The old adage, “good things come in small packages,” can also be true as it relates to books. Tony Knighton’s A Night at the Shore clocks in at just 168 pages, but in that space, the author manages to tell a fresh, exciting, and wholly entertaining story.
A Night at the Shore is the third book in Tony Knighton’s crime fiction series—following Three Hours Past Midnight and A Few Days Away—but can most definitely be enjoyed as a standalone reading experience. All three books feature Knighton’s Nameless Thief protagonist—the ultimate anti-hero if ever there was one.
The Nameless Thief has a knack for getting involved in crimes that go sideways in unexpected ways. His girlfriend has had it and is about to call it quits on their relationship, when our Thief convinces her to take a trip to an Eastern Shore beach with him. Just to get away for a relaxing break..yeah, right. This professional con man is using this weekend getaway as reconnaissance for yet another criminal enterprise—this time a heist.
Following a pattern for The Nameless Thief, this easy job quickly goes south forcing him to battle corruption in multiple forms while also trying to rationalize his own self-sabotaging behavior. And let’s not forget to mention that a major storm is barreling along the coast, trapping our anti-hero at the worst possible time. Juxtaposing this weather event with The Nameless Thief’s inner struggle is a literary device that could easily have become heavy-handed, but under this wordsmith’s control manages to unify the narrative with verisimilitude.
Tony Knighton’s writing is cinematic and action-packed. Each escapade ratchets up the risk, making for a white-knuckle experience. Readers will be turning the pages faster as the night goes on. Streamlining the narrative to one night of excessive danger pays off in dividends here, keeping the reader hooked until the novel’s final moments. The dialogue throughout A Night at the Shore is crisp and authentic, and will no doubt remind crime fiction fanatics of the work of that legend that is Elmore Leonard.
The Nameless Thief may also call to mind another master burglar from the genre—Lawrence Block’s Bernie Rhodenbarr. Whereas Block’s series relies on humor to hook the reader, Knighton goes in the opposite direction, making the noir aspects of the story shine without becoming too depressing.
Readers will walk away from A Night at the Shore fans of Tony Knighton’s writing and will anxiously await his next release.
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BUY LINKS: A Night at the Shore by Tony Knighton
Disclaimer: A print copy of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the author. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
