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Sharon McCone #17
Both Ends of the Night
McCone's flying instructor Matty asks for help when her lover goes missing. Then, during an airshow, Matty's plane suddenly crashes. Convinced this is not an accident, McCone follows a trail of leads, and confronts the man who ordered Matty's death.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published June 1, 1998
82 people are currently reading
458 people want to read
About the author
Marcia Muller
165 books724 followersMarcia Muller is an American author of mystery and thriller novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 27, 2023
Sharon McCone’s learning to fly and she has developed a great rapport with her flying instructor, Matty Wildress. But she deduces that Matty’s troubled by something and, when she asks her about it, it turns out her boyfriend, John Seabrook, has been missing for a week.
When $70 thousand lands in her account and then a letter from Seabrook is found in the cockpit of her plane explaining that he had to disappear to protect her and his son, the mystery deepens. Sharon agrees to take on the case to look for Matty’s boyfriend, if only out of respect for someone who has always been completely calm and in control until now.
It doesn’t take a huge amount of digging (perhaps worryingly little, actually) for McCone to figure out that the man she’s looking for is not who he says he is. The logical leap takes us to the Witness Protection Program with concerns about its effectiveness in achieving the second word in its name.
Very little is as it first appears and then people start dying causing alarm bells to start ringing loudly. There’s a great deal more at stake than the disappearance of one man, but finding him could be the key to the entire case.
The investigation takes McCone first to Arkansas where she visits a disturbing aeronautical business that, among other things, is rumoured to have ties to a murder for hire racket. Then she flies north to the wilds of Minnesota for a last desperate showdown.
As this series has progressed, Sharon McCone has settled down to become a more settled and grounded investigator. Her business has developed and she has managed to surround herself with a solid and well rounded crew of specialists who allow her to hit the fieldwork with considerable freedom. In this book, she proves to be a thorough and driven professional making her far easier to follow than in some of the previous books. She is definitely maturing along with her business.
Adding the whole flying string to her bow provides us with a new dimension to get our heads around. What it certainly achieves is the ability to quickly flit from one location to another with, seemingly, minimal bother. Short hops within California appear to be possible at a moment’s notice, thus speeding along the investigation and turning this into a rapidly evolving story.
Both Ends of the Night is the 17th book in the Sharon McCone series and it follows hard on the heels of the previous book, The Broken Promise Land. Consequently, there are numerous references made to the previous book, not to mention returning characters from earlier in the series. To get the most out of this book, I would recommend having read some of the earlier books from the series to understand the relationships that have developed to get us to this point.
When $70 thousand lands in her account and then a letter from Seabrook is found in the cockpit of her plane explaining that he had to disappear to protect her and his son, the mystery deepens. Sharon agrees to take on the case to look for Matty’s boyfriend, if only out of respect for someone who has always been completely calm and in control until now.
It doesn’t take a huge amount of digging (perhaps worryingly little, actually) for McCone to figure out that the man she’s looking for is not who he says he is. The logical leap takes us to the Witness Protection Program with concerns about its effectiveness in achieving the second word in its name.
Very little is as it first appears and then people start dying causing alarm bells to start ringing loudly. There’s a great deal more at stake than the disappearance of one man, but finding him could be the key to the entire case.
The investigation takes McCone first to Arkansas where she visits a disturbing aeronautical business that, among other things, is rumoured to have ties to a murder for hire racket. Then she flies north to the wilds of Minnesota for a last desperate showdown.
As this series has progressed, Sharon McCone has settled down to become a more settled and grounded investigator. Her business has developed and she has managed to surround herself with a solid and well rounded crew of specialists who allow her to hit the fieldwork with considerable freedom. In this book, she proves to be a thorough and driven professional making her far easier to follow than in some of the previous books. She is definitely maturing along with her business.
Adding the whole flying string to her bow provides us with a new dimension to get our heads around. What it certainly achieves is the ability to quickly flit from one location to another with, seemingly, minimal bother. Short hops within California appear to be possible at a moment’s notice, thus speeding along the investigation and turning this into a rapidly evolving story.
Both Ends of the Night is the 17th book in the Sharon McCone series and it follows hard on the heels of the previous book, The Broken Promise Land. Consequently, there are numerous references made to the previous book, not to mention returning characters from earlier in the series. To get the most out of this book, I would recommend having read some of the earlier books from the series to understand the relationships that have developed to get us to this point.
April 17, 2017
Like many long-running mystery series, some books in the series are better than others. This seventeenth book was pretty darn good. They are sort of predictable, though, and I kind of wish there would be a book or two where PI Sharon McCone didn't get involved in some big huge conspiracy involving government agencies, massive corporate corruption or international diplomatic secrets or something along those lines. A nice local little neighborhood mystery like some of the first cases she had would be great at this point. We'll see what the next one holds in store! Who knows, I might get my wish.
