Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Victor Methos for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this gripping thriller in exchange for my honest review.

Victor Methos delivers another intense, fast-paced story in Vegas Shadows #2, and once again proves why he’s a master of the legal and procedural thriller genre. This time, two teens are abducted during their wedding in a Las Vegas chapel—a brutal crime that leaves a bloody trail and few leads. Detective Lazarus Holloway, reluctant but driven, is pulled into the case. Fueled by personal demons and a need for justice, he’ll stop at nothing to uncover the truth.

Partnering once again with guardian ad litem Piper Danes, their dynamic is both refreshing and complex. There’s no romantic tension—just two lone wolves with a shared mission. Their past collaboration adds a quiet tension that deepens the narrative without distracting from the case at hand.

The plot moves at a lightning pace, driven by short chapters and twisty reveals. A single bracelet is the only clue, and the deeper they dig, the more sinister the truth becomes. The stakes are high, the villains are deadly, and the emotional weight intensifies with each new discovery.

While I personally found the first book in the series slightly stronger, this second installment is still a knockout. It expands the character arcs and keeps the suspense tight throughout. Methos has a real knack for writing stories that are compulsively readable—you’ll find yourself saying “just one more chapter” until it’s well past midnight.

You can read this as a standalone, but I’d recommend starting with book one to fully appreciate the depth of these characters.

If you’re into dark crime thrillers with gritty characters, breakneck pacing, and smart plotting, this series is for you. Just be warned—it’s not for the faint of heart.

With each book I read from Victor Methos, he climbs up my favorite author list. Book#2 in the Vegas Shadows series was outstanding and I definitely liked it more than book 1 because it notched up the series - I definitely recommend starting with The Silent Watcher. I've opted to read both in the series vs audio because his writing is an easy, quality read with good chapter breaks. The characters really have intrigued me with alot of dynamics of good, bad, and evil so waiting for the third book in the series is going to be tough. I read this book with no progress indicator on my Kindle which accentuates the term "page-turner" because even getting to the last page was a thrill.

I really don't read anything in the legal thriller genre but all of the books in the Desert Plains and Vegas Shadows series have just enough of it that isn't too technical but yet displays the profession/craft effectively.

The ending had some moments that I questioned where the author was going with it but he impressed me 100%.

Highly recommended book, series, and author!

Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Collector is the second book in this series featuring hardened Detective Lazarus Holloway and guardians attorney Piper Dane. When two teenagers are kidnapped while getting married in a Las Vegas chapel, the duo are thrown into an investigation of child trafficking, and the case becomes personal for Holloway, increasing the pressure to find the kidnappers. This is an interesting pairing, with the rough and grizzly Holloway and the gentle, introspective Danes an unlikely combo, but the partnership works well, each playing off each other’s strengths. There’s quite a few surprises in this one, the book moves at a rapid pace, and the violence quotient is high. A cliffhanger of a finish ensures another book in this series, eagerly anticipated. Can be read as a standalone, but reading the first book gives you some insight into the main characters, and you won’t be disappointed. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gritty, suspenseful, and fast moving. In full disclosure, I haven’t read book 1 in this series and I don’t think it is a hindrance in enjoying this book, but it might help in understanding the backstory for some the characters. The story starts on page 1 and doesn’t really let up until the end. I actually found myself wanting to know what the characters would look like in person - this might make for a good limited series or movie.

I love Methos and always know I'm going to get a solid book when I pick one of his up. This book had the bones of a great book and some strong twists, but for some reason the writing just wasn’t the same and it didn’t come together the same for me. I found myself bored in some of the chapters that felt like throwaway chapters but then strong chapters were mixed in.

Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for providing the copy of The Night Collector by Victor Methos. I was happy to see a new Piper and Lazarus book. I loved The Silent Watcher and will have to revisit it to get the nuances of the relationships again. This Night Collector was amazing too. There was so much action! The trial was suspenseful, and for the first time ever, I contemplated skipping ahead to see what happened. (I didn’t, though!) The courtroom scenes were brief, but I loved how they fit into the overall story. This is a must-read book if you want your thrillers suspenseful and well-written! 5 incredible stars.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Victor Methos, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Looking for another great book by Victor Methos, I reached for this ARC to see what the author had planned. Two teens are kidnapped at their wedding and the violent attack has everyone on edge. Enter Detective Lazarus Holloway, who is coaxed into taking the lead. As he puts the pieces together, Detective Holloway is fuelled by a personal issue with this case and promises not to stop until the perpetrators are caught, but this may only be the start of a larger plot. Methos delivers a strong story that is sure to keep the reader guessing.

When two teens are abducted from the Vegas wedding chapel in which they are exchanging vows, chaos ensues. A bloody attack and getaway leaves everyone in a panic, providing Detective Lazarus Holloway with little on which to base his case. While he prefers not to take the case, he has little choice and must rely on a bracelet to open the door to a theory that cannot be ignored.

Detective Holloway is stymied with no other leads and must ask for the help of his lawyer friend, Piper Danes. While their past is riddled with complexities, Piper works as a guardian ad litem, so she is invested in young people. Her insight could prove essential in this case.

Treading as lightly as possible, Lazarus and Piper soon make a breakthrough, but it could be costly. Much of his past is sure to come up and Lazarus Holloway is nothing if not private. He must balance his job and personal impetus to solve this case, ensuring those responsible do not escape. Victor Methos delivers a strong piece that keeps the reader flipping pages well into the night.

Victor Methos has always been able to capture the reader’s focus with a number of legal thrillers. The narrative flow of this piece proves addictive and insightful, propelling the reader to join the action. A different protatogonst from the series debut, Methos enriches the character development in new ways with this piece. Providing short chapters and numerous plot twists, the story sets a tone that cannot easily be forgotten or paused, leaving the reader to push onwards and solve things, if only for their piece of mind. A great series that has me curious as to where things are headed in Vegas.

Kudos, Mr. Methos, for another strong legal thriller with essential twists!

After devouring The Silent Watcher, I could not wait to dive into The Night Collector—and wow, did it deliver. Victor Methos has crafted another gritty, high-stakes case that pulls you in from the first page and doesn’t let go.

From the eerie kidnapping at a Vegas chapel to a haunting Mayan symbol of death and revenge, this thriller is packed with tension, layered characters, and emotional depth. Detective Lazarus Holloway continues to be one of my favorite complex leads—his inner demons, sharp mind, and drive to protect at all costs make him unforgettable. And I love the dynamic with Piper Danes, which adds just the right amount of push-and-pull.

The twists? 💣
The pacing? 🔥
The ending? I NEED BOOK 3 immediately.

If you love:

Fast-paced detective thrillers
Morally complex heroes
Chilling symbolism and high emotional stakes
…add this series to your TBR now

Thank you so much to @mbc_books for gifting me a copy of this book!

The Night Collector is the second installment in the Vegas Shadows series, and although it’s my first foray into this particular storyline, I’m already hooked—and definitely going back to read The Silent Watcher. As a long-time fan of Victor Methos, I’ve come to expect complex, authentic characters and a plot that grips from page one. This book more than delivers.

Piper and Lazarus make a compelling investigative duo as they unravel the mystery of two young newlyweds gone missing. What starts as a high-stakes missing persons case quickly spirals into something much darker and more disturbing. Methos weaves suspense with precision, and the emotional undercurrent throughout is both unexpected and powerful.

What I especially appreciated was the seamless transition into the legal side of the plot—something Methos always executes with intelligence and depth. The courtroom developments added a cerebral edge, and I was completely absorbed, trying (and failing) to predict the outcome. Methos has a rare ability to make even the most hardened characters—like the enigmatic Lazarus—feel layered and empathetic.

Fans of Robert Dugoni will find a lot to love here: a strong female lead in Piper, razor-sharp legal drama, and the kind of moral complexity that keeps you thinking long after the last page. This absolutely works as a standalone, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll be reaching for book one the moment you’re done.

