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Pete Fernandez Mystery #1
Silent City
An Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here.
Pete Fernandez is a mess. He's on the brink of being fired from his middle-management newspaper job. His fiancée has up and left him. Now, after the sudden death of his father, he's back in his hometown of Miami, slowly drinking himself into oblivion. But when a co-worker he barely knows asks Pete to locate a missing daughter, Pete finds himself dragged into a tale of murder, drugs, double-crosses and memories bursting from the black heart of the Miami underworld - and, shockingly, his father's past. Making it up as he goes and stumbling as often as he succeeds, Pete's surreptitious quest becomes the wake-up call he's never wanted but has always needed - but one with deadly consequences. Welcome to Silent City, a story of redemption, broken friendships, lost loves and one man's efforts to make peace with a long-buried past to save the lives of the few friends he has left.
Pete Fernandez is a mess. He's on the brink of being fired from his middle-management newspaper job. His fiancée has up and left him. Now, after the sudden death of his father, he's back in his hometown of Miami, slowly drinking himself into oblivion. But when a co-worker he barely knows asks Pete to locate a missing daughter, Pete finds himself dragged into a tale of murder, drugs, double-crosses and memories bursting from the black heart of the Miami underworld - and, shockingly, his father's past. Making it up as he goes and stumbling as often as he succeeds, Pete's surreptitious quest becomes the wake-up call he's never wanted but has always needed - but one with deadly consequences. Welcome to Silent City, a story of redemption, broken friendships, lost loves and one man's efforts to make peace with a long-buried past to save the lives of the few friends he has left.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 22, 2013
180 people are currently reading
3058 people want to read
About the author
Alex Segura
271 books572 followersAlex Segura is the bestselling and award-winning author of Secret Identity, which The New York Times called “wittily original” and named an Editor’s Choice. NPR described the novel as “masterful” and The L.A. Times called it “a magnetic read.”
Secret Identity received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, was listed as one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by NPR, Kirkus, Booklist, LitReactor, Gizmodo, BOLO Books, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel, was nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Hardcover, the Lefty and Barry Awards for Best Novel, the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel, and won the LA Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category.
His upcoming work includes the YA superhero adventure Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, the follow-up to Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and the sci-fi/espionage thriller, Dark Space (with Rob Hart). Alex is also the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Anthony Award-nominated Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series, and a number of comic books – including The Mysterious Micro-Face (in partnership with NPR), The Black Ghost, The Archies, The Dusk, The Awakened, Mara Llave – Keeper of Time, Blood Oath, stories featuring Marvel heroes the Avengers, Sunspot, White Tiger, Spider-Man and DC’s Superman, Sinestro, and The Question, to name a few.
His short story, “90 Miles” was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories for 2021 and won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story. Another short story,“Red Zone,” won the 2020 Anthony Award for Best Short Story.
Alex is also the co-creator of the Lethal Lit podcast, named one of the best fiction podcasts of 2018 by The New York Times.
A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children.
Secret Identity received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, was listed as one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by NPR, Kirkus, Booklist, LitReactor, Gizmodo, BOLO Books, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel, was nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Hardcover, the Lefty and Barry Awards for Best Novel, the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel, and won the LA Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category.
His upcoming work includes the YA superhero adventure Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, the follow-up to Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and the sci-fi/espionage thriller, Dark Space (with Rob Hart). Alex is also the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Anthony Award-nominated Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series, and a number of comic books – including The Mysterious Micro-Face (in partnership with NPR), The Black Ghost, The Archies, The Dusk, The Awakened, Mara Llave – Keeper of Time, Blood Oath, stories featuring Marvel heroes the Avengers, Sunspot, White Tiger, Spider-Man and DC’s Superman, Sinestro, and The Question, to name a few.
His short story, “90 Miles” was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories for 2021 and won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story. Another short story,“Red Zone,” won the 2020 Anthony Award for Best Short Story.
Alex is also the co-creator of the Lethal Lit podcast, named one of the best fiction podcasts of 2018 by The New York Times.
A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
July 15, 2020
This is why I don’t do favors for people at work. First, it’s just loaning them a pen, and the next thing you know you’re trying to find somebody’s missing daughter which pisses off a mysterious killer.
Pete Fernandez is a guy who once had a lot of promise, but he’s been on the skids since the death of his father. His drinking is out of control, his wife left him, and he’s barely clinging to his job on the sports page of the Miami newspaper. That’s when a coworker asks him to look for his missing daughter, Kate. She also works for the paper and is an acquaintance of Pete’s so he agrees to take a look to see if Kate may be in trouble or if she is just ignoring her estranged father. However, after finding her apartment ransacked and learning that Kate was researching a story about a legendary hit man nicknamed The Silent Death, Pete has plenty of reasons to regret that decision.
