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The Nocturnal Devil: A Griffin Knight Mystery Thriller
Literary Titan 2023 Gold BookAward Winner
Firebird 1st Quarter 2023 First-Place BookAward Winner
Pencraft 2023 First-Place Annual BookAward Winner
2023 Outstanding Creator Award Winner
2024 Reader Ready Awards Top Pick
Indies Today 2022Honorable Mention
2023 Best Thriller Book Awards Finalist
2023 American Writing Awards Finalist
When two women mysteriously disappear within a few days of each other, is it random, or is there something–or someone–more sinister at play?
Detective Griffin Knight was supposed to be at home recovering from the events of his recent investigation in Seattle, but his captain and police colleagues needed his help to find out what happened to the two missing women.
In New York City, there could be any number of explanations.
Did they run away? Were they kidnapped? Are they still alive, or is it too late?
Worst of all, could there be a dangerous new prowler in the city?
The clock is ticking; Griffin Knight must act quickly before someone else becomes a victim.
I Could Visualize The Killer
The Nocturnal Devil is the third installment in the Griffin Knight series. What were some new ideas that you wanted to explore in this book that was different from the first two books?
The POV of the killer. In my head, I could see the book lover following the eyes and hearing the thoughts of the killer, without revealing their identity. I thought it would be cool to throw that curveball at my fans and have a full chapter as a journal entry from the killer, rather than just a small soliloquy/excerpt.
A theme related to time. Since I could visualize the killer, I wanted to place the setting in October; a Halloween special.
Griffin Knight’s backstory. Readers have been begging me to give it, and it was finally time to reveal his past and more about his life. I did not give this in the first novella because it was unrealistic for Griffin to sit down and have a flashback in the middle of an investigation where he is trying to catch a killer who is loose in New York City. Currently, I am revisiting Do Nothing to see if I can somehow give readers an insight into Griffin’s past without spoiling the background information given in book two, and this novella. In A Colossal Injustice, I did not reveal much about Griffin’s past due to the steep cliffhanger that I left in my first short story, Griffin suffering pain received from the Judge case, Griffin Knight being lost in thoughts about his upcoming case, and Griffin Knight reminiscing about his former partner Trenton Barnes. Now, do you understand why I did it this way?
A psychopath. The villain in Do Nothing is not crazy but has a clear motive: revenge. Likewise, the baddies in A Colossal Injustice are also not lunatics and have clear aims: freedom, greed, and power. However, in this novella, this devil is nuts.
A video camera. I added a video camera as icing on the cake.
The serial killer in this book is very compelling. Was there anything about that character that revealed itself while writing?
Yes.
- What weapons would the killer use?
- How could I give the villain an edge over our hero?
- How can I increase the suspense of the story?
- The killer’s hair color.
What scene in the book was the most challenging but rewarding for you to write?
Chapter 9.
When and where will your book be available?
It will be published on Amazon this month.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
“Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr. is an award-winning published author who specializes in murder and mystery novellas. However, he loves to keep things fresh and interesting by dabbling in suspense, humor, horror, action, and even Sci-Fi.
His bestselling series, Griffin Knight centers around the adventures of renowned New York City detective Griffin Knight, a lone wolf who has a penchant for dangerous situations — even those beyond his jurisdiction.
As a writer, Hernandez aims to please. That is why, as one of his favorite pastimes, he scours the internet for reviews on his books so he can spin stories that truly resonate with his readers.
His influence goes beyond literature and taps into the world of TV, with favorites such as Perry Mason, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Jack Reacher, Dirty Harry, Paul Kersey, and Ace Attorney.
Hernandez earned his bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo and likes to go to church with family, watch anime, and work out during his downtime. He is the winner of:
Literary Titan December 2022 Silver Book Award Winner
Literary Titan January 2023 Silver Book Award Winner
Winter Pencraft 2023 Seasonal Book Award Winner
Firebird 4th Quarter 2022 Book Award Winner
Feathered Quill 2023 Silver Book Award Winner
Write With Light Publications 2022 Annual Book Award Winner
Indies Today 2022 Finalist, Semi-Finalist, and Honorable Mention
Sign up to Hernandez’s mailing list to stay up-to-date on future releases and awards on his website: https://iammahjr.com“
The Nocturnal Devil: A Griffin Knight Mystery Thriller
The third installation in the Griffin Knight series is the best yet! Griffin and his friends are faced with hunting down a serial killer in New York City before he claims his next victim. As two women from a New York City neighborhood are reported missing, the only clue linking the disappearances is that they frequent the same stretch of blocks making up an east-side neighborhood. Griffin, currently on leave due to his injuries from the Seattle adventures, is called back into action to help Noah, his closest thing to a partner, solve the crimes. The story is steeped in intrigue right from the beginning, which is one thing the author is very good at doing. There’s rarely a dull moment in Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.’s books and that is plain to see in The Nocturnal Devil.
Although Griffin is still dealing with the trauma of the events of taking down Colossus, and losing his friend Felix, he finds comfort in a new love interest, Samira. She is a doctor who works with the police department and she helps to heal his body and calm his mind. I enjoyed the throughline in this series because of its consistency and long time fans will be able to pick this book up and find it even more intriguing because of it.
When the case hits several dead ends, Griffin reaches out to Ashe to use her hacking abilities to help solve the crimes. Ashe is also keeping a watchful eye over Griffin as Sapphire hires assassins to ambush Griffin at his home. Ashe proves to be very helpful in using technology to identify the potential serial killer. I enjoyed the multiple layers to the mystery and the technical aspects of unravelling it. The killer is a character that was fascinating and he is definitely one that readers will not soon forget, especially the twisted and deadly fight that Griffin is lured into.
I was happy to learn more about Griffin and his background. I also enjoyed the integration of advanced technology into the story. I have no idea if something like Smart Goggles and the Theia drone exists, but they are interesting and well-thought-out tech that adds a James Bond or Jason Bourne quality to the story. From the suspense, the chilling account of the killer, the use of technology, and the background of Griffin, The Nocturnal Devil is a sensational crime thriller that delivered excitement and intrigue in equal measure.
ISBN: 978-1-959354-04-8
LITERARY TITAN 