Night Work: A Michael Cassidy Novel (Michael Cassidy, 2) Hardcover – April 5, 2016

David C. Taylor’s first mystery, Night Life, was a 2016 Edgar Award nominee, and his second, Night Work, has everything that made the first outstanding. And more, including its sure-handed author, whose strengths have only increased.Best of all, it has New York City cop and World War II vet Michael Cassidy, who comes from a wealthy family, knows the worlds of theater and jazz and the Mob intimately, and lives by his own measured code of justice—only occasionally in sync with the law. Seen through Cassidy’s eyes, New York in the 1950s comes back in unmatched realism.Beware of spoilers, even in this review: if you’re interested in the Michael Cassidy series, read Night Life first. Night Work continues an integral story, bringing back key characters and even revealing its forerunner’s breathtaking, triple-cross ending.Four years after that ending, it’s 1958, and Cassidy is en route to Havana to return an extradited murderer. Although few want to believe it, the Batista regime and Havana’s Mob-dominated tourist industry are only days away from the victory of Castro’s 26th of July movement. Finishing up his business at the local prison, Cassidy is startled to discover a woman he’d thought was dead, the love of his life, condemned to death as a Communist. With the help of a young senator on a “fact finding” tour, very reminiscent of JFK, Cassidy springs his old girl friend, Dylan McCue, and they head for the jungle.Their encounter with Castro’s revolutionaries is hair-raising in itself, and, after a last-minute escape, Cassidy returns to New York City alone again (but only temporarily). Assigned to the police detail guarding Castro on his visit to New York from an assortment of assassins, the people he met in Cuba, bad and good, are soon back in his life.Once again, David C. Taylor wields his mastery of historical research, and his personal knowledge of growing up in Manhattan, in the service of a thrilling, fast-paced yarn as notable for its depth of human feeling as for its pyrotechnics.

David Taylor has done it again with another great Michael Cassidy novel. I thoroughly enjoyed being transported back to the the Cuban revolution and to 50's New York City. The fast moving story makes it a compelling read and Mr. Taylor's ability to paint a scene with words makes it amazingly vivid. This book is a continuation of his first Michael Cassidy novel, "Night Life" - If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it, however it is not necessary to read it before Night Work. Mr. Taylor skillfully weaves the events from his earlier novel into this book so the reader is given the back story of pertinent events as the novel unfolds. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys skillfully developed detective stories within a historical context. Enjoy!

Taylor's crisp writing style is as sharp as a knife. His flair for detail makes the visual sets sizzle but it's the characters who draw you in. I had to stop a few times to catch my breath, if only to clear out the smoke. This is no langoriously drawn out, sexy tale. Strap in.

If you were alive when Castro came to power and remember when he came to New York in 1960 this story might mean more to you, but even if not this is a well written suspenseful story. The principal character is exactly what you would expect from a New York detective, cocky, efficient and often irresponsible. Two story lines run simultaneously, one an assassination attempt on Fidel and the other a totally inexplicable murder with the victim put on display in Central Park. Couple that with the often unconventional and/or irresponsible style displayed by Detective Cassidy and you have a real page turner.

"Night Work" picks up hero Michael Cassidy's trail shortly after the end of Taylor's first thriller, "Night Life," but you don't have to read "Night Life" first; Taylor deftly schools you up with Cassidy's history as he whisks you into Batista's Havana with Castro on the verge: bad guys, good guys, twists and turns, and Cassidy's lost lover to boot !David Taylor's consummate writing skill makes reading Night Work a pure joy. Strongly recommend !!

Although Mickey is an excellent detective, he certainly holds his own with the ladies too. How he manages to do all that's expected of him and still be kind and thoughtful is amazing. Read it. You'l Like it

Again a political, historical, mystery novel with all of the characters from Taylor's previous novel. This time it's ,Castro not McCarthy, but it is still US in the 1950s. The hero is the same Michael Cassidy, irreverent NYC detective. The plot is full of twists and turns; you are probably not able to anticipate all of them and that is the blessing of Taylor's work

Pretty good yarn! I love the historical setting and the way real events are woven into the narrative. Two more