Целувка от убиеца

Victor Carl #7

by William Lashner, Мирела Стефанова (translator), Уилям Лашнър

Хитър и чаровен филаделфийски адвокат, той е известен със своите винаги благородни подбуди, рядко пластични морални устои и с лукавите си похвати в съда. Но в света на Виктор страстта надцаква здравия разум седем дни в седмицата. Затова той отстъпва и пуска в дома си Джулия - чернокоса, дългокрака, със свежо червило и блестяща усмивка, бившата му годеница не е точно от онзи тип жени, които биха се вързали за второразреден адвокат на ръба на банкрута. Сега тя се завръща, обгърната в облак скъп парфюм, който ухае на огромни проблеми. Особено ако в тъмни зори двама детективи нахлуят в къщата ти, а докато си говорите мило за закон и ред, в твоята баня се къпе жената на убития... Докато Виктор е забавлявал Джулия в спалнята, с надежда да възкреси старата любов, съпругът й д-р Рен Денистън е намерен прострелян и Виктор оглавява класацията на заподозрените с най-силен мотив. Така той цопва право в средата на мътния вир, пълен с пирани - цяла галерия негодници, които с удоволствие биха се погрижили адвокатьт-прелюбодеец да отнесе въжето.

Налага се Виктор да намери истинския убиец на доктора, без да губи нито минута: ако се забави - става подсъдим за убийство, ако се откаже - ще играе ножа, а ако повярва не на когото трябва - ще съсипе или живота си, или любовта на живота си, или и двете. Прекрасно... „Всичко, от което се нуждаеш, е любов", пееха Бийтълз. Точно така - би се съгласил и Виктор Карл - стига любовта да не те подлудява.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Legal Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Legal

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

William Lashner is a former criminal prosecutor with the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. His novels have been published world-wide and have been nominated for two Shamus Awards, a Gumshoe Award, an Edgar Award, and been selected as an Editor’s Choice in the New York Times Book Review. When he was a kid his favorite books were The Count of Monte Cristo and any comic with the Batman on the cover.

Under the pseudonym Tyler Knox he wrote the noir novel, Kockroach.

Series:
* Victor Carl Mystery

Reviews

[Rebekkila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have had this stupid cold/sinus thing for a few weeks now and yesterday I felt tired and blah. So I grabbed this book off the mound and laid down and covered up. Turns out it was just what the doctor ordered. It was easy, fast, and did hold my attention. The main character Victor Carl is a lawyer who has been secretly meeting with his married ex-fiance. Carl makes a lot of bad decisions throughout the book. The book could have been 200 pages instead of 400 if this lawyer had made a couple good decisions. He somehow allows himself to get mixed up with a Russian mobster and his Cadizian hitman, an ex who obviously is hiding things, and the police who are not interested in his innocence. This did not make a lot of sense, but it is the perfect book for one of those blah days when you don't feel well.

[John Lyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely Lashner's weakest book to date. Font size was bigger, hence the book was shorter. Story seemed somewhat formulaic, just not as well developed and exciting as his other Victor Carl books. He says VC will be retired temporarily. Hopefully his next effort will be better.

[Jeanette Blom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boek met humor en onverwachte ontwikkelingen beslist de moeite waard om te lezen

[Keisha Hudson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my third Victor Carl book and the worst. Carl was a complete idiot the entire novel. Arguably Carl has a least minimum intelligence. He has a law degree after all. However, he allows his "ex" to manipulate him to a degree that is unrealistic for anyone who can walk and chew gum at the same time. I had a hard time getting through it because of the protagonist's delusional behavior. I typically like these books. I like the humor and Victor is charmingly fallible, but in this book Lashner missed the mark.

[Katie Kunsman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lashner has elimiated most of the characters we have come to love except for Victor Carl, who is basically an unlikable character. This is the first time I have been disappointed in a Lashner book. It was a chore even finishing it.

[Margo Solod · Rating 1 out of 5]

liked some of his other books. good brain candy, but couldn't even finish this one

[Sanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the plot. Book is written in "I" form, so we see events happening from Victor Carl's eyes. Being lawyer for so long, he has seen all types of crimes and defended a lot of small criminals, so he knows how to go around the law, when needed.

This is my second novel about him, I had no clue there are seven of them and that this one is last one about him. I liked his third book as well, becouse his caracters are well developed and interesting, as well as the ones mentioned here. However, Victor is an adult now, chasing his long lost love - Julia, and trying to start old flames of love one more time. But she is married, has no feelings towards her husband (at least she's telling that) and in desperate need for a hero. Hero named Victor. So they meet and talk for days.
One night, police comes at Victors house to tell him that Julias husband is dead and that he, Victor, is suspect NO 1.