September 23, 2020
The holidays are right around the corner and Sharon McCone is right in the thick of a case. She's been tasked with a hunt for the boyfriend of her flight instructor, Matty Wildress. The boyfriend/lover, John Seabrook, has let Wildress with his young son with no clue to his whereabouts and why. For McCone the first task is really to delve into the boyfriends past: just who is John Seabrook?
I've had an ambivalent relationship with Muller since the first book in the series. I didn't like Sharon McCone — she irritated me in numerous ways. But either my defenses have turned to mush or Muller has settled down to who and what she is trying to say with McCone. Its like coming off a rough, broken road and finding yourself on a stretch of level asphalt. The dialogue and actions of her San Francisco private eye flows better, her relationships and actions have matured. Whatever happened, this was a pretty good read.
I've had an ambivalent relationship with Muller since the first book in the series. I didn't like Sharon McCone — she irritated me in numerous ways. But either my defenses have turned to mush or Muller has settled down to who and what she is trying to say with McCone. Its like coming off a rough, broken road and finding yourself on a stretch of level asphalt. The dialogue and actions of her San Francisco private eye flows better, her relationships and actions have matured. Whatever happened, this was a pretty good read.
November 19, 2024
I’m really, really enjoying this detective series - and the stories are continuous - so starting at the beginning is a must to understand what is going on.
June 23, 2019
This one started out like a house on fire for me but the mystery lost steam about halfway through. Some "telling" sneaks in and there's A LOT of "airplane stuff" that caused my eyes to glaze over. But the relationships between the characters are still as strong as ever, and after a lengthy layoff with my reread of the series, I sank my teeth right into this story. OK, a decent entry to the series, but nowhere near a highlight for me.
December 2, 2012
Sharon McCone is often flying high in adrenaline, but now she flies in fact in small planes. It's a good thing. Besides being treated to the usual elements of the manhunt in Marcia Miller's detective series, we learn about the accurately portrayed world of small planes.
Mattie Wildress was McCone's flight instructor, and she is also an aerobatics flying performer at air shows. She meets John Seabrook, father of a great young son, Zach, and owner of a tree farm. He hates flying, but otherwise things between them go so well soon they are living together. One year later, the man disappears leaving behind his son, and a note with the strange instruction that Mattie change her name and job and move away. Mattie calls McCone instead. Soon, McCone uncovers enough about Seabrook to lead her to following clues across the country tracking down a killer - the only problem is, she's not sure which one of the powerful, politically connected, and wealthy former employers of Seabrook is doing the killing.
McCone is tethered to earth by her dysfunctional family, the often divorced adult siblings and their children who make appearances in every case. While she is an accomplished detective and business owner, the nature of her work has darkened her outlook. She could easily slip the bonds of ethical behavior, especially adding in the influence of her boyfriend Hy Ripinsky, fellow detective and airplane pilot. Fortunately for McCone, who is hearing the siren call of vigilantism more strongly in each book, the domestic messes and celebrations of relatives keeps her smiling - and restrains her itchy trigger finger.
The psychological depths of Muller's McCone are, as always, apparent with each new book in this series, while at the same time Muller is becoming too polished at writing these mysteries, and it shows since about book #15. However, the changes in McCone and her family, realistic and interesting, keep me reading.
Mattie Wildress was McCone's flight instructor, and she is also an aerobatics flying performer at air shows. She meets John Seabrook, father of a great young son, Zach, and owner of a tree farm. He hates flying, but otherwise things between them go so well soon they are living together. One year later, the man disappears leaving behind his son, and a note with the strange instruction that Mattie change her name and job and move away. Mattie calls McCone instead. Soon, McCone uncovers enough about Seabrook to lead her to following clues across the country tracking down a killer - the only problem is, she's not sure which one of the powerful, politically connected, and wealthy former employers of Seabrook is doing the killing.
McCone is tethered to earth by her dysfunctional family, the often divorced adult siblings and their children who make appearances in every case. While she is an accomplished detective and business owner, the nature of her work has darkened her outlook. She could easily slip the bonds of ethical behavior, especially adding in the influence of her boyfriend Hy Ripinsky, fellow detective and airplane pilot. Fortunately for McCone, who is hearing the siren call of vigilantism more strongly in each book, the domestic messes and celebrations of relatives keeps her smiling - and restrains her itchy trigger finger.
The psychological depths of Muller's McCone are, as always, apparent with each new book in this series, while at the same time Muller is becoming too polished at writing these mysteries, and it shows since about book #15. However, the changes in McCone and her family, realistic and interesting, keep me reading.
