Sometimes sticking with a series beyond a disappointing first book pays off. While the book is by no means perfect, it is certainly far more entertaining than Nightfall. Midnight picks up just where Nightfall ended (and I have the feeling that the third book will do the same, too, because most of the plotlines are not resolved in this instalment and it just sort of ends) with Nightingale searching for his sister and trying to figure out how to save her soul. As a private investigator, and ex-cop, he has the resources to do the detective work but what he doesn't have is the knowledge of the supernatural and occult that he needs. And this is what a lot of the book is about, deals with devils and other such unsavoury characters. It's rather fun stuff for being such a ‘talky' book, full of contemplations of devils and gods, rights and wrongs. Like with Nightfall, the characters are written well enough. There's some great chemistry between Nightingale and his faithful assistant Jenny and the banter is amusing and written in a mostly natural way. The only niggle I had with how the characters are portrayed is that, for such a well rounded and independent woman, Jenny really does let Jack walk all over her. Jenny is sadly underused, mostly relegated to making coffee and menial tasks, which rather irked me a bit as she's clearly very clever with connections Jack can only dream of. I hope for more from Jenny in book three. Nightingale himself is a caricature of the stereotypical PI. Weirdly, this actually works for him, although I feel he needs to lay off the patronising endearments towards Jenny a bit. Being called ‘kid' by a man less than ten years older than you is only amusing for so long. The addition of Proserpine, a devil Nightingale had dealings with in the last book, and Robyn, his sister, was interesting. I was never entirely sure of Robyn (to say more would give the plot away) and ever after finishing the novel, I'm still unsure of how she, and the story, will play out from here. Proserpine has turned into a sort of guide for Jack – at a price, of course. She's highly cunning and sly and is probably the best thing in the book. Like Jenny, I hope we see more of her. The plot is pretty much a rehash of Nightfall, except Jack is trying to save his sister's soul and is armed with a little more knowledge. It is not at all scary but it is rather gruesome in places. Leather is rather good at writing grisly death scenes. At no point did I feel anyone was in true peril and I saw some of the plot points coming a mile away. Is it the best book I've ever read? No but I did spend a few days enjoying a very entertaining read.

Less of a follow on from "Nightfall" - more of a continuation and I would recommend reading Nightfall first. As with the previous book I was not as bowled over as I usually am with the author's works but I suspect he is having a little fun with these and adopting a slightly different style of writing. This is very fast paced with a low level of characterisation and a lightish approach to evil! It avoids true horror with the usual unpleasantness and detail while still dealing with the Devil's minions and humans with very dark hearts. I think the author wants to have fun and wants you to join him and it just about works - a good lead character (and faithful assistant) and some realism in the way the Police do investigate the way that death seems to follow him around. The weakness is that nothing major is resolved and it is very much like the previous book - I suspect this is the one story told over three books but we will have to wait for the next one to find out.