Title: Lilith: Demon of the Night
Author: Theodore Jerome Cohen
Publisher: TJC Press
ISBN: 9780984920907
Pages: 242 (print length), Kindle, EPUB, PDF
Genre: Suspense/Fiction
Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Author Theodore Jerome Cohen brings his NYPD Detective Louis Martelli back with his partner Sean O’Keeffe in his novel Lilith, Demon of the Night, as the duo sleuths solve a bizarre series of murders dealing within the dark side of cult rituals and vampirism.When a bullet is shot into the coffin containing a corpse lying in state at a funeral home from a mysterious cloaked perpetrator, the odd circumstances alerted NYPD’s homicide detectives to take notice. The obvious question of who would want to shoot someone who was already dead prevails; as other details emerge alluding to the rituals and beliefs of something out of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Using silver through the heart, wood stakes to the chest, garlic in the mouth and even a silver crucifix in the coffin, the detectives find these techniques used to keep a vampire rising from the dead as they exhume bodies linked to the trail of finding the serial killer. With twists and turns like a Boa constrictor, the venomous plot unfolds and transports the reader from a modern day high-tech crime fighting novel into the dark side of cult practices within the mind of a serial murderer fixated on revenge.
Theodore Jerome Cohen writes in a very convincing and discerning fashion, offering credibility to his characters with his commonsensical understanding of police investigative techniques. He embellishes his characters with a harmonized balance of dialogue and descriptions, achieving excellent visualization within the reader’s mind. The author’s written wit is consistent with stereotypical references to tough, macho police work, yet Louis Martelli possesses an intrinsic understanding of human nature. I found it rather clever that in many instances Theodore Cohen referenced prior instances of his character Martelli’s experiences from other novels, rewarding the loyal readers of his series with a bit of magniloquent pleasure.
Impeccably written with the obvious goal to entertain, Theodore Jerome Cohen once again effectuates what he set out to accomplish. Lilith is a trophy on any shelf, a book worthy of an afternoon’s reading enjoyment, a fine gift, or a welcome companion to take on a trip. Written for young adults all the way to mature audiences, Lilith – Demon of the Night stands on its own merit as an enjoyable read. When combined with TJC Publication’s other novels in the Detective Louis Martelli series, it becomes a link in the chain of adventures; an episode quite a bit different from the others.
Editor’s note: This novel contains adult language
