The Night in Question

by Harper Allen

The Night In Question (Harlequin Intrigue) [Sep 01, 2002] Allen, Harper This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373226802
• ISBN13: 9780373226801
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Harlequin Books
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Gripping

This is one book that grabbed me from the very first page and never let go. I meant to read only a few pages before going to bed, but once I started it, I only surfaced almost an hour later, almost halfway through the story. Those first pages are just amazing, with Julia just out of prison and having to deal with Max following her everywhere and pretty much harassing her, because he thinks she got out of jail on a technicality and is guilty of killing her husband and trying to kill her daughter, too. Those pages until Max realizes the truth... wow! I read the entire thing with a lump in my throat, almost crying for Julia. She's a very tortured heroine, not just because of her experiences in jail (though those were horrific enough... the scene in which Max finds out what exactly is that weird mark on her hand was very powerful), but because of an overwhelming guilt for certain decisions made years before, especially before her marriage. Once they start working together, after an angsty scene in which Max sees the light (a scene helpfully excerpted on the first page by those idiotic people at Harlequin), the book does become a teeny bit less emotional, but still quite good. The mystery that is at the heart of the book is interesting and well constructed, but it's the romance that makes it a winner. Even when their relationship is at its most adversarial, when Max still considers Julia a black widow spider, these two fairly sizzle. It turns out Max is just as tortured as Julia, and the scenes in which she basically brings him back to life emotionally were wonderful. Truly a buried treasure, this author!

The Night in Question

Until "The Night in Question" came along it seemed like forever since I read an Intrigue I really loved. Even Harper Allen's last one wasn't one of her best. This one's right up there. "The Night in Question" is an intense read that combines moving characters and a strong mystery. Julia and Max are two deeply felt characters with tragedy in their pasts who find the strength and courage to overcome them. Julia is a gritty and more flawed character than most Intrigue heroines. That's what makes her so fascinating. Unlike the heroine of Allen's "Protector with a Past," another tortured Julia, this one is easier to relate to and sympathize with. She's also given a hero in Max with just as much to overcome and as much to gain from love. The author takes as much care to develop the mystery as she does the romance. There are plenty of secrets to be uncovered along the way and a good amount of action. The witness protection angle did strike me as a little off too, but the author has been very meticulous with her research in the past. She included author's notes in her first two books to note changes she'd made and there were parts of "The Night in Question" that demonstrated she'd done her homework. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and go with it. It's such a little thing I wouldn't let it bother me when there are so many wonderful things in this book.I was about ready to give up on Intrigues after the last few months of so-so books. I wasn't sure why I was reading them anymore (contrary to popular belief, I don't like writing bad reviews for Intrigues). This one was wonderful, full of the emotion and mystery the best Intrigues should have. There might be hope for the line after all.

A Story to Cherish

I loved this book! It was a real tear-jerker and really touched my heart. It also had a better balance between the romance and the suspense than so many of the Intrigues I've read lately. The love story was very emotional. At the same time the mystery was developed well. It was nice to be able to follow along on the investigation as Max and Julia figure out who framed her. It kept me eagerly turning the pages and brushing away tears. I have to disagree with the other reviewer's complaints. They're inaccurate and can be answered with some common sense. The FBI might have wanted to retry Julia, but they couldn't with what they had. The only concrete evidence against her was thrown out. They didn't have a case without it. In real life they probably would have wanted to retry her but would have decided not to waste the time and money on a circumstantial case they had no chance of winning. Also, while the sister-in-law was placed in some sort of witness protection, I thought it was clear she wasn't in the actual Witness Protection Program, since she was still in contact with her family. That's a big no-no for the Witness Protection Program. I've read enough books with the protector storyline to know that there are other kinds of witness protection than the full blown FBI relocation/renaming treatment. It was clear that was what was happening here. The reviewer also reveals a secret that doesn't come out until well into the book, which is annoying.I highly recommend The Night in Question. Max and Julia were wonderful characters who have both suffered devastating losses. Watching them walk a path to redemption and hope was a joy.