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Title: Confused.
Review: First, I have to say that "Breakheart Hill" is one of my favorite books. I buy copies whenever I see them so that I have them on hand to give to friends. So I expected great things from our boy Cook.But Instruments of the Night left me cold. The most difficult part of the book was the way-overboard extremes of graphic sadism, violence and cruelty (think James Ellroy). The writing is, as usual, masterful, but in addition to the disturbing gruesomeness, I found the end confusing (I've read hundreds of mysteries, and this is probably the only one that I just didn't "get"). I assumed all along who Sykes was, and think the ending confirmed my supposition. But who killed Faye? I'm still not sure. Perhaps I had too many expectations going in, but I found the book more frustrating and nasty than enjoyable.
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