The Lure: A Novel (Paperback)

by Felice Picano (Author) "Noel Cummings swerved his ten-speed bicycle to a stop at the railing and listened..." (more)
Key Phrases: reopening party, Window Wall, Little Larry, Buddy Vega (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In 1979, Felice Picano rocketed to fame with the publication of this shocking, controversial thriller. Riveting and candid in its depiction of the gay sexual subculture of the era, and Praised by Stephen King as "Explosive...Felice Picano is one hell of a writer," The Lure thrusts young widower Noel Hathaway into a dark universe of physical and psychological violence; an unwilling lure used by the police to unmask an elusive killer.

From the Publisher
Noel Cummings is about to change irrevocably. After witnessing a brutal murder, Noel is recruited by the police to assist as a lure for the kill er-at-large. Undercover, Noel moves deeper and deeper into the freneticis m of Manhattan's gay highlife... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 373 pages
• Publisher: Alyson Books; 1 edition (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555836992
• ISBN-13: 978-1555836993
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,416,536 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perspective, January 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lure (Hardcover)

I read this book in 1980 when it was featured as the Monthly Selection of the Literary Guild book club. I have since re-read the book 2 times. The setting is definitely dated. However, I believe it is a very important work because of the fact that two different book clubs featured the novel as "Selection of the Month". In 1979-1980 a book that featured the gay community, no matter what point-of-reference was unheard of. For readers that never experienced that era, the subject may seem ridiculous. However, this novel did much for the isolated in rural areas of the country that read a "mainstream" novel on a subject such as The Lure's. This novel's importance goes far beyond the subject, setting and characters included in its pages.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Picano's best book, January 15, 2002

By	DonMac "butchm" (Lynn, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lure (Hardcover)

Thrilling, funny, sexy and imaginative. I've re-read this one numerous times; it holds a permanent place in my library. A great story representative of its era. Sadly so much of Picano's other work is full of pretense. This is, I think, his only book where all of his characters are just that - and likable as well. A fun ride!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thriller for the Ages, April 8, 2002

By	Get What We Give (Georgia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Lure (Hardcover)

There's nothing wrong with this book. Nothing at all. Everything Picano put into print in this fine piece of fiction is absolutely mesmerizing. It is impossible to stop reading it. It will grip you tightly and take you away to the fantastic world where Picano weaves a web of crime, corruption, love, sex, hatred, and kink.

If you read this book, you will never forget it. I think it is the finest example of mystery fiction in the last half of the twentieth century.

Heterosexual Noel Cummings stumbles across a murder in action. He tries to prevent it, but fails. Subsequently, he is drafted into service as an undercover operative searching for the killer in gay New York. When he enters the world, he can see right and wrong as plainly as black and white, but over time, he begins to question reality as he knows it. The murderer keeps on killing and Noel is always just one step away from him.

Picano is one of the best writers of this or any generation and The Lure is quite possibly the finest book he's ever written. When originally published, The Lure was on the Book of the Month club list and was an instant best seller. Time has not taken its toll on this book even though the action takes place some twenty years ago.

Set aside a few hours to be swept away to a dark and scary world where you don't know who your real friends are. You'll not regret it.