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    Love and Fear: A Gulliver Dowd Mystery
    Love and Fear: A Gulliver Dowd Mystery
    Love and Fear: A Gulliver Dowd Mystery
    Ebook95 pages1 hour

    Love and Fear: A Gulliver Dowd Mystery

    By Reed Farrel Coleman

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    When the daughter of the most powerful Mafia don in New York goes missing, the don’s right-hand man comes to Gulliver Dowd for help. Problem is, the right-hand man and Dowd despise each other. Plus, the don knows who murdered Dowd’s sister, Keisha, but refuses to share that knowledge with Gulliver. Still, Dowd makes a devil’s deal and hunts for the girl. Old secrets and lies boil to the surface, threatening to destroy the lives of everyone involved. But who has the girl? An eccentric art professor, or one of the don’s many enemies? Will Gulliver find her, or will their fates dissolve in a corrosive stew of love and fear?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOrca Book Publishers
    Release dateMar 7, 2016
    ISBN9781459806795
    Love and Fear: A Gulliver Dowd Mystery
    Author

    Reed Farrel Coleman

    REED FARREL COLEMAN is a two-time Edgar Award nominee. He has also received the Macavity, Barry and Anthony Awards. To find out more visit: www.reedcoleman.com

    Read more from Reed Farrel Coleman

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    Reviews for Love and Fear

