Into the Fire

Mark Mynheir’s new novel The Night Watchman introduces us to the damaged ex-cop Ray Quinn. The story isn’t new, but with Mark’s colorful and interesting characters, it’s a story we want to read again.

Ray Quinn was a great detective before he and his female partner were ambushed on the front lawn in a routine visit to a drug dealer’s home. He took three bullets and survived, barely, but she was killed with one shot. He is now a night watchman on the midnight shift at the Coral Bay Condominiums in Orlando along with an unusual young man named Crevis Creighton who wants to be a cop more than anything else in all of life.

Now Ray walks with a cane to support his new hip and plastic pelvis, endures torturous physical therapy from a woman he refers to as Helga, mourns the loss of his future fiancée who happened to be his partner, and works on Sudoku puzzles in the wee hours of the morning while dispatching Crevis to imaginary investigations on the condo grounds when Ray isn’t making fun of him.

When Ray and Crevis inadvertently discover one of their condo residents dead on his bedroom floor with a fully clothed exotic dancer also deceased on his bed, there are things which don’t add up in so many ways, but mostly the only reason he agrees to get involved is because of the persistence of the dead man’s sister who claims her brother, who was involved in a community outreach ministry for the homeless and addicted, would never kill himself or anyone else and was certainly not carrying on with a stripper. A certain cop with whom Ray has always had an ongoing feud wrapped up the case in no time flat calling it a murder-suicide.

After certain further damages happen to Ray as he’s poking around for information, he is forced to use Crevis for help, and the prickly Ray quickly learns the kid is more equipped than he imagined and quite teachable. The unusual liaison proves to be quite meaningful and beneficial to both of them.

The irreverent Ray Quinn isn’t the most likable of protagonists, but we care about him and cut him a lot of slack because the author makes his various kinds of pain palpable. We ache with him, we want justice for him, and we know way down deep he’s a good guy. Crevis grows on us just as he does Ray, and we come to respect his fortitude and dedication. The deceased’s sister Pam is admirable, courageous, and determined. We definitely want her to be right about her brother.

Mark ties it up nicely at the end, leaving us with a picture of a recovering Ray who might just be allowing a shred of hope into his previously stone cold heart. Good story, well written for its genre, and easily fools the reader with the culprit. If you enjoyed the Joe Box mysteries by John Robinson or Randy Alcorn’s Deception, you will thoroughly enjoy The Night Watchman written by the real Detective Mark Mynheir.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590529359

Father, I pray for your divine protection upon Mark as He serves you. I pray you would continue to supply the stories you have for him to tell. I pray you would bless him with great insights and give him revelation knowledge at his work and in his writing. Continue to watch over him and keep him safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.