January 4, 2015
#18 in the Sharon McCone series. The main plotline of Sharon being asked to find her old flight instructor's significant, other followed by the flight instructor being murdered and Sharon and her lover Hy deciding to find her killer is an excellent addition to the series. Also satisfying is the secondary story of holidays and missed holidays with her co-workers and her brother-in-law's family.
Her nieces and nephews are beginning to adjust to their parent's breakup and to accept Sharon's co-worker Rae's involvement with their father.
San Francisco PI Sharon McCone loses a good friend and picks up a long, twisted trail of murders. Sharon's former flight instructor, Matty Wildress, dies in an aerobatics plane crash soon after asking Sharon for help. The man Matty loves, John Seabrook, has suddenly vanished, leaving his 11-year-old son, Zach, behind, and warning Matty to disappear, too. Sharon and her lover, Hy Ripinski, understanding that the crash was no accident, dig into Seabrook's background. Sharon's computer-savvy nephew, Mick, traces him to Florida, where he had pulled a similar vanishing act 10 years ago after his wife was shot to death. His trail leads to an Arkansas aircraft factory with sidelines in drugs and murder. The amoral boss there, Dunc Stirling, has also dropped out of sight. Believing that Stirling may lead them to Seabrook and to Matty's killer, Sharon and Hy call upon their best flying skills as they follow this theory deep into frozen northern woodlands.
Her nieces and nephews are beginning to adjust to their parent's breakup and to accept Sharon's co-worker Rae's involvement with their father.
San Francisco PI Sharon McCone loses a good friend and picks up a long, twisted trail of murders. Sharon's former flight instructor, Matty Wildress, dies in an aerobatics plane crash soon after asking Sharon for help. The man Matty loves, John Seabrook, has suddenly vanished, leaving his 11-year-old son, Zach, behind, and warning Matty to disappear, too. Sharon and her lover, Hy Ripinski, understanding that the crash was no accident, dig into Seabrook's background. Sharon's computer-savvy nephew, Mick, traces him to Florida, where he had pulled a similar vanishing act 10 years ago after his wife was shot to death. His trail leads to an Arkansas aircraft factory with sidelines in drugs and murder. The amoral boss there, Dunc Stirling, has also dropped out of sight. Believing that Stirling may lead them to Seabrook and to Matty's killer, Sharon and Hy call upon their best flying skills as they follow this theory deep into frozen northern woodlands.
May 8, 2017
Sharon McCone and her husband Hi, while looking for the person or persons who murdered their good friend Mattie, learned that Mattie’s boyfriend, John Seabrook and his son Zach, were in the witness protection program. With Mattie dead, they had nothing to go on until Sharon finds a clue in one of Mattie’s flight books. What I like about the Sharon McCone’s series is the way McCone solves her cases and how much I learned about flying planes. Jean Reed Bahle tells the story with passion and compassion.
November 29, 2024
John Seabrook has disappeared. Maybe not a big deal, but he left behind is 11-year-old son and a pile of cash. The money he left with is girlfriend, Flight Instructor Matty Wildress. His final note encouraged her to take the money, change her name, and leave without saying goodbye to anyone. She refuses.
There’s one more air show she wants to participate in, and Matty has hired Sharon McComb to find John, so it can’t be long before he’s located. McComb’s pilot boyfriend, Hy, does Matty’s pre-flight check, and everything looks perfect. But it rapidly becomes evident that someone screwed hard-core with Matty’s plane after the pre-flight check. While she’s doing her routine, the plane slams to the ground and bursts into flames.
Matty dies in the crash, and now John’s son, Zac, is bereft of both a father and stepmother.
This is a twisty mess that introduces too many characters to suit me, but on balance, I’m glad I finished it.
There’s one more air show she wants to participate in, and Matty has hired Sharon McComb to find John, so it can’t be long before he’s located. McComb’s pilot boyfriend, Hy, does Matty’s pre-flight check, and everything looks perfect. But it rapidly becomes evident that someone screwed hard-core with Matty’s plane after the pre-flight check. While she’s doing her routine, the plane slams to the ground and bursts into flames.
Matty dies in the crash, and now John’s son, Zac, is bereft of both a father and stepmother.
This is a twisty mess that introduces too many characters to suit me, but on balance, I’m glad I finished it.
December 21, 2021
I can't imagine how it happened but I totally had forgotten about Sharon McCone. Muller's long running series (I think, actually, she started the whole female private eye craze) has long featured Sharon McCone - a totally likable private detective. I read all of the early ones (there are about 18) but somehow fell off the wagon about 4 books ago. So, even though, I'm sadly lacking in background details, I found Both Ends of the Night an excellent story. Sharon is asked by her flight instructor to find her missing boyfriend. How do you find someone who not only is hiding but has no past? But he does have a small son whom he left behind. Muller passes up many many cheap shots and plot ploys and I really appreciate that. Can't wait to read the 3 I missed!