Highly recommended.

The second book in Victor Methos's Vegas Shadows series was just as good as the first was, and I was hooked again by the dynamic duo of Lazarus and Piper. This book was deep and twisty, suspenseful and emotional, in all of the best ways. It was really well written, and I appreciate the focus on not only the legal/law enforcement aspects, but also the importance of family, friends, and trust.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

The night Collector by Victor Methos is the second book of a new series starring Detective Lazarus Halloway and Piper Danes who is a court guardian. There is a lot of violence, mystery excitement and pathos.
Tow underage kids are didnapped out of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas.The minister was brutally killed and no. one knows why these tow kids were chosen to be taken. A bracelet was left behind by one of the kidnappers and that was a big clue.
The book was very exciting. I could not put it down. It leaves you wondering about corruption in high places....just saying. You do not have to have read the first book in the series to fall in love with the author's writing.

Damn, I wish I didn't read the silent watcher previous to reading the night collector. The Silent Watcher was 5 stars hands down….TNC fell flat for me? Like the downfall if the sequel…. I missed Pipers intellect & most of her presence. she felt like a side character, the story also felt like it was lost half way through, then we came back to our main kidnapping plot near the end. Which honestly was written well, but lacked originality.

It’s a welcome return for Piper and Lazarus as they team up to solve a perplexing abduction and kidnapping of two young people on their wedding day.

The plot is dark and the villains are evil, deadly , psychopathic and without mercy but there is more to this multilayered plot, as what lies behind the crime and who is pulling the strings.

Lazarus is plagued by his past and inner demons and Piper Danes too has yet to recover from the traumas out.ined in the first book.

This all makes for an intoxicating and thought provoking read written by an author at the top of his game.

Bloody and violent though it most certainly is, the characters are well developed and explored and as always Las Vegas is perfectly depicted.

This is the second book in the Vegas Shadows series and I couldn’t wait to dive right in. It definitely did not disappoint! We return to the lives of Detective Holloway and Piper, an attorney with the guardian ad litem’s office. Piper is still recovering from the trauma of their last case together and Lazarus is getting used to working in the Criminal Intelligence Unit. Lazarus is asked by another detective to weigh in on a kidnapping case of a teenage couple due to a connection from his past. He can’t help but throw everything he’s got at the case and requests Piper’s assistance to represent the girl when she is found. The more they dig to find answers, the more questions there are. This story is captivating, thrilling, and a book you won’t want to put down. The legal expertise and knowledge of the criminal justice system is on point. It’s jam packed with action and excitement. The author is a genius at weaving a story so intricately and building characters with a depth that questions how many layers a person can have. While I don’t believe reading the first book is completely necessary, you will understand more of the details and connections to the first book having done so.

Complex and intense, twists at every turn, secrets and lies, and a couple psychopaths that could audition for Natural Born Killers make this fast moving crime drama fly. Lazarus Holloway is one of the best investigative characters out there, complex and enigmatic and in the middle of a web of lies and corruption that stick to everything. This is the second, oh there better be more coming!

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me an advance copy of Victor Methos's latest #legalthriller, The Night Collector, in exchange for an honest review.

#TheNightCollector is the second installment in the Vegas Shadows series. When the leads on an abduction case involving a pair of Vegas teenagers being snatched by masked gunmen during their own wedding ceremony grow stale, Detective Lazarus Holloway contacts GAL Piper Danes to advocate for the victims' families. Similar to the first installment, the unlikely duo soon find themselves mired in a criminal matter linked to a corrupt overarching force; one who is single-handedly proving the moniker 'Sin City' was well-earned and still relevant in present day.

Fast-paced and entertaining, the short chapters will have readers flipping pages long after midnight, as well as eagerly awaiting the next installment. While not entirely necessary since the case itself is secondary to character development, it is recommended that the series be consumed in consecutive order or else readers risk missing some crucial background details. Plus, the plot of the first novel is better crafted and much more exciting, which is part of the reasoning behind the assigned rating.

