Jonathan Moore captivates readers with his new thriller, THE NIGHT MARKET, a tale that takes place in a near-future San Francisco. Although near-future in this case could come as early as next year, if you're a cynic. People scramble to buy products whose popularity rises as quickly as a fizzle will follow, and they're onto the next "big thing." The rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer.

Veteran Police Inspector Ross Carver and his partner arrive at the scene of a homicide to find a body that's literally consuming itself. Before they can begin to work the scene, a group of FBI agents hustles them out and through a decontamination process.

We next see Carver waking up, two days later, with his heretofore unknown neighbor, Mia Westcott, reading to him. He has no memory of the crime scene. Mia said she saw him delivered home three days earlier.

The bulk of the novel encompasses Carver trying to put together what happened and why he can't remember it. Mia has some information, and she wants to help, but Carver must keep her at a distance until he understands what's going on.

Carver's San Francisco brims with futuristic images but also has plenty of familiar landmarks including Golden Gate Park and the Fairmont Hotel. And, while his plot will have conspiracy theorists jumping for joy, some aspects ring with feasibility which in itself is creepy. Masterful prose and a nod to noir experts combine to make this novel unforgettable. Fans of Greg Iles for plot twists and writing, will enjoy this novel as will mystery fans who aren't afraid to wonder what comes next. I look forward to reading Moore's prior two San Francisco novels -- THE POISON ARTIST and THE DARK ROOM -- that Moore calls collectively a loosely connected trilogy.