The Blue Hour: A Novel

The Blue Hour by Douglas Kennedy is strange novel (keep reading). Robin (they never mentioned her last name) has been married for three years to Paul Leuen. Paul is an artist and a professor at a local university in Buffalo, New York. He has surprised Robin with a trip to Morocco (Casablanca). Paul is eighteen years her senior (Robin is an accountant). Robin was drawn to Paul because of his charm and how it reminded her of her father (whom she loved though he was very flawed). They arrive in Casablanca and Paul immediately decides to change plans. He puts them on a bus and they head for Essaouira. After Robin straightens out a reservation error, they start their vacation. But then Robin finds out that Paul has not been honest with her (about many important things). After a fight, she goes for a walk on the beach (to cool off and decide what to do) and returns to find blood in their room. Paul is nowhere to be found. The police are called and Robin becomes the number one suspect. Robin sets out to find her Paul (and it will not be an easy journey) and clear her name. I think it had a mixed identity. It did not know whether to be a romance novel or a mystery novel (and the two did not combine well in this novel). The one thing I learned from this novel was never travel to Morocco. The Blue Hour contains graphic violence, sex, and foul language. Robin and Paul are very unlikeable characters. Paul was extremely selfish, neurotic, and self-indulgent. The more I got to know Paul, the less I liked him. The pace in this novel was so slow (I think snails move faster). The basic idea was good, but not the final product. I would explain the strange part, but that would be a spoiler. I give The Blue Hour 2 out of 5 stars. I was not the right reader for this book. I had trouble finishing this book (I really did not want to). I received a complimentary copy of The Blue Hour from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Douglas Kennedy is back with this book. A complex story in a complex culture. A woman alone, surviving (just) in foreign culture. Reminds me of earlier books by Douglas like "the Big Picture" which for me was Douglas Kennedy's best.