This first book in the Pete Fernandez series is enough to get me hooked. Alex Segura is a writer who has been on my radar for a while, and after seeing him at Bouchercon I made a point of moving up my to-read list. He had a lot of interesting things to say, and I thought it was cool that he splits time between writing crime novels and working on Archie comics.
I’m particularly impressed with the way that Pete is depicted. This is a character who is a flat out mess. In the wrong hands Pete could be an insufferable loser who wallows in self-pity, but Segura makes him a tragedy. He knows he’s screwing up, but he can’t figure out a way to change his circumstances so he just goes to the bar every night without realizing that’s a big part of his problems. He’s not the kind of character you hate, he’s the kind you root for even as you want to tell him to get his shit together.
The plotting does some zigging and zagging so that it doesn’t play out in typical fashion. Another nice aspect is how it manages to keep Pete in the midst of this mess without coming across as him being overly stupid or seeming contrived. What seems like a simple favor becomes quicksand that Pete can’t escape from once he dips a toe in even though he is not trying to play the hero.
Overall, it reminded me a lot of the ‘90s crime novels I loved, and it was no surprise to see Segura credit writers like Pelecanos, Lehand, and Ellroy in the acknowledgements because you can see the influence even as he is finding his own voice. It’s a great start to a promising series.
Pete Fernandez is a guy who once had a lot of promise, but he’s been on the skids since the death of his father. His drinking is out of control, his wife left him, and he’s barely clinging to his job on the sports page of the Miami newspaper. That’s when a coworker asks him to look for his missing daughter, Kate. She also works for the paper and is an acquaintance of Pete’s so he agrees to take a look to see if Kate may be in trouble or if she is just ignoring her estranged father. However, after finding her apartment ransacked and learning that Kate was researching a story about a legendary hit man nicknamed The Silent Death, Pete has plenty of reasons to regret that decision.
This first book in the Pete Fernandez series is enough to get me hooked. Alex Segura is a writer who has been on my radar for a while, and after seeing him at Bouchercon I made a point of moving up my to-read list. He had a lot of interesting things to say, and I thought it was cool that he splits time between writing crime novels and working on Archie comics.
I’m particularly impressed with the way that Pete is depicted. This is a character who is a flat out mess. In the wrong hands Pete could be an insufferable loser who wallows in self-pity, but Segura makes him a tragedy. He knows he’s screwing up, but he can’t figure out a way to change his circumstances so he just goes to the bar every night without realizing that’s a big part of his problems. He’s not the kind of character you hate, he’s the kind you root for even as you want to tell him to get his shit together.
The plotting does some zigging and zagging so that it doesn’t play out in typical fashion. Another nice aspect is how it manages to keep Pete in the midst of this mess without coming across as him being overly stupid or seeming contrived. What seems like a simple favor becomes quicksand that Pete can’t escape from once he dips a toe in even though he is not trying to play the hero.
Overall, it reminded me a lot of the ‘90s crime novels I loved, and it was no surprise to see Segura credit writers like Pelecanos, Lehand, and Ellroy in the acknowledgements because you can see the influence even as he is finding his own voice. It’s a great start to a promising series.
January 2, 2014
With his debut novel, “Silent City,” Alex Segura has written a crime thriller set in Miami populated by … get this … actual human beings.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of what Dave Barry has called the “bunch of nuts in South Florida genre” of crime fiction. Love Tim Dorsey. Carl Hiaasen is like a god to me.
Much as I enjoy the over-the-top style and zany characters of your standard Florida crime thriller, it was refreshing to read one where the characters ring true and you end up feeling emotionally invested in what happens to them.
But “Silent City” doesn’t skimp on the elements that fans of noir-ish crime thrillers want and expect. It’s got a missing woman, plot twists, double crosses and a hard-drinking hero with one last shot at redemption.
I guess really, that’s the challenge for any writer of genre fiction. Hitting the beats that make fans love the genre in the first place, without hitting them so predictably that they’re drained of all vitality. Segura manages that balance admirably.
And he ends the story with a promise of more to come. That’s good news for fans of quality crime fiction
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of what Dave Barry has called the “bunch of nuts in South Florida genre” of crime fiction. Love Tim Dorsey. Carl Hiaasen is like a god to me.
