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Quiver [Hardcover]

Peter Leonard (Author)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)


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Hardcover, May 13, 2008 --  
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Audio, CD, Bargain Price $11.98  
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Book Description

May 13, 2008

Quiver is a spectacular debut….With a large cast of characters—each presented as meticulously as an Andrew Wyeth portrait—and numerous points of view, all funneling inevitably to a stunning conclusion, you will be holding your breath until the final page. Peter’s dad should be proud.”
--Otto Penzler

“A strong debut that combines a tight plot (about a deadly double-cross in the woods of Michigan) with memorable characters and dialogue—come to think of it, not unlike what Leonard’s father, Elmore Leonard, creates.”
--Seattle Times

“An outstanding debut….Leonard, the son of grandmaster mystery writer Elmore Leonard, deftly utilizes frequent flashback scenes in a tense tale that’s easily one of the best crime novels of the year.”
--East Lansing Journal

“The best parts of the novel concern the crooks, who, if not as gloriously quirky as those in Elmore Leonard’s novels, are sometimes funny and sometimes scary.”
--Washington Post

"Peter Leonard's energetic style makes one forget the name Elmore and concentrate on the Leonard....Good writing may be in his genes, but the style's all his own."
--Oline Cogdill, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel

One of the most riveting and powerful new voices in crime fiction, Peter Leonard delivers a razor-sharp debut thriller.

Kate McCall’s husband has been killed by her son, Luke, in a tragic bow-hunting accident. While Kate struggles with her son’s surly guilt, her first love, Jack, an ex-con, reappears, along with a crew of his former “colleagues.” While Jack must convince his partners in crime that he really did lose the heist money, his appearance sets into motion a series of events culminating in a life-and-death confrontation with a gang of killers.

Leonard displays remarkable maturity for a first-time novelist in both the plotting of the story and the language of his protagonists. The twists and turns of a love affair, an unrequited crush, and a kidnapping/extortion plot complement a tightly drawn, intimate cast of memorably quick and dim-witted characters.

Quiver marks the breakthrough of a new force in thriller writing---an explosive and unforgettable debut.

Praise for Quiver:

“With its clever plotting and blood-and-guts characters, Quiver will certainly put Peter Leonard on the map. This is the start of something special.”
---Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Overlook

Quiver's supercharged plot, rhythmic dialogue, and cool-under-pressure characters kept me reading into the night. An impressive, exciting debut from Peter Leonard.”
---George Pelecanos, New York Times bestselling author of The Night Gardener  

"Quiver is a surprise and a delight, a twisty deadpan troll through some very devious neighborhoods.  I welcome Peter Leonard and look forward to whatever he wants to offer next."
--- Donald Westlake

"Quiver is terrific.  I have to make the corniest admission of all: Couldn't put it down."
---Mike Lupica, NY Daily News columnist

“Peter Leonard’s first novel, Quiver, amply shows that he’s the great Elmore’s son. This book is a wicked trip with the creeps and pukes that inhabit the criminal world who collide with a convincing heroine. The setting in the rural north of Michigan is unique and engaging. I salute Peter Leonard at the beginning of what will obviously be a fine career.”
---Jim Harrison, author of Returning to Earth and Legends of the Fall

"Quiver is a terrific debut. Peter Leonard has a good ear for voices, a good eye for detail, and a talent for bringing together elements that can't do anything but explode."
---Edgar Award Winner Thomas Perry, author of Silence


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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)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (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
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,865,279 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

23 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (4)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (23 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Review, September 9, 2008
This review is from: Quiver (Hardcover)
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.
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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars FINELY DRAWN CHARACTERS AND ESCALATING SUSPENSE, May 22, 2008
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
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing - not a keeper, October 6, 2008
This review is from: Quiver (Hardcover)
It has taken longer for me to post this review than intended, the main reason being I wanted to read something by Elmore Leonard before actually writing this so that I could justifiably add my opinion on any comparisons between father and son.

Firstly I would like to say that I don't believe that the book lives up to the cover hype - unless he improves with each new book his father shouldn't worry about any competition in the quality of writing stakes. 52 Pickup shows how a book of this kind should be written, Quiver is a version for those with very little ability to concentrate.

The novel lasted one train journey (around an hour!), I found I couldn't really warm to the character's, Kate excepted. Some of them seemed so stereotypical to my English eyes - the red neck with hygiene and brain power problems, the ex-boyfriend, weak of will when it came to temptation of the pecuniary kind.

The overall plot seemed a tad trite and obvious and the writing a bit simplistic, dare I say reminiscent of advertising blurb.

So to sum up, I probably wouldn't buy a Peter Leonard book, but I'll be quite keen to read more Elmore Leonard.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
belly chain
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Peter Leonard, Bill Wink, Land Rover, Quiver Teddy, Del Keane, Suttons Bay, Peace Corps, Bloomfield Hills, Johnny Crow, San Pedro, Cathead Bay, Quiver Jack, Ann Arbor, Teddy Hicks, Captain Garza, Where's Luke, Ken Calvert, Theodore Monroe Hicks, Point Blank Pro Plus, Traverse City, Lake Michigan, Detroit Tigers, Cold Duck, Sterling Heights, Helen Parks
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