The Mask of Midnight by Laurie Stevens centers on a game of cat and mouse, made sinister and horrifying by the intricate plots of a murderer.
When L.A. Police Detective Gabriel McRay arrests serial killer Victor Archwood, known as the Malibu Canyon Murderer, he has no idea that the killer has some serious vengeful plans directly involving him. Archwood is a most clever, resourceful “mouse” who confounds McRay, the Los Angeles Police department, the L.A. district attorney, and an entire jury through skillful lawyering and a commanding interpretation of the evidence. Despite what appears to be an airtight case against a mass murderer, a jury finds him not guilty.
Not only does he win his freedom, but he also becomes a popular figure in Hollywood and earns big-time money from selling his story. But that’s only the beginning of his new life. No small part of his plans for the future rest on wreaking vengeance on Gabriel McRay; this vengeance becomes this novel’s cruel, almost unspeakable heart.
The history between McRay and Archwood is central to the story.
McRay was a babysitter for Archwood when they were both children. We learn that McRay suffers from multiple emotional issues traced to sexual abuse from an older man in his past. Archwood, similarly abused as a child, believes that McRay was the perpetrator. The complex relationship between the two takes center stage as Archwood takes his revenge on McRay. Readers should be prepared for some stomach-churning graphic descriptions of how Archwood satisfies his need to punish McRay for his alleged crimes against him.
The cruelty of the abuse they suffered works its way into their lives as they become adults. In many cases, no aspect of their lives can be safe from the trauma of it. This commitment to making readers understand these issues’ complexity strengthens the book and makes it a challenging read. Ultimately, the question about this book comes down to whether the reader is up to its strong content.
The answer should be “yes.”
It’s quite a tale, well told, and holds readers to the last page. It’s also a fearless exploration of the state of American masculinity, raising some profound questions about the myths that male children grow up with and how those assumptions affect them as they reach manhood.
The Mask of Midnight is the third in a series with Gabriel McRay as its central figure. There are altogether four books, but this story stands on its own and does not require reading the previous books in the series.
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