The Night Remembers

June 2, 1997
An unlikely union that rescues three lost souls is at the heart of Eagle's (Reason to Believe) disappointing new novel. Running from a controlling relationship, Angela Prescott finds herself in the Twin Cities, where she lands a waitressing job through the advice of Tommy T., a 12-year-old boy who has fled an unhappy life at a nearby Indian reservation. Tommy feels responsible when muggers attack Angela one evening after work, and takes her to a mysterious friend who lives in the park and never allows himself to be seen. "Dark Dog" transports Angela to his hidden refuge, attends to her injuries, romances her; after he returns Angela to her own home, he continues to visit and watch over her. After Dark Dog reveals his true identity and tragic past to Angela, disaster strikes, and the two must follow Tommy back to his reservation. There, Angela learns more about Dark Dog's past and decides what she wants for their future. Each character's history takes too long to unfold, and the perfunctory resolution of two important subplots is unsatisfying and anticlimactic. While Native American folklore somewhat enlivens the story, Eagle's hardcover debut is unexceptional. 40,000 first printing; author tour.