Book Review: Three Hours Past Midnight by Tony Knighton

THREE HOURS PAST MIDNIGHT

Author: Tony Knighton

Publisher: Crime Wave Press

Release Date: July 2017

At the outset of Three Hours Past Midnight, an unnamed professional thief and his veteran ex-cop partner pull off the flawless robbery of a safe from the home of a wealthy Philadelphia politician. Before he can claim his share of the spoils, however, the thief finds that his partner has been murdered – and the safe has gone missing. Already carrying around the baggage of his chequered past, our anti-hero seeks to salvage his sketchy reputation by tracking down the culprit – and retrieving the loot. Needless to say, the job quickly spirals out of control, and a deadly cat ‘n’ mouse game unfolds across Philadelphia.

The excellent Three Hours Past Midnight bursts into life in the style of a hard-boiled Richard Stark caper, and doesn’t let up. With a moral code that is gunmetal grey, and an unwavering commitment to following the criminal code, the unnamed protagonist busts heads and takes names as he seeks to make the pieces of his jigsaw fit. In doing so, he soaks up plenty of punishment, but his actions never lapse into indestructible incredulity.

Knighton delivers his story in cold, hard-edged prose, and imbues the book with a keenly-felt sense of location, topping things off with a memorable array of supporting characters. Suffice to say, if the idea of a smart-mouthed tough guy tearing through the underbelly of Philadelphia appeals to you, then this savvy little thriller will fit the bill.

Three Hours Past Midnight is a compelling slice on contemporary hard-boiled fiction, and one that cries out for a sequel – or sequels. Great stuff.

Review by Tom Leins