Customer Reviews

Trust Me

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Karen Delaney has found the perfect way to retrieve $300, 000 dollars from her ex-boyfriend, Samir Fakir. When Karen and Samir were dating back than, she lent him the $300, 000 to invest but than they broke up a few months later and he never returned the money to her. Karen and her current boyfriend's house is broken into by two men by the names of Robert "Bobby" Gal and Lloyd Diehl. They demand the usual...money and jewels. Karen has a plan in mind. She proposes to Bobby and Lloyd that if they will break into her ex's place and fletches the money than she will split the money with them.

Things don't go as smoothly but this bumbling gang gets the job done. Karen pulls a sneak attack and makes off with the money. The question is can she hold on to it or will she and her Benjamin's be parted?

Trust Me is the second novel by talented author Peter Leonard. I have been anxiously awaiting to read Mr. Leonard's next novel, ever since I read Quiver. I have to say that I was happily surprised by this book. The cast of characters were so bad that they were good. It was a wonder that Bobby, Lloyd and the rest of the bad guys kept locating Karen. I still believe it was pure luck. They were so clueless. On the other hand, Karen may play the airhead but she has smarts about her. This book was a pleasure to read and so refreshing. Mr. Leonard can Trust Me to read his next novel.

In his second novel, following the very favorably received "Quiver," Peter Leonard has proven that he is the more than capable heir to his father, Elmore Leonard. "Trust Me" is as good as the master gets and demonstrates that the son has a lot more to show us. The quirky characters, the twists in plot, the utter zaniness of the story, demonstrate that the genes have continuity.

Typically, the plot starts with the unusual. Two hapless characters invade the home of a man who just won some money at a casino, intending to rob him. Instead, they are induced by his lover to help her recover $300,000 she entrusted to a former boyfriend who refuses to return the money. From that point, anything that can go wrong usually does, although they do invade the ex-love's home and remove a safe containing $1.6 million.

And then the chase begins. In some ways, the various situations are hilarious, in others deadly. The various entanglements are as unexpected as they are purposeful. Written with ease and sly wit, trust me and read it. Recommended.

Peter Leonard has written a really teriffic read.....and it's hard to believe this is just his second book. There is no doubt he has a lot of success on his horizon. It is inevitable to want to compare Peter to his celebrated father, Elmore, but there are marked differences in their writing style, in my opinion....and I've read every Elmore Leonard book. Peter's characters seem universally human, though very unpredictable. And these characters seem to shift within the context of the story from likeable to despicable....and vice versa. I also enjoyed the unique plot and setting; not your garden variety action novel.

Can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend Trust Me.

His second book, maybe not quite as good as his first, but still a captivating read. Lots of action, wonderful character development, great story line. I literally couldn't put it down - had to read it in one day, so schedule the start of your book accordingly. I can't wait for more from this guy.

When a couple of bumbling wannabe criminals learn a man has won a substantial amount of cash, naturally they think its a simple matter of breaking in to his house in the middle of night, pointing a gun at him and demanding the cash. But they didn't count of the man having weapons, or a woman with him instead of behaving like a terrified victim will see an opportunity for their skill set and offer them part of a million dollar opportunity. Her violent ex boyfriend kept over $300 000 she brought with her to their relationship and she wants it back. Whatever else is in excess to that in his safe, which they'll just steal and open later, they'll divide evenly amongst themselves. Of course that caper doesn't go smoothly nor does the opening of the safe. Who can you trust? Who should you the reader hope is successful?

It's an interesting novel, not as fast paced as it may have been if this wasn't only Leonard's second novel. There are a lot of similar characters which gets a little confusing at times, and massive coincidences and conveniences need to occur to keep the chase on track. Enjoyable enough that I'll check out Leonard's previous novel Quiver, and whatever he writes after this.

Two thieves, Bobby and Lloyd, break into a house owned by the head of an illegal bookmaking operation expecting to come away with a large bundle of cash. What they do not expect is the proposition they receive from Karen Delaney, who lives in the home. She convinces the duo to help her get back the $300,000 of her money that ex-boyfriend and bookmaker Samir Fakir kept after their breakup.