Another reason is that the writing in the first half of the novel felt clunky, not up to the author's usual standard. Even in instances where I'm indifferent to the main case, I tend to grant high ratings for his novels due to the strength of the writing. For whatever reason, this installment felt off; particularly, the redundant points made in short passages, and more importantly, the characters lost some of their traits and depth. In other words, unlike the first book, the already introduced characters read as two-dimensional here.

Finally, when compared to the first, the horror and suspense was nowhere near as captivating in this sophomore installment. Although I stand by the statement that it is a page-turner, it read akin to a filler episode before the big finale. Given the underlying subplot was barely touched upon this time, I am holding out hope that all the suspense pays off in the third release.

I am a huge fan of Victor Methos' writing -- he is an auto-read for me. But two books into this series and I just don't know if this is the one for me. These characters are messy and unique but I still don't feel like I have a good enough grasp on them to be invested (although this ended on a pretty big cliffhanger so will probably have to keep going!)

A year after the case that brought them together ended tragically, Lazarus and Piper are working together again on a case of two kidnapped teenagers. 15 year olds Keri and Brad were abducted at their own wedding, and all signs point to human trafficking as a motivation. But unless Lazarus can figure out why these two specific teenagers were taken, he will never be able to find them in time. And when a deeper connection to one of the victims is revealed, it only makes his involvement more complicated.

This had all the makings of a good legal thriller/drama but something about the way the plot unfolded just never hooked me -- uncharacteristic for this author! It was good but not my favorite from his catalog -- I've come to have high expectations for his writing!

The final twist in this book is what makes it 4 stars for me.
This was a good book. It was a thriller with twists and turns throughout.
I did not realize that this was book 2 in a series. I thought it read perfectly as a standalone. I didn't feel that I was missing any information or connection that was essential to the plot of the book by not reading book 1.
I enjoyed the MCs - Detective Lazarus and Piper.
So much corruption happens - politicians, lawyers, insane criminals, and judges.
I do think that the author leaves the book open for another book at the end... what a cliffhanger!
This has short chapters and is a page-turner.
The structure is done fairly well. I did feel the first half of the book felt a bit choppy, but it was much better from midway through the book to the end. The pace was fast, which was ideal for this genre.
The character development was a little bit lacking for me, but I still felt that you could connect with the characters.
This is one that deserves a spot on your TBR. Give it a try!
Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Happy Reading!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: The Night Collector by Victor Methos

Posted on A Novel Nene

Victor Methos is a name I usually trust when I’m in the mood for a fast-paced legal thriller with a dark twist. The Night Collector definitely delivers on the premise: a chilling killer, a driven prosecutor, and a case that blurs the lines between justice and vengeance.

The opening pulled me in right away — the tension, the crime scenes, and the moral questions at play had me intrigued. Methos shines when he’s writing courtroom drama; you can tell he knows the legal world inside and out.

But somewhere past the halfway mark, the story lost some of its spark. The pacing became uneven, and I found myself wanting more depth from the characters, especially the villain. The ending came a bit too quickly for my taste, and while it wrapped things up, it didn’t quite hit the emotional or psychological note I was hoping for.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read — it had solid moments and Methos’s signature grit — but it didn’t leave a lasting impression like some of his other works have.

Final thoughts: If you’re a fan of legal thrillers and like your crime stories with a darker edge, this one might still be worth a look. Just go in with tempered expectations

The Night Collector is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that had me hooked from the first page. Victor Methos delivers a masterclass in suspense, with razor-sharp pacing, rich psychological depth, and a haunting sense of dread that builds with every chapter.

What sets this book apart is how smart and layered it is; it’s not just a thrilling mystery, but a meditation on justice, obsession, and the darkest corners of the human mind. The writing is crisp and immersive, the characters are complex and compelling, and the twists are genuinely unexpected without ever feeling forced.

Methos proves once again why he’s one of the best in the genre. The Night Collector is chilling, elegant, and utterly unputdownable. If you love intelligent thrillers with real emotional stakes, this one is a must-read.