Cruel April: A Dave Garrett Mystery (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The fourth calendar adventure (coming after Burning March) for Philadelphia PI Dave Garrett is a page-turner throughout. Echoing the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, the tale leads the appealing, tender-hearted Garrett, a disbarred lawyer, through hell, Pennsylvania style. He's searching for lovely, red-haired Kate, who was supposed to leave her drunken brute of a husband in Miami and join the PI, her new lover, in Philadelphia. When Kate's bags arrive but she doesn't, Garrett starts a search that takes him from economically devastated Chester, in eastern Pennsylvania, where the streets are empty round the clock, to the sparsely settled wilds of the central part of the state. Convinced that Kate will perish if he falls asleep, Dave keeps popping amphetamines and drinking coffee. On the way to the final twist, six people die, Garrett survives assorted attempts on his life, including one from a Colombian drug pusher armed with an M-16. Motivation is a little weak, but effective settings and action and a neat resolution provide first-rate entertainment.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

What Sue Grafton has done with the alphabet, Neil Albert is doing with the calendar. Beginning with The January Corpse (1991), Albert's Dave Garrett mysteries, starring the disbarred Philadelphia lawyer turned private eye, have featured fast action and a believable, appealing cast of characters. The April installment begins when Kate, Dave's girlfriend who has finally decided to leave her husband, doesn't arrive as scheduled on a flight from Miami to Philadelphia. When Kate's baggage is claimed by someone else, Dave knows there's trouble and begins a four-day marathon to find her. It becomes clear early on that Kate has somehow been caught in the middle of a major drug ring; with the help of his pal Lisa and Kate's husband, Dave faces the formidable task of extricating her from the mess. We contended that the climax of Albert's last book, Burning March , would "shock even the most seasoned mystery fan." Prepare to be shocked again. Stuart Miller

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Ed edition (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525937196
• ISBN-13: 978-0525937197
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,197,241 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great book!, July 25, 1997

By A Customer

I must confess I purchased this paperback expecting a cheesy mystery story. Was I ever surprised! Albert is a terrific writer. Although this is clearly a formula novel, he constructs everything perfectly. I loved his strategy of having Dave Garrett, the PI protagonist, go for 4 days without sleep, which does not leave the reader a convenient place to put the book down. It is non-stop action! Also I should mention that I experimented with Fastin diet pills to stay awake while studying for college exams, and I thought it was great that an author would incorporate such a powerful energizing substance in a story. Good job, Albert