Seeing something worthwhile in the plan laid out by the beautiful redhead, Bobby and Lloyd agree to the heist. Although Samir has surrounded himself with a group of heavy-duty thugs, Karen gathers together a motley crew and manages to pull off the robbery, fatalities aside.

Suddenly, Karen disappears with the goods. As she tries to stay ahead of those who are trying to locate her, she finds herself the most sought after redhead in town, as the thieves, thugs, ex-cons, Arab hit men, and cops all are in pursuit of Karen and each other through numerous Detroit neighborhoods.

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish who is the most air-headed among them. The less than stellar thugs keep finding Karen, and she has to perform mini-miracles to get away once again. The chase continues with a number of bodies falling by the wayside.

Trust Me is a worthy follow-up to Peter Leonard's debut novel, Quiver. The unconventional cast of characters in this noir thriller is at times as funny as they are determined hardened criminals bent on gaining control of a situation gone quickly and increasingly awry.

Trust Me

Being the offspring of an iconic figure is a mixed blessing at best. You spend half your time explaining who you are and the other half explaining who you are not. There may be times, late at night, when Peter Leonard lies awake in bed and contemplates how things might have been if he was picking away at a guitar instead of a word processor as a way of bringing home the daily bread. If that is the case, I hope he does not think too long or too hard about it. He made the right move, and trust me, his sophomore work conclusively demonstrates that.

At the end of the day, TRUST ME is built upon a very basic series of propositions: girl meets boy; girl and boy start seeing each other (in the Biblical sense); girl gives boy $300,000 to invest; girl and boy break up; boy keeps money; and girl tries to get money back. You cannot imagine how much fun this truly is until you crack open the spine. The girl of the piece is Karen Delaney, a beautiful and talented young woman whose resume includes work as a high school drum majorette and professional model and cheerleader, and whose Achilles' heel is a talent for picking the worst man out of any random room full of them. The boy is Samir, a wealthy Detroit businessman involved in legal high-end markets, party stores and, oh yeah, illegal bookmaking.

As the novel begins, Delaney has moved on (at least romantically), engaged (at least officially) to the owner of a chain of Detroit area restaurants. When two burglars ---one of whom is a little smarter than the other --- invade the domestic tranquility of the not-really-happy couple, Delaney has a proposition for them. As she puts it, she's not scamming them; she's been waiting for them.

But as we soon learn, what Delaney tells them is only half-true. With an amusing if cold-blooded pragmatism, Delaney begins utilizing her not-too-shabby looks and various and assorted talents to get not only her money back but also some considerable vig, cutting her erstwhile business partners out of the deal. If Delaney has a tragic flaw, it is that she does not think too far ahead of herself. But that is also her talent, as her fancy footwork keeps her a step (well, sometimes a quarter-step) ahead of the bad guys who pursue her with great aplomb. What they don't take into account is Delaney's cold pragmatism, which holds her in good stead as she is pursued from one end of Detroit to another, and beyond.

Leonard works magic in TRUST ME, making Delaney wholly sympathetic and believable --- this is a guy who knows women to their core --- even while she is manipulating everyone she encounters in order to get what is hers. As with any caper novel, the true test of its worth is the supporting cast of characters, and this one passes with flying colors --- from the hapless duo who uneasily partner up with Delaney in the beginning to Delaney's mother and sister. Leonard is his own man, and while he might mine the same mountain as his father, Elmore, he is fully capable of telling his own stories, and telling them well. Trust me.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

In Detroit Karen Delaney gave $300,000 to her boyfriend Samir Fakir, who runs a book joint. However, when she ends their relationship, he refuses to give her back her money. Upset, she has no way of regaining her cash.

Several months later, Bobby and Lloyd break into Karen's house planning to rob the place. Instead she catches the bumbling pair and offers them a deal. She will give them a share of the loot if they rob Samir's safe. Though the plan does not go as smooth as Karen's silky skin, they succeed with the theft. However, several people are interested in the stolen cash. An ex cop who plans to retire on the money; Samir's nephew owes a ton in gambling debts that will mean a knee if he is lucky; Samir's debtors want payment yesterday or they will test the resistance of his joints, other hitmen who want a windfall profit; and of course those incompetent thieves Bobby and Lloyd. Everyone seeks Karen who has disappeared with the money.

