Wednesday 27 November 2013

PETER LEONARD - VOICES OF THE DEAD


Synopsis/blurb.............

Peter Leonard has already begun to establish himself as a distinctive, must-have voice in suspense fiction. Now he delivers his most compelling, most jaw-dropping novel yet, introducing us to a character you're not likely to forget anytime soon.

The year is 1971. The place is Detroit. Harry Levin, a scrap metal dealer and Holocaust survivor, has just learned that his daughter was killed in a car accident. Travelling to Washington, DC to claim the body, he learns that the accident was caused by a German diplomat who was driving drunk. This is only the beginning of the horror for Harry, though, as he discovers that the diplomat will never face charges - he has already been released and granted immunity. Enraged and aggrieved, Harry discovers the identity of his daughter's killer, follows him to Munich, and hunts him down. What Harry finds out about the diplomat and his plans will explode his life and the lives of everyone around him.

Brimming with action and dark humour, Voices of the Dead, firmly positions Peter Leonard as a writer ever suspense fan needs to read.

After recently lapping up the excellent sequel to this one, Back From The Dead a couple of months ago I was offered the opportunity to travel back in time and see where scrap-metal dealer and holocaust survivor, Harry Levin first crossed swords with Third Reich Nazi executioner, Ernst Hess.

Voices Of The Dead didn’t disappoint. It’s fast-paced and addictive. Levin’s a likeable protagonist, with a funky, freaky and unlikely sidekick, Cordell Sims. Sims is young, black and in-between jobs; still deciding what sector of the career criminal ladder to aim for, after a failed stint as a heroin dealer and a dishonourable discharge from the US army. A great double act is borne when fate has them collide with each other and some young Nazi skinheads in a Munich bar.   

Harry Levin is in Munich to track down Hess, a German diplomat responsible for the death of his daughter, Sara. Hess is another Holocaust survivor, but from the dark side of the tracks. Hess is intelligent, capable, cunning and successful. He’s a ruthless operator with a penchant for survival and dark secrets that he feels no remorse for.

Our calculating Nazi sets his sights on tidying up some loose ends, with some extreme housekeeping, while Harry Levin tries to achieve some measure of justice for his daughter and Hess’s other victims, by taking him down. Inevitably they collide at the climax of the book.

Leonard effortlessly blends this heady mix of characters in an explosive cocktail. I don’t know if a writing style is hereditary, but Peter the son, exercises the same level of economy with his words as his late father, Elmore. 2014 has introduced me to some fantastic new writers; John Florio, Terry Shames, Leif G.W. Persson to mention a few – Peter Leonard is the latest addition to my list of favourites.          

I do have some of his earlier books on the shelf to get to, Quiver (2008), Trust Me (2009), All He Saw Was The Girl (2011). Next year sees a new book published – Eyes Closed Tight. By then I hope to have relaxed the loose embargo on adding books to my collection.

This short series would definitely benefit from being read in order, and my enjoyment was slightly tempered by kind of knowing how things would pan out – but for that I’ll blame myself.

My review of Back From The Dead is here.

4 from 5  

Thanks to Lou at The Story Plant for my copy of this.


10 comments:

  1. Col - Sounds like a series to pay attention to. Thanks and I'm glad that you enjoyed this one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Margot, thanks. As series go it was great (and brief)!

      Delete
  2. Good to see you are posting more frequently, Col. Bad for me since I am barely keeping up but I'm trying! I'm going to be off the net the rest of the week due to the holiday coming up. So if you're still reading and posting, I'll catch up with you next week sometime. It is good to see such interesting titles being spotlighted so continue the good work and this book actually sounds pretty good. I put it on my wishlist for later.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Keishon cheers. Quite a pacy read at 330-odd pages, so not too off-putting with the length. Enjoy the hols and I catch you next week!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm always prejudiced against the writer children of famous writer parents - probably unfairly, but there you go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll be honest and say I was the same as far as the Leonards go, but I was mistaken.
      I've read Amis jr, and have snr. to get to, but so far my money would be on Kingsley, though I haven't yet given up on Martin.
      I've read one Alafair Burke book and 30 by her dad. James Lee's a tough act to follow !

      Delete
  5. Col, I'm placing this author on my TBR pile though I might be content with reading his books and not reviewing them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prashant, I hope you enjoy him if you do get around to his books, irrespective of reviewing them or not. Me I'm compelled to do some sort of write-up on my reading whether it be good, bad or indifferent. Good - in this case.

      Delete
  6. I can't keep up with the frequency of your posts either. But this one is very interesting.

    One of my goals for 2014 is to read Elmore Leonard novels, so I am going there before I read books by his son. But based on you recommendation, I will check out Peter's books too. And especially this one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tracy, I hope you manage your goal, as I'd be very interested in your opinion of both Leonards, Senior first, followed by junior!

      Delete