Much as I enjoy the over-the-top style and zany characters of your standard Florida crime thriller, it was refreshing to read one where the characters ring true and you end up feeling emotionally invested in what happens to them.
But “Silent City” doesn’t skimp on the elements that fans of noir-ish crime thrillers want and expect. It’s got a missing woman, plot twists, double crosses and a hard-drinking hero with one last shot at redemption.
I guess really, that’s the challenge for any writer of genre fiction. Hitting the beats that make fans love the genre in the first place, without hitting them so predictably that they’re drained of all vitality. Segura manages that balance admirably.
And he ends the story with a promise of more to come. That’s good news for fans of quality crime fiction
July 31, 2013
This isn't a wholly unbiased review, but I really loved Silent City. There's a great sense of Miami here — the Miami tourists never see — relatable characters, and a well-crafted mystery.
March 8, 2016
There was a lot of good stuff and a lot of bad stuff in that novel. What I'll say though is that it was interesting. The greatest sin of a novel is being flat and SILENT CITY definitely isn't.
The Good
I really liked Pete Fernandez, thought he was adorably messy and pigheaded. I understood why he was pursuing a crazy-dangerous investigation. He's looking for a purpose, a reason to live as his existence disintegrates around him. I loved learning about his life and his brokenness and imagined the always underrated Mark Ruffalo playing him all the time.
The Bad
The plot was really quirky in the sense that it works given that a certain type of character is cast. It is very "Cobra-ish" but Pete Fernandez is the further this from Marion Cobretti, so there is a certain dissonance between the tone and the content making it sound a tad cartoonish. Alex Segura also has a tendency to overexplain everything that rubbed me the wrong way. You know why the telephone rings, what characters are thinking, what the details in the landscape mean to everybody. Some readers might like it. I thought it was overbearing.
I'll review it in greater detail on Dead End Follies this Friday. I thought it was a promising debut for a character that is barely finding his comfort zone. It's flawed, but interestingly so. I'll be reading the sequel DOWN THE DARKEST STREET in a month or so, so keep an eye on this too.
The Good
I really liked Pete Fernandez, thought he was adorably messy and pigheaded. I understood why he was pursuing a crazy-dangerous investigation. He's looking for a purpose, a reason to live as his existence disintegrates around him. I loved learning about his life and his brokenness and imagined the always underrated Mark Ruffalo playing him all the time.
The Bad
The plot was really quirky in the sense that it works given that a certain type of character is cast. It is very "Cobra-ish" but Pete Fernandez is the further this from Marion Cobretti, so there is a certain dissonance between the tone and the content making it sound a tad cartoonish. Alex Segura also has a tendency to overexplain everything that rubbed me the wrong way. You know why the telephone rings, what characters are thinking, what the details in the landscape mean to everybody. Some readers might like it. I thought it was overbearing.
I'll review it in greater detail on Dead End Follies this Friday. I thought it was a promising debut for a character that is barely finding his comfort zone. It's flawed, but interestingly so. I'll be reading the sequel DOWN THE DARKEST STREET in a month or so, so keep an eye on this too.
July 6, 2014
I don't usually read crime/mystery thrillers but I heard some good buzz about this book, and wanted to check it out. This book is proof that a good story will draw you in, regardless of the genre. I found myself hooked from the get go, and the plot kept me guessing as the stakes grew higher and higher, and the consequences became more and more intense.
I really liked the main character, Pete, because he felt like a real person, flaws and all. I found myself rooting for him even as I shook my head at some of his stubborn stupidity. But he had heart, and that's what counts, and I liked that his struggle to save others was just as much a struggle to save himself.
In fact, all the characters were well-written and fleshed out, and added to the sense of realism in the story. Overall a really fun, captivating read, and I'm looking forward to what comes next!
I really liked the main character, Pete, because he felt like a real person, flaws and all. I found myself rooting for him even as I shook my head at some of his stubborn stupidity. But he had heart, and that's what counts, and I liked that his struggle to save others was just as much a struggle to save himself.
In fact, all the characters were well-written and fleshed out, and added to the sense of realism in the story. Overall a really fun, captivating read, and I'm looking forward to what comes next!
January 24, 2014
Disclaimer: I have known author Alex Segura for years. We grew up in the same neighborhoods, the very ones referenced in this novel. Our high school was the same as the protagonist. We worked alongside for years at the same college paper. So you may perceive this review to be biased. And so it may be, though I try to offer as balanced a criticism as I can. I did buy my own copy. So there IS that.
Review: "Silent City" is the first novel by author Alex Segura and for a debut novel, it is a successful one. That's actually unfair. It is successful, regardless of it being a debut novel. It simply works.
The novel begins with the apartment assault on journalist Kathy Bentley. It is quick and jarring and leaves the reader full of questions. The biggest one starting in chapter one when we meet the protagonist, Pete Fernandez, a down-on-his-luck journalist covering sports, and wonder how he could ever get involved. But get involved he does, of course. Kathy’s father, another journalist that may as well be Pete forty years and forty beers later, asks Pete to look into his daughter’s disappearance. So Pete slowly transforms into a novice gumshoe, trying to piece together just what happened to her and why.
If you’re asking why one reporter would ask another reporter to look for a third missing reporter, when there are, after all, people for that, fear not. There is an answer that makes sense. And that’s how Segura’s novel works. Events that seem illogical and forced, an author trying to fit his character into a mystery plot, all have internal reasoning. How does Kathy’s attack connect to Pete’s high school friend, to drug smuggling, to his own father’s past, to the shady history of several other characters, to a enigmatic serial killer called The Silent Death that may not even exist? Information is gradually revealed and, by the novel’s end, all the questions are answered quite satisfactory. This is quite an accomplishment because at times it seems like Segura is juggling too many plates and there is no way he can keep it up for the duration of the novel. But by the final page, the plot’s through line is clear; every piece connects to another in a way that is believable. Segura doesn't make any of the mistakes you’d expect from a first-time novelist: obvious clues and red herrings, plot points that go nowhere, macguffins, or gaping plot holes. If something is there, it’s there for a reason and he will get you to the “why” inevitably.
At the same time, the novel manages to stretch its legs and explore the world of the story. Something should be said for the character of “Miami” as a city. Too often, pop culture depicts Miami as a world of glitz, glamour, neon, drugs, dance clubs and bikinis made out of dental floss. Segura’s novel never touches this Miami, which I’m sad to admit does exist. Instead, he focuses on the other side of Miami, everything west of the beach. Hollywood’s Miami is too bright to ever be dark; even the darkness has a shiny, new gleam on it. Segura’s Miami is a cluster of extended neighborhoods, a generic urban city sprawl, a place with divey bars, upstart local business and Denny’s. The only spice is that of Hispanic-ness and Segura smartly integrates without being cloying. Characters are Hispanic because Miami is a Hispanic city. Pete just happens to be Cuban by descent. A restaurant is called Casa Pepe because in Miami, why wouldn't it be?
On occasion, Segura uses musical references as a trick to identify a character's personality or mood. Pete feels this way because he hears this song. Kathy mentions this song, which means she’s this kind of person. I cannot fault Segura for this device, as it is very clearly a part of his voice. Segura's language is music. Alas, mine is not and without a good grasp on the songs’ true meanings, such moments, forgive me, fall on deaf ears.
I hate novels where the author describes a fight as though it were the blocking for a movie, so immersed in detail that I have no idea what is happening. That’s thankfully not the case here. What action-ish se tpieces there are are never overly written and well described enough to not leave the reader scratching his head. And they’re believable. Pete isn't an unstoppable force, a John McClane with a yellow notepad in his pocket. He’s a guy in over his head and suffers for his choices. A lot.
Now that I’m on Pete, lets explore him. We spend a lot of time with Pete, being the protagonist and all, and he’s an interesting guy. I don’t know if I’d be friends with him, but I could see why he others might. Too often, Pete feels less like a protagonist and more like an antagonist to the plot itself. The story wants to move forward and Pete does everything in his power to resist forward momentum. I understand this is part of his arc as a character, but it is very frustrating for a reader to watch a character choose to drink instead of to do. Eventually the turn-around does occur, but the feeling is as much a “yes!” as it is a “finally!” I enjoyed him enough to be much more interested in where he goes as a character next.
There is more depth to the novel than just a simple little puzzle to be decoded, which is in part one of the strengths of the novel. Sure, there’s a mystery about a woman disappeared, but Pete Fernandez himself is caught in his own mystery long before Kathy ever enters the picture. He is a lost soul in a time where he is increasingly discovering his obsolescence in every sense. All the signs of his earlier days are painful reminders of what is no more. His career as a journalist has become more and more of a joke as the media world itself evolves away from needing him (and he likewise slowly moves away from it). His soured relationship with his ex-fiance is made only worse by his inability to accept that it is over. He hates himself for still having feelings and hates himself for ruining things with her. With the death of his father, even his youth has died. Can he continue to be a child in a world without a father to fall back on? Lord knows Pete tries to ignore the baton of maturity that keeps getting waved in his face. Segura definitely has something to say about fathers and father figures in this novel, but to go much further takes this review into the realm of contemporary criticism. But then again, how often do you get that out of a paperback mystery?