I would like to stop here with telling what happened next, so you have to pick this book up and just read it.

Here are some quotes I would like to mention.

"Bili smo jedno drugome rana po kojoj smo čeprkali i rovali kako bismo znali da smo još živi."

"Uvijek postoji jedna koja vam glođe dušu. Na nju mislite kad vas alkoholna plima odnese u more žaljenja. Još sanjate o njoj."

"Imao sam tri mogućnosti kako se nositi s onim što mi je Julia učinila. Mogao sam lagati, mogao sam se izmotavati ili reći istinu. Naravno, kao odvjetnik, bio sam sklon prvim dvjema opcijama. Laganje i izmotavanje osnovna su sredstva te profesije, zajedno s besramnom sposobnošću da naplatite veliki honorar."

"Zapravo smatram da su Romeo i Julija zabunom nazvani tragedijom. Mislim da završetak i nije tako tužan, mislim da je bio prikladan.
- Oni na kraju umiru.
- Svi na kraju umiremo, ali oni to čine kako sami žele, s ljubavlju koja ostaje neokaljana. Mislim da je umrijeti primivši sladak otrovan poljubac ljubljene osobe na svojim usnama kakvom se samo možemo nadati."

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by William Lashner. I was first drawn in by the dialogue. It was funny, and kept my attention. I enjoyed his writing. The story itself was good. I think the storyline with Julia & the love of her life - Terrence - was a bit odd. It was kind of a quirky, bizzare twist, but it was ok. Not a bad read.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lashner again brings us into the world of Victor Carl and this case had a lot of twists and turns that kept the reader guessing. He always adds a new character that comes in to assist Carl in his escapades. Enjoyed this book.

[Nancy Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy the irreverent adventures of attorney protagonist Victor Carl. His wisecrack remarks make me laugh out loud sometimes. Always an interesting story as to how Victor gets into and then out of the messes he makes

[Amra Serdarević-Ganić · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked A Killer's Kiss, but some parts were quite frustrating to read. Victor Carl is annoying. Dialogues were typical, they're pretty much the same as dialogues in Hollywood movies where a main character needs to partner up with someone from bad neighborhood to save his life.

[Iva Pehar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volim trilere, pogotovo kad je glavni lik privlačan muškarac - još k tome odvjetnik... Victor Carl nešto je apsolutno posebno, a ovaj tjedan njegova života jedna luda i prevrtljiva vožnja po mračnom vijugavom putu.

[Elderberrywine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Niiiiiiice. I love me a good noir, complete with femme fatale and elusive sack o'cash.

Major thumbs up.

[Dave Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got really jaded with legal thrillers from authors like John Grisham. Too serious, and the lawyers all seemed to be brilliant and in awesome physical condition, despite working 100 hour weeks. Victor Carl, from Lashner's book, is the antithesis.

In A Killer's Kiss, a woman he was once engaged to calls on Carl for help. Her husband was murdered, and a lot of cash is missing. Though Carl suspects he's being set up, lust wins out. Unfortunately, when the police start looking at him for the murder, he learns better.

Lashner add a good dose of humor to go along with some very memorable, and quotable, dialogue.

His books are keepers, to be reread in the future.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a terrific, action packed, plot twisting book. Just terrific!

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started good, like film noir from 50’s but ended poorly. The storyline with ex drug addicted boyfriend without a penis is convincing as much as aliens killing her husband.

[Svjetlana Tesla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ne toliko zanimljiv krimić,red ubistva,prevara,nasilja,ljubavi i izdaje...

[Janet Chiero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the witty conversations between Victor and others. Good who done it story.

[Jennifer]

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[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Philadelphia defense attorney Victor Carl’s fiancée left him for another man, the flame for her has never completely diminished. When she steps back into his life, claiming regret, Victor once more finds himself falling for a woman who never reveals much about herself. When her husband is murdered, the evidence initially points to Julia, but Victor becomes a person of interest because he was with Julia the night her husband was killed. It isn’t long before the case takes a serious turn as more evidence is garnered, with Victor now the primary suspect. Victor’s goal is to prove himself and Julia innocent, but his efforts are hampered by a Russian thug and his hit man, who want Victor to find the 1.7 million dollars Julia’s husband stole from them.