August 2, 2020
Three and a half stars for good start and interesting plot development but fizzles out at the end. Takes place about a year after the events in THE BROKEN PROMISE LAND so there are several references to characters and events in that story line. In this one Shar does most of the leg work herself, although Mick helps with investigation on the computer. Shar goes from the Bay Area to Florida to Arkansas to DC to the wilderness in Minnesota all within a couple of weeks to find a missing man. Somewhat suspenseful climax in a frigid campsite, but the villain does not put up much of a fight, then the story goes on and on another 20 pages to tie up all the loose ends.
May 10, 2022
Pretty standard book by Muller. Interesting enough plot, good for a quick read with the usual mystery plot and intriguing characters. She’s a good writer for this genre. But in this book it seemed that the dramatic danger scene near the end went by very quickly without much build up or anticipation. You could tell it was coming — “don’t go out there alone, haven’t you read these books before?” — and then the crisis was over. It also strikes me as odd that a long term couple like McCone and Ripinski continue to refer to each other by their last names. Surely by now they’d be on more intimate terms.
August 7, 2017
I am a huge fan of Marcia Muller, however this is one of my least favorite in the Sharon McCone series because you can tell Muller started taking flying lessons. There is just a ton of airplane flying detail that I found tiresome and distracting. Stuart Woods suffered from the same epidemic in some of his earlier writings but he eventually toned it down a notch: hoping that Muller does too. Otherwise, I enjoyed this continuation of the McCone/Ripinsky sleuthing duo and tore through it in a few days, as usual!
February 9, 2019
3-1/2 Stars
Not every book in this series is a home run for me and this entry falls in that category. While I enjoyed the actual mystery as well as further peeks into Sharon McCone’s family and her relationship with Hy, I found all descriptions of planes and flying to be too much for my liking. I’m a nervous flyer as it is so reading all of the details included in this book made me a little on edge (and I wasn’t even reading this on a plane!).
Overall, a solid mystery but not a standout for me.
Not every book in this series is a home run for me and this entry falls in that category. While I enjoyed the actual mystery as well as further peeks into Sharon McCone’s family and her relationship with Hy, I found all descriptions of planes and flying to be too much for my liking. I’m a nervous flyer as it is so reading all of the details included in this book made me a little on edge (and I wasn’t even reading this on a plane!).
Overall, a solid mystery but not a standout for me.
July 25, 2017
A missing live-in lover of a friend, and then the death of that friend send Sharon and Hy on a search into the past for answers. Corruption, friends in high places, and a witness on the run - a plot spanning a decade and more that was captivating to get caught up in.
August 11, 2017
Not my cup of tea. A low key mystery series (I suppose starting with book #18 wasn't that smart) but I didn't like the leads so never really got into it. Maybe I prefer depressed and brooding cops to adrenaline filled pilot detectives.
November 4, 2018
Wow! This one goes all over the US: Florida, Arkansas, Washington DC and Minnesota. Sharon and Hy work together to learn who killed their good friend and why. The story involves witness protection, graft and a bit of a surprise at the end....
October 7, 2022
This made for a great read, though it’s not recommended if just thinking about flying makes you ill, our heroine does some real sleuthing, and with the help of friends in high places, untangles a real knot of a mystery.
February 17, 2023
Sharon McCone is such a brilliant character and Marcia Muller manages to develop her in such interesting ways. The plots are always gripping. Her descriptions of places are at times almost poetic but always so vivid and I don't usually enjoy reading descriptive passages.
May 6, 2023
Enjoyed finding an unread Muller. Sharon is asked by her former flying instructor for help finding her partner only to be killed in an air show soon afterwards. The more Sharon investigates, the odder the circumstances become until the search is nationwide and involves many aliases.
December 5, 2025
I love this series, and was enjoying it very much until the ending…I found it very anticlimactic. I just invested in 353 pages to be told third hand that it looked like the master criminal would be indicted.
July 9, 2017
Good story. I like when Sharon McCone and Hy Ripinsky are working together.
July 28, 2017
A Good Read
April 23, 2019
Read 2009
January 6, 2020
Great book
This was a complicated plot that I really enjoyed Miller is great at character development and interesting plots. Loved it!
This was a complicated plot that I really enjoyed Miller is great at character development and interesting plots. Loved it!
January 9, 2021
Best one, so far. Each one gets better.
September 2, 2021
Now that Hy is around and they finally found a line editor I am really enjoying these books.
May 4, 2023
My first Marcia Muller novel. Liked it. Had references to places I've been to.
May 19, 2024
Muller combines a hard to solve mystery with heart rending personal issues into a compelling story that's hard to put down.
May 26, 2025
Classic hard boiled detective story - good recommendation from the Book of Books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews