Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Jenn's Review: Peter Pan Must Die


Author: John Verdon
Series: Dave Gurney #4
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Crown
Pages: 448
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Crime/Suspense
Rating: 5.0
Bottom Line: Another Captivating Crime Novel in the Series
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!
 Blurb:  In John Verdon’s most sensationally twisty novel yet, ingenious puzzle solver Dave Gurney brings his analytical brilliance to a shocking murder that couldn’t have been committed the way the police say it was.

The daunting task that confronts Gurney, once the NYPD’s top homicide cop: determining the guilt or innocence of a woman already convicted of shooting her charismatic politician husband -- who was felled by a rifle bullet to the brain while delivering the eulogy at his own mother’s funeral. 

Peeling back the layers, Gurney quickly finds himself waging a dangerous battle of wits with a thoroughly corrupt investigator, a disturbingly cordial mob boss, a gorgeous young temptress, and a bizarre assassin whose child-like appearance has earned him the nickname Peter Pan.

Startling twists and turns occur in rapid-fire sequence, and soon Gurney is locked inside one of the darkest cases of his career – one in which multiple murders are merely the deceptive surface under which rests a scaffolding of pure evil. Beneath the tangle of poisonous lies, Gurney discovers that the truth is more shocking than anyone had imagined.

And the identity of the villain at the mystery’s center turns out to be the biggest shock of all.


Review:  There are very few mystery writers that keep me in suspense, and John Verdon is one of them.  I discovered John Verdon through a publicist and he has proven himself to be one of my must read authors.  His novels are layers of puzzles and I love that about them.

It is interesting to see Hardwick out of his element, and just a little scary.  He's always been a cynical cowboy, but now he's bitter, vengeful loose cannon.  The addition of Esti Moreno, his girlfriend, is a surprising one, perhaps because I don't view Jack Hardwick as someone who is emotionally or romantically avaible.  She may be a bit of a plot device, giving Harwick and Gurney inside police access, however, Esti acts as a nice buffer between and helps keep the story flowing as well.

Gurney's single-mided determination to catch the uncatchable has become an obsession,  Usually, I find Madeline's desire to push Dave out of his comfort zone and psychoanalyze him to be annoying.  I understand hyperfocus, and introversion, and Madeline is finally starting to accept that about her husband.  But on one point, for once, I agree with Madeline: Gurney has a recklessness in the face of danger that is going to get him killed.  This is honestly the first time I've ever questioned his judgement.

The solution to the cold case is quite simple once you know it, but getting there was an incredible journey.  Honestly, I was surprised that I didn't see it sooner, but the case has been so obscured by tainted investigation and inaccurate assumptions, that it was difficult to see through the murk.  Once again, John Verdon had me completely captivated.

If you appreciate a good crime novel, you must check out the Dave Gurney series!  

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay...I am thinking I best get out there and get me some John Verdon books!

Julie said...

I can't wait to dig into this one.