This is a zany out of control crime caper in which the twists are actually missteps by the competitors. No one comes across as particularly likable as everyone is pulled by avarice and most have the IQ of the Three Stooges. Still fans of Leonard style wackiness will enjoy paraphrasing President Reagan TRUST ME since I'm not government I'm here to help you; that is after I kill you.

Harriet Klausner

Elmore Leonard's son's 2d effort, and I hope his first was better. I have a request in to our public library to get a copy.

There's an excellent core to this story, but it is in desperate need of an editor. He loads up with pointless description of exactly where in Detroit the characters drive, which pretty much sucks the life out of what is, at bottom, a good yarn with interesting (and not all that pleasant) characters, some quite well-drawn, all pursuing the same bag of goodies. The best punches are pulled or telegraphed.

Not his father's son, by ANY means.

This high-spirited tale begins in bed. Karen lays two feet away from a male "acquaintance" she has apparently been dating for the past eight months. Although horny, he reaches over to show her the latest, best looking hole in golf on a Whispering Palms resort brochure.

Karen ignores his request for copulation, infinitely more interested in Pardon My French sitcom, sponsored by Levitra. Angry now, he turns his back to her and moves to his side of a king sized bed complaining that "there were monks who got laid more than he did."

There was a questionable lack of depth to their relationship from the very beginning. On their first date together, Karen's new fiancé thought "taking her skeet shooting at the Metamora Gun club on their first date," was the romantic thing to do.

Within a short period of time, both sleepers awaken to the sound of glass shattering. Karen grabs her gun and so does her now, completely flaccid, companion. Two robbers disarm them. Voluptuous Karen is ordered into the bedroom and promptly obeys.

In Trust Me, Just as quickly, Karen suggests that if the two thieves are interested in real money, they should join in her attempt to make it--take it, actually. If they just trust her fool-proof plan, they will rob her former wealthy boyfriend who owes her at least $300,000. He of course, is protected by several goons who could not be accused of having an IQ anywhere near the lower end of normal.

Even so, the robbers steal a diamond ring belonging to her boyfriend. But they are unable to take the money they watched her boyfriend win earlier at a Casino. The thieves are told the $9,600 in cash is stashed in a safe in one of her boyfriend's restaurants

The leader of these thugs is an ex-cop attempting to collect inflated debts owed him. He is particularly interested in an obsessive gambler who, instead of paying him back, gambles away what he owes the ex-cop. The gambler knows the ex is prone to physical punishment and possible death as a last resort.

This foolhardy gambler just happens to be one of the robbers who broke into Karen's home with the intention of stealing the $9,600 as partial payment to the cop. Now he must stall him even longer until he, Lloyd, and Karen are successful with their big heist.

But the ex-cop thinks about his own life. As Karen's plot stumbles onward, he hopes to divert the $300,000 to his bank account, making retirement from the league of crime, racketeering, and collecting, possible.

Of course, Karen's plot rapidly goes awry. After double crosses, murder, and a variety of twists and turns, Karen ends up with all the money chased by everyone she's misled. Will she ultimately keep her ill-gotten prize, or will one of the wiser bumbling crooks find a way to take it from her?

Trust Me, a rather clumsy robber mystery, if nothing else, will make you wonder about the aptitude of its characters and their ineptness relating with the underworld. The story moves along at a fast enough clip to keep you interested, but it seems to lack a sense of true reality. I suspect Peter Leonard meant Trust Me to be a true tongue-in-cheek story. Even the murder that occurs to move the story along seems understated.

I would recommend Trust Me to any reader who enjoys stories about shady characters who stumble along, double-crossing one another in amusing ways.

Other intersting books:
Cops 'n' Robbers: Hilarious True Stories of Bungling Burglars and Crafty Coppers
Quiver
High Order