This was a great afternoon read for holidays beside the pool in Bali.

`Quiver' is appropriately named for the bow hunting prevalent throughout the novel. Accidentally, Luke has killed his father in a bow-hunting accident and the novel starts seven months after the event. His mother Kate, whilst not holding him responsible is concerned for him. At the same time an ex-con from Kate's past, Jack, comes into her life. Luke takes off for their lodge in Northern Michigan, finding everything difficult and Jack and Kate follow him.

Meanwhile, there are other criminals interested in all the money Kate has been left and they pursue the threesome. What unfolds is a fast paced thriller with some surprising and also predictable events. Whilst clearly well written, `Quiver' takes a while to settle into. There are great characters and some fantastic narrative but there are times where it seemed that Peter Leonard was already thinking ahead without clarifying current events and I became a little lost in two different place. The second half is quick and rapid, thoroughly engaging the reader and more than makes up for a slightly slower beginning. ( )

Peter Leonard's first novel and I enjoyed it as a whole. Very slow moving to start off but I did get a sense of loss and how do I pick up the pieces and move on after this tragedy happens to the family. Once things get going get ready for a bunch of supporting characters and no matter what you think about them they all collide in a somewhat suprising and satisfing ending. I liked it and looking forward to what he comes up with next. ( )

Not my thing, ( )

Blah. Okay, maybe not utter blah, but that’s the thought that comes to mind every time LibraryThing sends me a ‘you haven’t reviewed this book’ reminder. God bless the Early Reviewer scheme, it’s made my mailbox a happy, happy place, but sometimes… Blah, I say.

So… well, the pacing was well-handled, and for a thriller, that’s one of the first things that will fall down if anything does. There were enjoyable elements to the book (and a few pages where I thought Peter Leonard had some serious writing chops), such as the cohesively written family unit, but I found it slow to get into; not because of the pace, but because too much was predictable and – the most fatal of flaws to a veteran crime/thriller fiction reader – stereotypical, and in the end I simply put this down without finishing it, just over the halfway point... (I was trying not to be an impatient, unfair reader) and cannot face picking it up again.

I think the book’s main flaw for me is that it reads like a second draft of something that needed a shot of inspiration and a third polishing. I might pick up something else by Peter Leonard, but not for a while. And not this one. ( )

A one sitter for me, very thrilling with not much to think about. A very clever idea but would have liked a bit more about some of the characters. Great start will definitely look for more by Mr Leonard. ( )