I am new to Storby's work, this was the first book of his I have read. It was a lot of fun and a very compelling read. It is a somewhat typical crime novel, with lots of reversals, double-crosses, danger and plenty of gunplay. The hook, I suppose, is that the (anti)hero of the book is more correctly the (anti)heroine, Crissa Stone. It would be a better publishing world (and a better world in general) if this were not unusual enough to be notable, and perhaps one day it will be so. Nonetheless, C More...

PROTAGONIST: Crissa Stone, career criminal, and Benny Roth, former mobster
SERIES: #2 of 2
RATING: 4.25
WHY: When trying to launder some money, career criminal Crissa Stone is ripped off and has to do another job in order to get some more funds to put toward bribing the authorities in Texas to get her lover out of jail. She is hooked up with former mobster Benny Roth through a mutual friend. Benny was part of an airport heist many years earlier, and the head guy got about 5 million dollars, which h More...

This is a well written book, but I just can't empathize with a protagonist who is a criminal. She has many redeeming characteristics, but her life is controlled by a totally different set of values. There is a lot of violence, many parts I just paged through (I don't handle torture scenes too well). The whole thing was depressing, really. To think there are people that actually live like this! Having said all that, I think Stroby is a very good author. I don't read books this quickly unless the More...

Picking up shortly after the events of Cold Shot to the Heart, author Wallace Stroby’s Kings of Midnight finds professional thief Crissa Stone working an ATM heist gig with two partners as she continues her efforts to build up enough of a nest egg to get out of the life for good. One big, final score should do it. No matter how much you plan though…

When her last ATM heist goes seriously off the rails, Crissa is forced to use an unfamiliar source to quickly launder the cash she does have so she c More...

Crissa, from A Cold Shot To The Heart, is back in action, still trying to get enough money to bribe her boyfriend out of prison in Texas. As the book opens she is involved in using a front loader to steal an ATM. Her two partners kill each other in a fit of anger and the story takes off from there.

Stroby's writing style does not bog down the action. The plot moves along very well, including the back story of the characters introduced to Crissa's quest.

Reminescent of Donald Westlake, Stroy's work is a bit more hard boiled, not so humorous. His main protagonist is a career thief who is considering giving up the life for something more stable. She needs the cash from one more significant heist so is wiling to jion forces with Benny Roth a 62 year old thief with a heart condition that has a deal for her. It doen't go exactly as planned

Solid, well-told mystery with great characters. Heavy on the rape threats, though; Marta in particular seemed to exist entirely so the bad guys could threaten to rape her. I get that these guys are awful people; an act of sexual violence every fifth page isn't necessary to illustrate the point.

Crissa Jones (see "Cold Shot to the Heart") is a tough professional thief. Given what she does, it's not surprising that she falls in with a bad lot both on the job and when laundering money later. It is their misfortune that they underestimate her intelligence, focus, and ferocity of purpose. Stroby has written about strong women before, but the Crissa Jones series has legs.

I got a big kick out of reading this one. Crissa Stone is a hardboiled lady criminal who takes no prisoners, but then she displays a compassionate side in her own way, too. The prose is lean and solid. The characterization is on true pitch, especially the geezer Benny.

Excellent follow up to COLD SHOT TO THE HEART. Stroby is quickly becoming one of my favorite Authors. I really hope that there is another book in the works. Recommended to all lovers of Noir/Crime fiction. Really loving this series...HIGHLY recommended.

Good characters and the plot moved along quickly. While somewhat predictable, I found that there was a lot of tension. The female lead chararacter was interesting. Well written and easy to read.

It wasn't a bad read but I felt it didn't measure up to the first in the series A Cold Shot To The Heart.

My first book by Stroby won't be my last....excellent. Compelling heroine in Crissa Stone.

SAme story same characters same otcome.A disappointment from this exciting author

Great mob story. Lot's of fast paced action! I would have liked a different ending but otherwise loved the book.

Fantastic heist novel. Read it, you won't be sorry.

Excellent suspense novel. Great summer vacation reading.

Excellent follow-up to "A Close Shot to the Heart".

May 3013 excellent review Star Ledger

This is a real-deal hard-boiled tale of criminals searching for who-knows-how-many millions stashed 30 years ago after an airport heist.

Stroby, after 5 books, has really nailed the rough and tumble atmosphere and the take no prisoners mentality.

What makes this stand out though are the human qualities of the characters...particularly Crissa, seeking to be reunited with her daughter, who never chooses the easy way.