    3.5/5

    21 ratings10 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Love and Fear is the fourth in a series of books by Reed Farrel Coleman.I had heard very good things about this author but I found this book tobe somewhat mediocre. Being the fourth in a series about a detective it was a little disorientating to follow the story at first, even though this is a very short novel, because the detective has very unique features. he is described as being extremely short and strange looking. The strange looking aspect of her appearance made no sense to me even though many other characters commented on it.This book is part of a series put out by a Canadian publisher and the series is called Rapid Reads. The intent of the series is to produce short, mostly detective fiction with large print for people who are not normally big readers and perhaps want something light to read on a plane trip or a short voyage. This series is ideal for middle high school students because the language tends to be simple as are the plots. Of all of theRapid Reads I've read, this was by far the most interesting. I wouldn't call the book a total failure, it just didn't have a lot of suspense or intrigue in it . I'm not sure why Reed Farrell Coleman in now considered one of the best of the new crime writers just based on my reading of this book. I don't feel overly tempted to pick up something else by him right now,but maybe it is just this series and his other work is more intriguing and mature. Again this is a good book for a light reader or perhaps a higherlevel high school student. Good but not great.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy read--only 154 pages. I received this free book from Orca Book Publishers through LibraryThing in return for an honest review. Gulliver Dowd is an unusual private eye. He is only 4 feet tall. His short size can be an advantage, because people are not threatened by him. He can, however, take on men much bigger than himself without a problem.He is hired by a mob enforcer to find the daughter of the enforcer's boss. Gulliver knows and respects both men, but does not like either of them. They know something about Gulliver's sister's murder.Gulliver is very good at what he does. How he solves this case leads to a satisfying ending. This book is a solid 4 out 5 stars.
    • 4/5
      I received this book as a giveaway through librarything and ideally enjoyed it. It is a Rapid Read book and the third in the Gulliver Does series. After reading book number three, I would like to go back and read the first two.
    • 2/5
      Try as I might I just could not get into this book. I didn't much care for the writing and I felt like I was reading a book for a child, not that there is anything wrong with that but it just didn't hold my interest. Characters were glossed over and I found I didn't care for them. This was not my cup of tea. I received this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      I liked this Gulliver Dowd mystery better than The Boardwalk. LT doesn't seem to recognize these as part of a series. I might have liked it better because I knew what to expect: with the rapid reads, the reader doesn't perform the book so much as just receive it. Rather than figuring out what a character is thinking or feeling, the reader is told these things directly by the author. Unfortunately, the cover contains a pretty major spoiler, which I hope will be removed prior to publication. Tony is a pretty credible character, and the plot proceeds as it appears that it must. Recommended for ESL students and/or others who want a brief, simple read.
    • 4/5
      This book was a really quick read. It is a book that will hold your attention, and can easily be read in one read. The story follows Guliver Dowd, a private investigator, as he attempts to find the missing daughter of a mafia don. The plot includes a couple of twists and turns as the story unfolds. It is very fast paced, with much happening throughout. The characters are fairly well done and fleshed out for a book this short. I would definitely recommend this book. It is worth the short time it will take to read it.
    • 4/5
      “Love and Fear” is an entertaining, quick, classic “detective noir” read from author Reed Farrel Coleman. This is a Rapid Reads selection from Raven Books, and I enjoyed the format. “Love and Fear” is the fourth entry in the “Gulliver Dowd Mystery Series”, and while it can be read on its own, reading the preceding three books in the series would add to the appreciation of the story line for the reader. Gulliver Dowd is a sharp detective with a decidedly distinct persona—he describes himself as a pale dwarf, a “little person” with a deformed body and a quite handsome face. For years, his motivation to keep moving has been the search for the killer of his sister Keisha and the reason why she was killed. Now, the very person who has taunted Dowd by not revealing those answers needs Dowd’s help. Mafia Don Joey Vespucci’s youngest daughter, Bella, is missing, and Vespucci’s henchman, Tony, asks Dowd to find the girl. The investigation will bring secrets out from the shadows of lies, and not everyone will survive. As Dowd seeks to find answers for others, will he ever find his own resolution? Reed Farrel Coleman is an accomplished author who also writes as Tony Spinosa. Reed is also the author of other novels, including Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, the acclaimed Moe Prager series, short stories, and poetry. Reed is a three-time Edgar Award nominee in three different categories—Best Novel, Best Paperback Original, Best Short Story—and a three-time recipient of the Shamus Award for Best PI Novel of the Year. He has also won the Audie, Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards.Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
    • 4/5
      I'm not sure who the target group is for this great little mystery book but I think it's a quick, fun little read for advanced readers and a great introductory read for new readers. Those new readers could be young adults – there is nothing in the book too racy in either language or content that would cause concern for schools or libraries.The lead character is wonderful. His name is Gulliver Dowd and he is described as a very handsome detective who also happens to be a dwarf. He is a private investigator and has a cast of other characters assisting him in various aspects of his investigations. His size and his vantage point provide him with a point of view that is not available in other detective stories.This particular story appears to be the third in the series. In that sense, there was some background that was included in this book that I couldn't put with anything but it wasn't enough to detract from the story at hand.In this edition, Gulliver is investigating the disappearance of a mob boss' daughter. I really couldn't say more without giving away the story. The book isn't that long and the story is great. I can easily give this book 4 stars but just want to point out that it is an extremely quick and easy read. Great book for young adults – I would say from junior high all the way to adults. I would also add that the typeface was large which is great for readers with vision issues. I think I will seek our Gulliver Dowd's earlier cases too!!
    • 4/5
      Love and Fear is the fourth in the Gulliver Dowd mystery series (after Dirty Work, Valentino Pier and The Boardwalk) of ‘high interest-low reading level’ books by Reed Farrel Coleman. I give Coleman a lot of credit for (a) catering to a neglected segment of the reading population and (b) writing something interesting for them to read. Mystery readers, in general, will enjoy the book, regardless of reading level.LoveAndFear TheBoardwalk Gullier Dowd is no ordinary man. He is short (under five feet). His body is mismatched, almost grotesque, and totally opposite of his handsome face. He refers to himself as God’s Little Joke. A private investigator, he is in between jobs when there is a knock on the door…from someone he’d rather not see-crime boss Joey Vespucci’s number one enforcer, Tony. Dowd and Tony do not get along, at all.ValentinoPier DirtyWork Tony using his own initiative tells Dowd that Vespucci, unbeknownst to himself, needs Dowd’s help in finding his missing daughter, Bella. Dowd is the best person-finder money can hire and all the other investigators Vespucci hired have failed. Dowd, using a bit of psychology on Vespucci, gets his buy-in and off he goes with Ahmed, his right hand man, and Tony as Vespucci’s eyes and ears.In a mere 150 pages, Coleman put together an interesting mystery with twists and turns and logical thinking. It certainly helps with the backstory to have read the previous books as Love and Fear does refer to the death of Dowd’s sister, Keisha, and to his current amore. Either way, Love and Fear is an enjoyable read.As an aside, if you haven’t read Coleman’s new Gus Murphy series, book one Where It Hurts is waiting for you.
    • 5/5
      This novella is part of the Raven Books Rapid Reads program, offering contemporary, entertaining, adult-themed books that focus on strong on storytelling, and designed to draw in reluctant adult readers by being short enough to read in one sitting. The youngest daughter of New York City’s most powerful don is missing and Tony, his right-hand man, approaches private investigator Gulliver Dowd for help despite the fact that the two men despise each other. Tony is surprised when Dowd, asking for information instead of a monetary fee, agrees to take the case.Has Bella, an art student at Fashion Institute of Technology, been grabbed by one of the don’s many enemies? Or is her disappearance somehow tied to her art? Dowd throws himself into the investigation, ultimately uncovering secrets and lies that hold the potential to destroy lives. But with the life of young Bella at stake, can they continue to remain hidden? Gulliver Dowd is sarcastic, gutsy, and quick-witted, but he’s also a sympathetic character with a heart of gold. With a first-rate plot, rocket-rapid action, and Coleman’s signature tough-minded style, the story quickly takes an unexpected turn or two before the final reveal. Reluctant adult readers and Coleman fans alike will find much to enjoy in this quick read.Recommended. I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Readers program

    Book preview

    Love and Fear - Reed Farrel Coleman

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    ONE

    Gulliver Dowd had been this close to finding out why his sister was murdered. This close to finding out who had done it. He had held the envelope with the answers in his misshapen hands. He had also been the one to set the envelope on fire. For most of the last eight years, the answers to these two questions had been his reason for living. Keisha’s murder had haunted him. Driven him. Helped turn him into the man he was. Now he had to forget. He had to leave Keisha’s murder behind him. Why? Why does any man turn his back on the past? Love and fear.

    He had been forced to choose between the two women who had meant the most to him. The two women who had lifted him out of his bitter life. His life of pain and self-hatred. His sad and lonely life. One of those women—his sister Keisha—was already gone. And gone was gone forever. He could get the answers about her murder, or he could keep Mia safe. That was his choice. Those were his only options. There was no middle ground. And the man who had given Gulliver the choice was a serious man. A dangerous man with even more dangerous friends. The math was cruel but easy to do.

    Gulliver’s parents had adopted Keisha, just as they had adopted him. Like Gulliver, Keisha was a runt of the litter. But in many ways she was his opposite. Gulliver was pale. A dwarf. A little person. A freak. It never mattered to him what label you used. He was never going to grow taller. His legs were never going to be the same length. His body was never going to be normal. As much as he hated his smallness, he hated his good looks even more. God’s little joke was how Gulliver thought of his handsome face.

    Keisha was black, her skin very dark. Always a little heavy. Plain to look at. An abused foster child. But she had overcome all the things the world had put in her way. She had taken all the pain in her life and turned it into love. She had gotten herself into shape. Gone to college. Made it through the police academy at the top of her class. All that only to be murdered, her body left behind a vacant building in East New York.

    In a very real way, it was Keisha’s death that had given Gulliver life. Until his sister’s murder, he hadn’t really lived. A day was something to suffer through, not something to enjoy. He had only one friend—Rabbi. He’d had only one girlfriend—Nina—and then only for a few months in high school. But the need to solve Keisha’s murder had changed him. It had given him a reason to live. Her death had led him to study martial arts. To learn how to shoot. To earn his private investigator’s license. As true as all that was, as much as he loved his sister and wanted justice for her, what did it matter? Keisha was like Humpty Dumpty. The answers were like all the king’s horses and all the king’s men. All the answers in the world wouldn’t bring Keisha back again.

    Gulliver had to choose Mia. Mia was alive. Mia was his present and his future. And Gulliver knew it would only take a single whisper from one powerful man to another to end Mia’s life. Gulliver’s was the choice everyone in his shoes would have made. Rabbi had told him as much. Rabbi who had grown up with Gulliver and Keisha. Rabbi who loved Keisha like a second big sister. So too had Ahmed. Ahmed who had gone to school with Keisha. Ahmed who had dated Keisha before he went into the Navy. But the choice ate at Gulliver. It tore at him.

    He felt tortured every time he looked at Mia. Every time he kissed her or held her in his arms. He felt tortured because he had turned his back on Keisha. He felt tortured because he could not stand the thought of losing Mia. But that was just what had happened.

    His guilt and fear had made him push Mia away. They were no longer living together. She had stayed in their condo in Brighton Beach. He had moved back into his office in Red Hook. Mia didn’t understand why Gulliver had changed. Why he seemed so far away. Why he seemed so cold to her. And he could not explain it. How could he tell her she was in danger again? How could he make sense of it to her? No, Mia was better off without him. She was safer without him.

    Gulliver opened his eyes. Yawned. Smiled. Reached over to the other side of the bed for Mia. But this wasn’t their bed. It wasn’t a bed at all. And Mia wasn’t there. Old habits die hard. The smile ran away from Gulliver’s face as he swung his legs off the couch. Not even the bright sunlight pouring into the office could bring his smile back. He laughed a sad laugh at himself, for he had ended up where he began. His office was once Keisha’s loft. He had moved into the loft after she was killed, in order to feel closer to her.

    For years it had been his office and his home. Now there was much less space than there used to be. When he’d moved to Brighton Beach with Mia, he had built walls around his office and rented the rest of the loft space to a group of artists. That was okay. Small spaces suited him. And so too did building walls around things. Walls around his office. Walls around his heart.

    With the smell of freshly brewed coffee thick in the air, Gulliver sat at his desk. He had showered and dressed. He didn’t bother shaving. What for? Who for? As he sat there, he could feel himself slipping back into his old bitter self. When he was working cases, it was easier to forget. It was easier to forget about the choice he had made. Easier to forget about missing Mia. Easier to forget about who he really was and what he really looked like. But he was between cases, and

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