In The Black Angel, Charlie Parker has tried to settle down with Rachel and their new baby girl, Sam and stay away from more dangerous cases. However, due to Charlie's nature this is proving very difficult and he cannot say no when his friend, Louis needs help in locating his missing niece. The niece, Alice, is a drug addicted prostitute who had moved to New York and Louis had tried to keep an eye out for but she refused his help. Now the guilt of her disappearance is wearing heavily on him.

As they begin to investigate the disappearance of Alice, they soon find themselves immersed in the investigation of a group know as the "The Believers" and collectors of Biblical apocrypha and other assorted items that you would not find in normal collections of art. Her disappearance is linked to a church of bones in Eastern Europe and the disappearance and on going search for a silver statue known as The Black Angel.

The Black Angel is said to be the twin of another fallen angel and was immersed in Silver while changing form from human to otherworldly during a fight with a monk and subsequently hidden from the forces of evil that would release him. The Black Angel is steeped in myth. No one knows whether it truly exists or merely a legend or if it is actually real and alive. It is a priceless piece that is quite sought after by many collectors who are willing to kill for it.

As usual, John Connolly has outdone himself in The Black Angel. He weaves together a fascinating tale bringing together the past and the present in ways no other author is able to do. This is a book one just does not want to put down and yet you just do not want the story to end either. Once again, Charlie must put at risk having a normal personal life in order to fight battles with evil forces that he cannot seem to walk away from. Louis and Angel are right there with him, as usual, to help when the bad guys out number him. I absolutely loved this book, as I have all of John's previous works, and I would highly recommend this novel as it is a fast paced thriller that you have no idea where the next chapter is going to take you.

REVIEWED BY GINA METZ

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE REVIEWER, GINA METZ