Quiver (Hardcover)

by Peter Leonard (Author)
Key Phrases: belly chain, Peter Leonard, Bill Wink, Land Rover (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A fatal hunting accident propels this disappointing debut set in Detroit and environs from Leonard, the son of legendary crime writer Elmore Leonard. Given that 16-year-old Luke McCall shoots an arrow that passes through a deer and kills his former race-car champion father, Owen, one might expect more focus on Luke's psychological torment than on the efforts of Owen's devastated widow, Kate, to contend with a string of unscrupulous suitors, starting with her old lover, Jack Curran, who once rescued Kate from a Peace Corps assignment in Guatemala turned ugly. Curran conceals not only his recent prison stint but also his continued association with a group of desperate and sadistic criminals, including Teddy Hicks, who assaulted Owen several years earlier. A kidnapping engineered by Hicks and company leads to a violent showdown at the McCalls' hunting lodge. A muddled plot, one-dimensional characters and a predictable ending will leave readers hoping for better things in Leonard's next novel. (May)
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From Booklist
This debut thriller by the son of celebrated mystery writer Elmore lacks the elder’s punchy prose, panache, and wit. Michigander Kate McCall is living a wife and mother’s worst nightmare. Her husband, Owen, was killed by the couple’s own son, Luke, in a bow-hunting accident. As she copes with her grief, Kate recalls her first dates with Owen, shortly after she’d returned from Guatemala. (She had been working with the Peace Corps until a confrontation with a powerful and corrupt local lawman prompted the narrowest of escapes.) Soon after Owen’s death, an old boyfriend of Kate’s reenters the picture. He has some decidedly unsavory friends he met at a local chop shop, and Kate begins to regret rekindling the romance. Meanwhile, Luke struggles to cope with the aftermath of his father’s death. From the start, Leonard’s novel suffers from cardboard characters and a predictable plot. Granted, the senior Leonard, a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, is a tough act to follow. Quiver will attract some interest, based on the author’s pedigree, and perhaps with a second novel, the younger Leonard will find his voice. --Allison Block

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312379021
• ISBN-13: 978-0312379025
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #392,051 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review, September 9, 2008

By	Cheryl K (CO) - See all my reviews

Kate McCall's husband dies in an hunting accident. Kate's son, Luke accidentally shots his father with an arrow. As Kate is trying to cope with the loss of her husband and the guilt her son carries, an old friend walks back into her life. Jack is an ex-con. He has a lot of people after him right now, because they think he has lost the heist money. The events that take place will make Kate and her son, Luke's relationship stronger than it has even been in this skillfully plotted strongline of a book called Quiver.

I thought Quiver was a good first book for Mr. Peter Leonard. It moved very quickly and easily. The ending was a surprise to me. I enjoyed this fact, when the unexpected happens in a book. It shows that author's writing style to be so amazing that Mr. Leonard can take the reader all the way through a story without the reader knowing or figuring out what is going to happen next. It makes me want to read more novels by this author. If Quiver is any indication of what's to come from Peter Leonard than readers are in for a treat. So make sure to check out Quiver to see what people are talking about and make sure to add Mr. Leonard to your list of favorite authors. You won't be sorry you did.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FINELY DRAWN CHARACTERS AND ESCALATING SUSPENSE, May 22, 2008

By	Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: Quiver (Audio CD)

Some might say "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" is a tried and true expression. Most definitely true in the case of this debut novel by Peter Leonard, son of acclaimed thriller writer Elmore Leonard. While the elder Leonard is still practicing his lifelong diligence and turning out bestsellers at the age of 82, it took Leonard the younger quite a while to turn his hand to authorship. In fact, he spent the majority of his professional life to date in another field. Nonetheless when he did write a novel he has said that he found the experience both satisfying and exciting. Listeners will have the same feelings when they hear his tale as read by accomplished actor Scott Sowers.

In addition to his stage roles many will remember Sowers from his frequent TV appearances on Law & Order and All My Children. His crystal clear diction and persuasive delivery make listening a pleasure.

Quiver begins innocently enough but the author quickly ratchets up tension. Kate is shopping when her cart collides with one belonging to Owen, a race car driver. He asks her out and it's fast forward into marriage.

Years pass and Owen takes their teenage son, Luke, hunting - with bow and arrow. The unthinkable happens when one of Luke's arrows pierces a deer and goes straight into Owen's chest. The death of his father spirals Luke into serious depression.

It's not long before Jack, Kate's old boyfriend, turns up. He's been released from prison after serving over three years of a five year sentence for armed robbery. Along with Jack comes trouble. The stolen money has never been found and his pals want it. Owen left Kate with a good deal of money which is now also at risk.

Crisp dialogue, finely drawn characters, and escalating suspense make standout listening. We look forward to Peter Leonard's next, and hope he doesn't wait so long this time around.

- Gail Cooke

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Unbelieveable Characters and Plot, June 22, 2008

By	Zeni "g'amma" (AZ) - See all my reviews

This debut reads like a bad fairytale. I wish I had read the "bad" reviews before I purchased this book instead of the "good" reviews by authors I enjoy reading. The characters in this story are unconvincing and unbelieveable. Are people really like this? If they are in Michigan, then I'm glad I don't live there. I did not understand their dialog most of the time. The plot is also not very convincing. How does the heroine assault a deputy and get away? It makes the local police look very incompetent. And does the heroine really cook a meal for the crooks who have just robbed her and beat up her son? I did not enjoy this book. Perhaps the locals in Detroit suburbs can relate to the characters and plot better than I can. I would not recommend this book.