Retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney is finding it hard to bounce back after a nearly fatal gunshot wound, but not nearly as hard as staying retired seems to be. An old friend has asked him to look out for her daughter Kim as she begins a new reality series based upon the unsolved Good Shepard case from a decade earlier. The Good Shepard shot and killed six, extremely wealthy citizens, leaving behind a textbook manifesto condemning greed and devastated families who've never recovered from the shocking crimes. As Dave looks through the case files in order to help Kim with her series, he becomes convinced that the Good Shepard case isn't what is appears to be. When the threats begin, Dave knows that someone doesn't want him digging into the past, someone who will do anything to protect their secret, putting Dave and his family directly in the crosshairs of the Good Shepard.

The plot is intricate and tightly drawn, but it doesn't sacrifice anything in character development. The frustrations Dave feels at his slow recovery go toward his motivation and intensity in looking into this case and that intensity also manages to get him into trouble. Every single piece of the story is tied in with everything else. I loved these connections within connections and the resonating notes of motivation and reactions based upon fear.

Dave is a bit of throwback to an earlier era where men don't express their feelings with words and romance, but that's not to say he isn't trying. His relationship with his son and wife add wonderful conflict and depth to Dave's character and the story on a whole. He recognizes that he doesn't want to treat his son the way his father treated him, but the words still stick inside. He recognizes that his wife is by far the best thing that's ever happened to him, but he seems almost incapable of reaching out to her. These internal conflicts are deftly handled and drawn so they go hand in hand with the increasing conflict between Dave and the Good Shepard. Without giving away the plot, I'll say that there were moments toward the end of the book I held my breath, dreading what I'd find on the next page and begging Mr. Verdon not to kill off certain characters. It's definitely that kind of book. If an author can make me stay up at night just to find out if a certain character dies, it's a book worth buying, keeping, and then buying the others in the series.

Reading LET THE DEVIL SLEEP is like watching dominoes fall. I was so caught up in watching the movement that I didn't see the pattern and shape until the last domino tipped over then I sat back and was like 'Wow! Let's do it again.' LET THE DEVIL SLEEP by John Verdon is fantastic and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.