Title: Losing Lenore
Subtitle: A Tommy Cuda Mystery
Author: Joe Klingler
Publisher: Cartosi LLC
ISBN: 978-1941156186
Pages: 538
Genre: Mysteries / Thriller / Suspense
Reviewer: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
At one point or another in every person’s life, there comes a time when a call to adventure beckons them all. The need to spread their proverbial wings and fly off to unknown lands, to change the daily monotony of life and see things from a whole new perspective becomes a driving force which makes people eager to leave their lives behind and embrace change and the turning of a new page. Whether it is because they are running away from something or running toward it, adventure is the key that unlocks new possibilities in a person’s life.
Exploring this concept is author Joe Klingler in their novel Losing Lenore. The story follows Tommy Cuda, a budding private investigator on a quest to see the Pacific Ocean, by driving his late grandfather’s muscle car through Route 66 and leaving behind the technology ruling so many people’s lives. Yet early on in his journey, he meets a young woman using tarot to read people’s fortunes, but a chance encounter between the two lands Tommy Cuda in the midst of a grand conspiracy. A conspiracy where crime runs rampant alongside corruption, and shocking revelations lead to a life-altering realization for the young woman seeking his help from the dangers that have begun plaguing her life.
What a compelling and gripping thriller. The author immediately immerses readers in the narrative through rich character development and visceral imagery used in the author’s writing style that feels like a modern-day noir. The juxtaposition between the iconic relationships between Tommy and Lenore of the private eye and the mystery client with the modern day twist of technology and the role it plays in people’s lives was not lost on the reader, and the heavy atmosphere was perfectly underscored by dialogue which felt witty and relatable, as if the reader was picking up conversations overheard while walking through these powerful scenes.
For those who enjoy thrillers, especially hard-broiled detective novels that have a private-eye-noir tone and quietly mesh mystery and suspense into the narrative, this is the perfect novel to get lost in. The powerful themes and topics the story tackles, from crime rings and the pressures of college education, to sexual assault and domestic violence, were presented in a way that felt natural and important to the overall narrative. The slow pacing allowed readers to really connect with the cast of characters at large, and the settings were greatly brought to life in the novel, especially one location towards the end of the book tied to a film of late actor Christopher Reeve that is one of this reviewer’s favorites which the author so eloquently incorporates into one character’s relationship to give a sense of comfort and emotion the reader can cling to.