The Instruments of Darkness

Seri Charlie Parker memasuki seri ke-21. Berbeda dengan pendahulunya, yang biasanya ada bagian prolog yang panjang, di buku ini langsung masuk ke kasus yang diselidiki Parker atas permintaan Moxie Castin, pengacaranya.
Colleen Clark dituduh melakukan kejahatan paling buruk yang bisa dilakukan oleh seorang ibu, penculikan dan (kemungkinan) pembunuhan anaknya, Henry. Semua percaya dia bersalah, para penuntut umum yang sedang dalam masa kampanye, polisi, bahkan suaminya sendiri, ayah Henry.
Aku langsung terpikat hanya dari blurbnya dan setelah mulai membacanya, pensaran hingga ke bab akhir. Awalnya aku berpikir, setelah sekian lama dan seri ini sampai ke angka 21, akan kehilangan keseruannya. Namun om John membuktikan aku salah. The Instuments of Darkness adalah seri Charlie Parker terbaik sejauh ini.
Bagi kalian yang pernah membaca seri Charlie Parker namun belum mulai lagi, aku sarankan kalian segera menyusul hingga ke The Instruments of Darkness ini.

Twenty-five years ago I stumbled across a copy of a book called Every Dead Thing in my local library. According to the blurb, it was the debut novel by a young man named John Connolly. I was intrigued by the rest of the blurb but, I must confess, it was the cover that caught my eye initially. I checked out that book, and so began my love affair with Charlie Parker.
Here we are, twenty-five years later, and my love for Charlie hasn't diminished. If anything, it's grown stronger. I missed him while he was having his little break last year, but absence has made my heart grow fonder.
The Instruments of Darkness is the 21st book in the Charlie Parker series and sees Charlie working for lawyer Moxie Castin, who is defense lawyer for a woman accused of murdering her child. The subsequent investigation will take Charlie deep into Maine, and bring him into contact with evil once again.
The Fulci brothers, Paulie and Tony, make a welcome return, as do Angel and Louis. Like Charlie, Angel and Louis have become a little slower, but they still answer the call to assist Charlie.
The supernatural element I have come to expect is present in the form of a wendigo, and a woman who hears the voices of the dead.
The Instruments of Darkness is a gripping, but poignant read. It engages the reader, and triggers many emotions.
For me it is also a reunion with old, much loved friends.