming for a man named Bob. It appears that no one named Bob lives there, but they insist. The confrontation escalates until one of the men blows off a young girl’s hand and takes her father hostage.
Detective Inspector Alex Morrow doesn’t fit in well with the rest of the police department, and she especially doesn’t get along with her partner. However, a case has just come across her desk that could make her career. Unfortunately, their superior gives her partner the lead on it.
Alex tries to shove her feelings aside and focus on finding Aamir Anwar. The kidnappers want two million pounds, but Alex can’t figure out how they think Anwar has that kind of money. He’s a simple businessman—not poor, but not rich either. In desperation she turns to her brother, Danny, for information. He’s gaining recognition, but on the wrong side of the law. If anyone finds out that they’re related, it could hurt Alex’s career.
As she works through the scattered pieces of the case, none of the clues make sense—but time is running out for Anwar.
Still Midnight is what I call an “abstract mystery.” As I read, I felt as if I were wading through a bunch of distracting colors, never allowed too close to the mystery or the people involved in it.
Finally, though, I figured out that all of the characters—including the main characters—are just a little messed up in the head. Then, suddenly, everything began to make sense and, somehow, all of this worked together to make an interesting (albeit bizarre)mystery.
Though author Denise Mina doesn’t really allow readers to warm up to Alex Morrow, a part of you will still understand that there’s a reason why she is the way she is. Somehow, that makes it all okay—and you’ll feel a little closer to her as a result.
If you enjoy a story that’s a little on the abstract side every now and then, Still Midnight is a rare and unusual mystery that’s not to be missed.
