Mapping the Night

By: Jamie Steinberg

“Only Murders in the Building” meets “Criminal Minds.” That’s exactly how I would describe John David Bethel’s new thriller Mapping the Night. When three single mothers are murdered in their apartment buildings the FBI and NYPD team up to solve this crime spree before “The Uptown Savage” can strike again. A bit slow to start, this tale will have you turning pages until you find out if this bad guy is brought to justice.

FBI Special Agents Eileen Prado and Ira Fisher find themselves immersed in the investigation of a killer on a serial murder spree at the request of someone high up in the government. Prado’s demons from a previous case have her a bit distracted and both agents are annoyed at being tasked with stepping into a NYPD case without being able to explain their interest. Readers at least will find that it is because of a side storyline involving the coverup of government officials and arms dealers connected to Suriname. It’s all a bit muddled, but the next part of the story is where it truly intrigues. This is where the “Criminal Minds” aspect plays into the storyline.

Where the “Only Murders” reference comes in as local resident Warren Winston spends his evenings roaming the upper East and West sides of the city as he suffers from the debilitating condition xeroderma pigmentosa (he’s basically allergic to light). While out and about Warren finds himself being followed by a teenage girl, Maddy. She is a resident of the building where he lives and is the daughter of one of the detectives on the case of The Uptown Savage. She has terminal brain cancer and is fed up with being kept indoors day in and day out. Upon catching Warren taking his late-night trips, she decides to follow him and the two form a fast friendship. They also find themselves immersed in the case of this serial murderer when both discover they have each witnessed a man who appears to be dancing out front of the buildings where the women were murdered.

As I stated earlier, it’s all a bit muddled and it takes about halfway into the book to truly get to the meat and potatoes of a story that becomes an absolute page turner. I also wish more time would have been focused on the investigation, including a more in depth interviewing the sons of the women who lost their lives. The Suriname situation complicates matters and sort of distracts from the true focus – bringing the bad guy to justice. However, it all ends up making for a united tale that will keep the reader invested enough to read every page and then a hope for a serialized future where we follow more cases with Fisher and Prado.

Mapping the Night is convoluted but don’t let the word deter you from reading this thrill ride. You will learn a bit about the incredible architecture of New York. You will chase a bad guy through the streets of the city. And you will be startled by the surprises that weave their way into the story. Mystery readers will want to pick up this twisted tale.