The Weight of Night

National park police officer Monty Harris and forensic anthropologist Gretchen Larson take turns narrating Carbo’s engrossing third novel set in Montana’s Glacier National Park (after 2016’s Mortal Fall). When a young man with a crushed skull is found buried in the park, Monty and Gretchen set out to ascertain his identity and catch his killer, amid a raging forest fire. They also have to look for a missing 13-year-old boy, Jeremy Corey. Gretchen and Monty are each plagued by ghosts from their pasts: Gretchen, who was institutionalized as a teen in a Norwegian mental facility, suffers from parasomnia, causing her to act out unconsciously while sleepwalking. Her parasomnia recurs the night before the discovery of the young man’s body. The hunt for Jeremy dredges up painful memories for Monty, who had a boyhood friend who similarly disappeared and was never found. The suspense builds as the pair race to stop a monster who apparently keeps victims alive for days before killing them. An intricate plot complements the compelling characters. [em]Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary Agency. (June) [/em]