Sandra Ruttan reviews: Savage Night by Allan Guthrie
Tommy Savage is being blackmailed. To make matters worse, the man called Smith – who wears a ski mask – quickly proves he’s capable of anything. Fearing for his sons’ safety, Savage is forced to turn over fifty grand.
His mistake is trying to follow the money to get to Smith so that he can get even.
In this deliciously twisted tale from Scottish author Allan Guthrie we move back and forth through intersecting timelines to get a full picture of the events leading to the blackmail, and what happens afterwards. This is a layered, complex story. From the opening lines we’ve been drawn right into the center of the action. Why is a headless dead man in a tub in Fraser Savage’s living room? And who is he? Many books start off grounding the reader with either a character or hooking them with action. In short order, Guthrie effortlessly does both. With an economy of words he skillfully develops character, setting and hooks the reader through the events unfolding on the page.
Guthrie expertly fools you into thinking you know what will happen and leaves you to wonder why it will happen, and how. The result is a stimulating read that demands your full attention, and it’s easy to give it because the book is packed with action, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end.
The characters in Savage Night are ones you at times love and at other times loathe. Not for the faint of heart, Savage Night is an unflinching look at pain, violence, the kind of destruction one human being can cause in another’s life. The story doesn’t let up for a second and is a must read for anyone who loves dark, hardboiled crime fiction.