Title: Losing Lenore
Author: Joe Klingler
Publisher: Cartosi, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-941156-18-6
Pages: 538
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Arthur Thares
Pacific Book Review
Books come and go, but it is rare that a book leaves an impression on you like this one. To call this a private detective story is underselling it. This book is so flawless that it is difficult to even know where to start praising it. No matter what your favorite genre is, or what style of writing you prefer, it is genuinely hard not to like this Joe Klingler story. If this praise isn’t enough, the story will speak for itself.
Tommy Cuda, a wannabe private investigator, sets off on a personal journey to explore the iconic Route 66. Before his journey even starts, he runs into Leni, who is on the run from someone who will complicate Tommy’s life immensely. Tommy helps Leni escape and is soon tossed into a world he isn’t used to, but isn’t so far from his own. As the story unfolds, Tommy meets a cast of characters that help him on his first very unofficial private investigator case. When Leni goes missing again, the story turns from a rescue to a search and rescue, and every new clue complicates the story even further.
It’s no wonder that author Joe Klingler has won multiple writing awards. This isn’t just a book; it is an immersive experience where no detail is missed, which is probably why it clocks in at 538 pages. It’s not just the attention to detail that makes this story so wonderful; it is also the vibrant characters this story produces. Each character is gently fleshed out throughout the story, so they feel more like someone you are getting to know than a character in a book. Although this is a longer story, there is never a moment when the pace slows or when there needs to be any boring story building. Something that many readers may not even notice through the story is how much history and general facts are woven throughout the story. From Route 66 to a famous island, you learn interesting facts about the history of the U.S. while enjoying a detective novel. Another demographic who will love this book is car lovers, as Tommy loves his Barracuda, and it is a focal point of the book.
Losing Lenore is an absolute masterpiece in its genre. It’s hard to write a boring private detective novel, but few are as polished as this one. Tommy Cuda is the perfect mix of cool and awkward, making him an everyman that anyone can look up to. This simple fact allows you to look over the point that a whole group of people invite him into their lives with few questions asked. This book is worth every page you must turn to get to the satisfying ending. Losing Lenore unravels a mystery where every truth has consequences, and every lie has a price.
