Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Collision of Evil by John J. Le Beau. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
Collision of Evil by John J. Le Beau
Non-series
Oceanview Publishing (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-933515-54-6 (1933515546)
ISBN-13: 978-1-933515-54-0 (9781933515540)
Publication Date: September 2009
List Price: $25.95
Review: John J. Le Beau's debut novel, Collision of Evil, is a multi-national, multi-generational thriller that blends historical fact with present day reality.
CIA operative Robert Hirter travels to Germany following the murder of his brother Charles, found dead after a hike through the Bavarian mountains. What troubles the local police is how inconceivable the crime is. "There are no witnesses, none," Kommissar Franz Waldbaer tells Robert. "The place where the murder took place is entirely unpopulated. No weapon has been recovered. We have no motive." Piece by piece, however, the two men begin to construct the puzzle surrounding Charles Hirter's murder, and in the process uncover a plot to inflict widespread carnage during the soon to be held Oktoberfest in Munich.
Collision of Evil is written in third person omniscient, which can be tricky for a suspense novel. After all, the "dunits" -- who, how, and why -- are known to the reader, leaving little to the imagination. Yet the author handles the narrative exceptionally well, unfolding key plot points in a measured, controlled manner while maintaining a brisk pace (helped, in part, by rather short chapters that frequently alternate points of view).
Political thrillers often have a complex matrix of interpersonal relationships, but the improbable connection between the men of Nazi Germany in the 1940s and Islamic fundamentalists of today, a central plot point, is handled in a deceptively simple, clever manner here. The number of principal characters is also kept to a minimum, a welcome development. Not only do these factors make reading the book more engaging and enjoyable, it opens it up to potential readers who may shy away from the genre. Finally, the crisply written conclusion is quite suspenseful, a thrilling, as it were, way to end a most satisfying novel.
Special thanks to Oceanview Publishing for providing a copy of Collision of Evil for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
If you are interested in purchasing Collision of Evil from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. Collision of Evil (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.
Synopsis (from the publisher): As evening falls against the majestic backdrop of the Bavarian Alps, Charles Hirter, an American tourist, is savagely murdered. In the peace, quiet and pastoral splendor of this magnificent setting, Charles Hirter draws his last breath. Was Charles simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Kommissar Franz Waldbaer, the German detective in charge of the case, faces an investigation that yields neither clues nor suspects nor motives. A gruff, go-it alone detective, Waldbaer is dismayed by the arrival of Robert Hirter, the victim's brother, who insists on joining the investigation. But there is more to Robert than meets the eye.
As Robert and the Kommissar uncover a nefarious nexus of evil past and evil present, they find themselves probing dark, long-forgotten episodes from the Third Reich in order to identify the present threat.
Thrust into a violent world of fanatic passions, malevolent intentions and excruciating urgency, Robert Hirter and Kommissar Waldbaer must race against the clock to stop a sophisticated, covert, and deadly plot.
Return to Mystery Books News ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment