Watches of the Night

by: Sally Wright

Published by: Severn House

Reviewed by Caryn St. Clair

Watches of the Night is the fifth book in Wright’s series featuring university archivist Ben Reese. In the earlier books, many references are made to Ben’s experiences as a scout during World War II, but readers have never been given Ben’s war story. Finally, with Watches of the Night, you learn about Ben’s war years.

Kate Lindsay, Ben’s longtime friend, receives a most unexpected package in the mail some twenty years after it was mailed. When she opens the package, she discovers the eye of her husband who was killed in World War II. Startled to say the least and somewhat horrified by the eye, she contacts Ben who had served with her husband. Ben agrees to help Kate figure out who sent her the eye and why. While working through this strange mystery, a person who has haunted Ben’s dreams becomes all to real again.

Meanwhile, professionally Ben has run into some problems at the university. Ben finds himself crosswise to the university president over a document in his possession and suffers the pain of academic politics. As a tenured archivist, he enjoys a great deal of freedom to travel and do outside work. However, both the head librarian and the president are threatening that freedom.

While Kate attempts to trace who sent her that eye, Ben is enlisted to help her locate the people involved using his skills as an archivist. Helping Kate triggers Ben’s memories of the war. Through these memories, you follow Ben as he is moved from camp to camp, as he goes on a scouting mission and witnesses a horrific event during an ambush.

Wright tells Ben’s story and unravels the mystery by shifting back and forth between the 1960s and 1945, following first Kate and Ben’s investigation and then Ben’s memories. The effect is perfect for building suspense.

While it is helpful to have read at least some of the previous Ben Reese books, readers who are not familiar with the series will have no problems sorting out the characters and their relationships early on in Watches of the Night.

Armchair Interviews says: Sally Wright is a very good storyteller.