Quiver

Publishers Weekly

Leonard begins his short debut novel with several disparate sequences that, being exposition, don't give reader Scott Sowers much to work with. A new widow recalls telling her husband of her violent escape from eastern Guatemala. A convict gets an early release from an Arizona prison. The widow's memory shifts to her son accidentally killing his father with a bow and arrow. Three sociopaths engage in various criminal activities. Not only are these story shards confusing, the characters are not very engaging, the one exception being a jive-talking, ultra-cool villain named Dejuan, whom Sowers smartly mines for all his much-needed sinister dark humor. Eventually the elements coalesce into a tense kidnap thriller that Sowers delivers with effective energy and pacing. The package includes a conversation between the author and his father, Elmore Leonard, who discusses his famous "10 Rules of Good Writing." Peter should have paid more attention to the one about leaving out the parts that readers tend to skip. A St. Martin's Minotaur hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 10). (May)

Library Journal

In his debut novel, Leonard (son of crime fiction master Elmore) shows more than a little promise. Katie McCall is a still-grieving widow whose past comes back to hurt her in a bizarre manner. Shortly after her husband is killed by their son in a bow-hunting accident, an ex-boyfriend and a group of thugs show up and set in motion events that will lead to a life-or-death climax. It's impossible not to compare Leonard with his famous father, and there are some similarities. The story is tight, and the descriptions of the Michigan setting ring true, whether it's the Detroit area or further upstate. The pacing is excellent, and the characters all have unique voices. What prevents the book from being outstanding is the stilted dialog, which too often sounds like a written report rather than a conversation you'd expect people to have. Still, this is an excellent debut, and one that many will likely finish in one sitting. Leonard is an author to watch, and this title is recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ1/08; library marketing campaign.]
—Craig Shufelt

From the Publisher

“Leonard has his father's knack for creating memorable characters who are both sinister and amusing. The result is a masterful debut.”—Calgary Sun

“Reading Leonard is just as much fun as reading, well, Leonard.” —Providence Journal-Bulletin

“This is an outstanding debut… Great tension and sharp-as-a-tack writing!”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“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

“You’ll be sitting in the air off the edge of your chair more than once during your reading of Quiver.”—Bookreporter.com

“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.”—The South Florida Sun-Sentinel

“Peter Leonard’s first novel, Quiver, amply shows that he’s the great Elmore’s son. This book is a wicked trip…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