The Night Collector

Victor Methos returns with the second book in the legal and crime thriller Vegas Shadows series. The Night Collector once again features Detective Lazurus Halloway who now works for the Las Vegas’s Criminal Intelligence Unit and Piper Danes, who was once an endangered youth who is now a court-appointed representative who acts on behalf of children or vulnerable adults in legal proceedings.

In this case, two teenagers are abducted from their Vegas wedding. It’s not a case Lazarus wants to take, but circumstances cause him to do so. He enlists Piper’s help to represent the bride-to-be, fifteen-year-old Keri Bines in her absence. Their first clue is a bracelet found at the crime scene etched with a Mayan symbol of death and vengeance. As Lazarus and Piper investigate, secrets abound, including some from Lazurus’s past. Will the two teens survive? Will justice be served?

Piper is good at connecting with children and has a compulsion to save children in need. She’s empathetic with victims, smart, curious, kindhearted, and driven. She wants to prove that she and others can make a difference in the world. However, she is often guarded around adults and hates managing people. Lazarus is blunt, logical, sees the world as a puzzle to be solved, and passionate about his job. He finds patterns in data that others miss and is good at piecing together hidden connections and has a photographic memory. Judge Hope Dawson makes a return in this novel behind the scenes. She’s smart, has both a medical degree and a legal degree, and comes from a wealthy and influential family. A few other characters from book one return as well. Each of the main characters has flaws that make them more realistic and relatable, but not always likeable.

The fact that the lawyer (Piper) was neither the prosecutor nor a defense attorney added a different twist on the usual legal thriller. Much of the initial portion of the book is centered on the investigation. This is followed by the trial and aftermath. There’s also plenty of action and the seamless changes of points of view work well.

This medium-paced story gripped me from beginning to end with its well-crafted plot and great characterization. The author does a great job building suspense until it culminates in a volatile conclusion. Shocking scenes and information provide a counterpoint to the suspense, investigation and trial. It’s a story with plenty of layers, some of which are quite dark and disturbing. It’s unsettling at times and didn’t have the thoughtful moments to balance this as the first book in the series did. The book was a page-turner that kept me engaged throughout the storyline. However, I didn’t like the ending. While the case is resolved, I didn’t like some aspects of it and there is a major situation that is left up in the air.

Overall, this thriller was suspenseful, tragic, and intense. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Combining a police procedural, child advocacy, a mystery, charged and intense courtroom scenes, and an action-packed ending makes this novel a must read for those who enjoy legal and crime thrillers with a dark twist and characters that aren’t always likeable.

Thomas and Mercer and Victor Methos provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for September 16, 2025.