
"John Harper has just made a discovery: the father he believed to be dead for more than thirty years is alive, though lying in a coma in a Manhattan hospital. Returning home to New York brings with it memories of childhood, many of them painful, and yet Harper could never have prepared himself for the truth. Confronted with the reality of his father's existence, Harper finds himself seduced by a lifestyle that he seems to have inherited--an underworld life of power, treachery, and menace. As he desperately tries to uncover the facts of his own past, he is faced with one lie after another, and with each new discovery he becomes more and more entangled in a dark and shocking conspiracy. From the acclaimed author of A Quiet Belief in Angels and A Simple Act of Violence, City of Lies is a tense and gripping thriller, each twist and turn more shocking than the last"-- Provided by publisher.
Publisher:
New York, NY :, Overlook Press,, 2013
Edition:
First edition
ISBN:
9781590204658
1590204654
1590204654
Branch Call Number:
FICTION Ellory 2013
Characteristics:
453 pages ; 24 cm


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Add a CommentCrime Fiction. Hack Miami journalist John Harper thought his father had died 30 years ago, so he's shocked to hear that he's been shot and is lying in a coma in a New York hospital. Dad -- known as Edward "Lenny" Bernstein to cops and gangsters alike -- wakes up only to tell Harper to get out of town; "uncle" Walt, on the other hand, is eager for Harper to stay. And so Harper -- seduced by Walt's vision of the underworld on one hand, and warned away by both his father and a New York cop on the other -- is slowly enmeshed in a dangerous conspiracy. A leisurely build up, some great dialogue, and a well-depicted New York make for a tense read.
Written similar to a script - 2 or 3 words comprise too many sentences. Too many paragraphs describe surroundings in script style rather than enjoyable prose. I tried to read but stopped after 4 pages. If I want a Hollywood script I'll order one.