- "The Night Gardner" is as fine an example of crime fiction as one is likely to find. But to pigeonhole this book in even that well-respected genre is to do Pelecanos an injustice. The richness of color and detail, the power and pacing of the narrative, and the story"s emotional depth place Pelecanos squarely in the company of John Le Carre, Richard Price, and a handful of others whose skill transcends the confines of genre. Pelecanos has produced a crime novel that rewards readers with an experience that satisfies on a level not limited to mere entertainment.