This seventh installment of the Victor Carl series is as entertaining and fun to read as the first. Victor Carl is a man of cynicism and wit, with a high sense of self-awareness as to his flaws, yet who is not invested in changing his, at times, unethical behaviors. Lashner inserts the usual cast of quirky characters in a plot that moves at a fast pace and is amusing throughout. This reviewer is disappointed to read this series is going on hiatus while Lashner pursues other writing endeavors. Hopefully, fans will see Victor Carl in print again soon.

[Thomas Bruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Victor Carl novel. And it will not be my last.

From the opening line, "They came for me in the nighttime, which is usually the way of it," to the last, "Love is all you need, sure, if it doesn't drive you mad," I loved everything about this book.

Victor's rich sarcasm and witty one liners drive this novel home for me. A crooked lawyer (ever heard of such thing?) and spontaneous, the main protagonist never takes life, or his work, too seriously. A KILLER'S KISS, the absorbing seventh book in the series, Victor is set up for extorting an exorbitant amount of money: $1.7 million dollars.

Victor is up against the clock, running from really bad men, men who will main, kill or make him disappear. All for the lousy buck.

Meanwhile, Victor, in the throes of passion with his former girlfriend, Julia, is propelled into a murder case involving Julia's husband,
Dr. Wren Denniston. But the kicker is: Julia is being blamed. Which forces Victor to investigate, muddy the waters, step on people's feet, whatever he has to do to find the real culprit.

A KILLER'S KISS is a sardonically fast-paced story of greed, lost love and murder. A jocular good time. For fans of Robert Crais and Michael Connelly.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read a mystery in a while, so I was ready for a change of genre when I picked up this book. I liked Lashner's style quite a bit. There are multiple characters, but he avoided introducing new characters that seem unrelated halfway through the book. The crime, clues, suspects, etc. all seemed logical, and the solution was unexpected and suprising but not in the way that it is unrealistic. I hate it when a mystery writer pulls a solution out of thin air right at the end and very few of the clues tie together logically. Lashner did not do that. I would read another Victor Carl (the main character) mystery, but not for a while. Mystery is not my first genre of choice.

[gert · Rating 2 out of 5]

devastated on two counts: this is the last book in the series (so far, anyway); and its my least favourite.

most of the ingredients were there - victor carl, as layered as an onion. not sure himself if he's a good guy or a bad guy. twisty story line. etc. but it just fell short for me. some familiar secondary characters - but not as much volume as previous, the book suffered for it. a couple new secondary characters - of special not two new cops for victor to deal with.

all in - yes, if you've read the rest of the series, you need to read this. but don't expect as much. (and i loathed his ex-fiancee).

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love Victor Carl. He wants to be the tough, strong, serious defense attorney. But he is unable to do that because he is a smart mouthed schmuck who continually finds himself in scrapes with the law.

The beginning of this series finds him accidentally defending the mob of Philadelphia. It was not a place he wanted to be but alas, it was the only source of income.

He has migrated from that scene but is still tethered to the undesirable side of society...in this case drug selling.

As always, he finds himself a little worse for wear at the end of this one.

[Jahh Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

not much to read a first , but in the proceeding chapters the story picked up my interest .. Mind you, if the first chapter is boring , chances are people might find the whole story , know that? Good thing I bought it first before reading it , haha i just continued to read because I already paid for the book but when I got further in the book, i realized it was in fact a great story , and great ending too.

[Micheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty amazing. I was recommended to read this from a friend that had just got done reading it himself. The lead in this book reminds me of a character Billy Chrystal would have played. It was pretty funny throughout and kept me on my toes pretty much from beginning to end. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good Mystery novel and has any kind of sense of humor.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

He kept the check from the end of the last story. Seventh and last in the Victor Carl series. Victor gets a new PI, womanizing ex-xlient Derek Moats and becomes involved with his e-fiance through her husband's murder. Lashner says he is taking a break from VIctor and will be writing about other characters.

[Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not great literature but fun--a book about a Philadelphia lawyer has two good points right off the bat. I was disappointed the bad woman got away with it, but it was predictable because this wasn't great literature and she possessed the only significant feature in a light weight murder mystery by a male author--the hotness factor.

[Julia Foley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and I had heard good things about this book. It was good but I think I must have been expecting great. I enjoyed it but probably withh prioritize this author after I read many other books first. Not my favorite.

[Jean-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with other readers...not his best of the CV series...the ending is way too abrupt and it seems the author was just too tired to finish the book...hopefully his next one will be as good as his first ones...