The Lightning Rule by Brett Ellen Block

by Brett Ellen Block

The tale of Detective Martin Emmett as he tracks a killer through the underground tunnels of Newark while the city above erupts in race riots.Lightning never strikes the same spot twice. Or so the saying goes. But Detective Martin Emmett has stumbled upon an exception to the rule. The year is 1967 and the city of Newark, New Jersey is in the grip of a heat wave, bringing the racial tension that has been simmering for months to a boil. When the body of a black teenage boy is discovered in a subway tunnel, one finger cut from his hand, Emmett gets the case. The severed finger sounds similar to another report the reluctant, young Homicide detective read while banished to desk duty by his spiteful Lieutenant, who offers him a solve the potentially incendiary murder quickly and quietly, then Emmett can return to regular duty. With his career on the line, Emmett sets out to do just that and discovers that somebody has been abducting young boys, using the sewers under the city as a maze in which to hunt and kill them in a twisted game of predator and prey. Set against the background of the infamous, real life race riot that tore through Newark in 1967, bringing the police force to its knees, Emmett must track the killer before the next hunt begins.

Genres: Mystery, Police

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Brett Ellen Block was born and raised in Summit, New Jersey. She received her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from the University of Michigan, where she was awarded the Hopwood and Haugh prizes for fiction writing. She went on to earn graduate degrees at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and the University of East Anglia's Fiction Writing Program in England.

Writing under her full name, Brett Ellen Block, she won the Drue Heinz Literary Prize for her debut collection of short stories, Destination Known, and is a recipient of the Michener-Copernicus Fellowship. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed novel, The Grave of God’s Daughter, as well as the Macavity Award-nominated thriller, The Lightning Rule.

Reviews

[Barbara Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently written. The thriller will keep you turning the pages. Couldn’t wait to finish, then wanted more. Definitely worth your time, you will enjoy.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using riots in Newark, NJ during the '60s as a back drop a story about a serial killer, families and racial relations is told. The protagonist is a former seminarian living in his childhood home with his war injured brother. A family of a sorts is created when the riots traps people in his house, and the story of discovering the murder is engaging, while at some points telegraphed.

At some points it felt like the book was the setup for a series. The characters are there, and I could see them being reused. Overall, it wasn't a bad book at all. Some cliches, but the neat characters and intriguing story made up for it.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was OK. The dynamic of the riot was interesting, as was the relationship between Emmett and his brother. However, the serial killer aspect was a bit contrived and the portions told from the killer's perspective didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the novel. I'd compare this book to a made-for-TV movie; entertaining to pass the time but definitely not mind-stimulating.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't do it; I get more out of reading the nutritional value on a cereal box. No lie.

[Candice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't evern finish the book. It was too cliche and was trying to be LA Confidential in a really bad way.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good mix of mystery, history and family. You could relate to the characters and the ending was good.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding combination of true history and compelling fiction.

[Jaime Navarro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't read...the end!