“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
Peter Leonard on writing and his father, Elmore Leonard
Years ago, I wrote a movie script and showed it to my father. He read it and said, “Yeah, it’s pretty good. But why do you want to write scripts?” He said, “Wanting to be a screenwriter is like wanting to be a co-pilot. You want to write, write a book.” Well, I took Elmore’s advice and wrote the first chapter of QUIVER and called him up and said, “You’re right. Being in the head of the character is what it’s all about.”
Elmore said, “Boy, you’re on your way.”
When I was in college I wrote a six page short story and asked my father to read it and tell me what he thought. The next day he said, “Your characters are like strips of leather drying in the sun. They all look and sound the same.” I said, “Anything else?” He said, “Yeah, if you’re going to write, you’ve got to be able to handle criticism.” Late fall, I gave Elmore a copy of my new novel QUIVER. I said, “Will you read this and tell me what you think.” The next day he called me up and said, “I’ve read five chapters and I’m on the edge of my seat.” A couple days after that he called and said, “You’ve got a sound. It took me ten years to get my sound. You’ve written a terrific novel.” Let me tell you, it’s not easy to please Elmore Leonard.
Found in: Thriller
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