Booklist
In the shadow of New York City, the calm and placid setting of Elton Head, New Jersey, in the 1950s provides deceptive cover for the dark underside of human nature. On the surface, the night shift of the police department is preoccupied with the typical work of law enforcement in a small town, but below the surface personal demons eat at the local boys in blue. On a single December night, the darker elements, starting with the typical clout and corruption and advancing to a literal beast, will test the mettle and humanity of the night-shift personnel: Scandinavian-born Danny Carlsson, with more American pride and idealism than the locals; Dempsey O. McShayne, the widowed desk sergeant who provides the moral weight and support to the men; and a drunken outcast who is befriended by no one other than Danny. In fact, Danny proves the only source of hope for the tragic deception and ironic judgment to be rendered against the boys in blue. Vernon Ford.