The Dying Hour introduces Jason Wade, a rookie crime reporter with The Seattle Mirror, a loner who grew up in the shadow of a brewery in one of the city’s blue-collar neighborhoods. At The Seattle Mirror, he is competing for the single full-time job being offered through the paper’s intense intern program. But unlike the program’s other young reporters, who attended big name schools and worked at … at other big metro dailies, Wade put himself through community college, and lacked the same experience.
Wade struggles with his haunting past as he pursues the story of Karen Harding, a college student whose car was found abandoned on a lonely stretch of highway in the Pacific Northwest. How could this beloved young woman with the altruistic nature simply vanish?
Wade battles mounting odds and cut-throat competition to unearth the truth behind Karen Harding’s disturbing case. Her disappearance is a story he cannot give up, never realizing the toll it could exact from him. The Dying Hour is a bone-chilling, mesmerizing page-turner that introduces readers to an all-too-human young hero who journeys into the darkest regions of the human heart to confront a nightmare.
The International Thriller Writers (ITW), selected The Dying Hour as a finalist for a Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original, 2006.
Rick Mofina is a former journalist who has interviewed murderers on death row, flown over L.A. with the LAPD and patrolled with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near the Arctic. He’s also reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait’s border with Iraq. His books have been published in nearly 30 countries, including an illegal translation produced in Iran.
His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper.
The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award, a three-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.”
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I opened the book last night and did not put it down until 3:30 this morning. It had a well developed plot and characters. This book is not meant for the faint of heart due to details and descriptions. If you enjoy an action packed page turning book this is for you. I plan to read the other two books.
Jason Wade, an intern at a Seattle newspaper, has been assigned to the police beat overnight. One night he hears about the disappearance of a young woman named Karen Harding, and he begins an investigation. This is how the book begins, and the pace is relentless. Most of the story is told from Jason Wade’s perspective, but the author includes snippets of Karen Harding’s fate of being locked in a coffin-sized hole under the seat in an RV as well as some behind-the-scenes looks at what the police are doing. Finally, the author includes parts of a diary from a sixteenth century religious fanatic and torturer. To be honest, I had to skip those parts as they could have induced nightmares. Jason Wade is a careful journalist who follows his instincts as well as factual leads, so the story is quite believable. The book is also a good length since very little police procedure is recorded after the climax. This kept the focus on Jason Wade and his story, which Was mesmerizing.
Absolutely amazing as all his books have been so far! I’m gradually working my way through them all because he just has you on the edge of your seat and exhausted by the end of each book! I just wish he’d put more available on KUnlimited because my savings are now suffering!
Excellent mystery to keep one guessing if the good guy would win.
Good Read
can really get to know the main character and how he is affected by the situations with which he has to deal.
Awsome author!!!!!
I enjoy Rick Mofina books. I sometimes think that he goes a bit overboard about how the Newspaper management always seems to have it in for his protagonist beat writer…
I love this author.
I kied the series, Great chararacter development. Will be rereading them in a few years.
this is a good book that has every subject within the paragraphs from student first job to romance with intrusion drugs, crime and black magic death destruction police hookers all the characters are included ..positive you will be a fan of mofina if you never read any of his books before
If you love books that keep you on the edge if your seat…this is it. Intense, police procedural but with an intern reporter working on his own and with the police.
Intense death scenes but they are not gratuitous…rather show the horror and religious overtones that are throughout the book.
A young woman just vanished on a trip to see her sister. She wakes up to find herself captive in an rv with a moaning woman above her in a bed. A young man working his way from newbie to reporter for a paper has decided this is his case. The cast of characters are well drawn, you could pick Karen and her sister out of a line up. The boyfriend is suspicious but ignored until the reporter starts his task of finding out about everyone around Karen. Then there is the religious advisor from the college.
Don’t read this at night if you live alone…talking to you guys, not just the girls. You wont be able to put the book down as you try to assemble the clues and as you hope the victim is found alive. The newspaper business is done well as is the police routines in establishing a crime has been committed. Sleep with the light on!
This book will grip you the further you get into the story line. The main character is persistent with his gut feelings being the guiding force. The writer develops the individual figures in this novel in a way a person can identify with which makes this an even better read. You’re not going to want to put this book down as you discover what’s going on and realize that time is running out. I believe you’ll find this book as good of a read as I did.
Enjoyed this story, did not want to stop reading. Felt invested in main character and his success. Several interesting twists and turns. Entertaining read
It was good…. Typical plot in a way, but the main characters were good, and the story held together well. I would read another.
Well written page turner. Can’t wait to read more of Rick Mofina’s books.
All of his books are great!
I really like this author I’ve read everything he’s ever written keep them coming Rick
Love this author!
One of my favorite writers. I like the way he develops the characters and the storyline.