The Night Gate by Peter May [5/10]

Peter May is one of the most prolific novelists (mainly mysteries or thrillers) still working, and “The Night Gate” is the seventh in a series stretching back to 2006. Starring Enzo Macleod, a half-Scottish, half-Italian forensic scientist, my impression of the Enzo series is, unfortunately, one of a fine beginning with baffling plots and an engaging hero, declining steadily as a growing cast of extras drags down the action. After skipping numbers 5 and 6, I tried The Night Gate with high hopes. The author is an adept stylist and orchestrates scenes well, but the specific plot of The Night Gate, a twin-track historical-current unwinding, which revolves around Nazis chasing the Mona Lisa during WWII, quickly bored me. I guessed the twist ending. No doubt The Night Gate will be lapped up by Peter May’s loyal followers but I cannot recommend it as an entry point.