All deconstruction aside, "Silent City" isn't a novel about alcoholism or futility or the ennui of a lost youth or anything like that. It's a crime mystery, inspired by the pulpy pages of the noirs past, with a damsel in distress who turns out to be, thankfully, a lot more than just that, shady foes crawling out of the city's underground, a thrilling chase, plenty of gun play, and a handful of surprise double-crosses, both by characters and the author. When I look at it that way, I suppose its only right that Pete be allowed a drink or two at a bar. As a character type, he’s earned it.
In the end, for whatever you perceive in this review to be a criticism, know that ultimately, when said and done, “Silent City” clicks. No one weakness is so strong as to weaken any of its strengths. Once I started reading, I was sucked in and continued turning pages to let Segura surprise me again and again.
Review: "Silent City" is the first novel by author Alex Segura and for a debut novel, it is a successful one. That's actually unfair. It is successful, regardless of it being a debut novel. It simply works.
The novel begins with the apartment assault on journalist Kathy Bentley. It is quick and jarring and leaves the reader full of questions. The biggest one starting in chapter one when we meet the protagonist, Pete Fernandez, a down-on-his-luck journalist covering sports, and wonder how he could ever get involved. But get involved he does, of course. Kathy’s father, another journalist that may as well be Pete forty years and forty beers later, asks Pete to look into his daughter’s disappearance. So Pete slowly transforms into a novice gumshoe, trying to piece together just what happened to her and why.
If you’re asking why one reporter would ask another reporter to look for a third missing reporter, when there are, after all, people for that, fear not. There is an answer that makes sense. And that’s how Segura’s novel works. Events that seem illogical and forced, an author trying to fit his character into a mystery plot, all have internal reasoning. How does Kathy’s attack connect to Pete’s high school friend, to drug smuggling, to his own father’s past, to the shady history of several other characters, to a enigmatic serial killer called The Silent Death that may not even exist? Information is gradually revealed and, by the novel’s end, all the questions are answered quite satisfactory. This is quite an accomplishment because at times it seems like Segura is juggling too many plates and there is no way he can keep it up for the duration of the novel. But by the final page, the plot’s through line is clear; every piece connects to another in a way that is believable. Segura doesn't make any of the mistakes you’d expect from a first-time novelist: obvious clues and red herrings, plot points that go nowhere, macguffins, or gaping plot holes. If something is there, it’s there for a reason and he will get you to the “why” inevitably.
At the same time, the novel manages to stretch its legs and explore the world of the story. Something should be said for the character of “Miami” as a city. Too often, pop culture depicts Miami as a world of glitz, glamour, neon, drugs, dance clubs and bikinis made out of dental floss. Segura’s novel never touches this Miami, which I’m sad to admit does exist. Instead, he focuses on the other side of Miami, everything west of the beach. Hollywood’s Miami is too bright to ever be dark; even the darkness has a shiny, new gleam on it. Segura’s Miami is a cluster of extended neighborhoods, a generic urban city sprawl, a place with divey bars, upstart local business and Denny’s. The only spice is that of Hispanic-ness and Segura smartly integrates without being cloying. Characters are Hispanic because Miami is a Hispanic city. Pete just happens to be Cuban by descent. A restaurant is called Casa Pepe because in Miami, why wouldn't it be?
On occasion, Segura uses musical references as a trick to identify a character's personality or mood. Pete feels this way because he hears this song. Kathy mentions this song, which means she’s this kind of person. I cannot fault Segura for this device, as it is very clearly a part of his voice. Segura's language is music. Alas, mine is not and without a good grasp on the songs’ true meanings, such moments, forgive me, fall on deaf ears.
I hate novels where the author describes a fight as though it were the blocking for a movie, so immersed in detail that I have no idea what is happening. That’s thankfully not the case here. What action-ish se tpieces there are are never overly written and well described enough to not leave the reader scratching his head. And they’re believable. Pete isn't an unstoppable force, a John McClane with a yellow notepad in his pocket. He’s a guy in over his head and suffers for his choices. A lot.
Now that I’m on Pete, lets explore him. We spend a lot of time with Pete, being the protagonist and all, and he’s an interesting guy. I don’t know if I’d be friends with him, but I could see why he others might. Too often, Pete feels less like a protagonist and more like an antagonist to the plot itself. The story wants to move forward and Pete does everything in his power to resist forward momentum. I understand this is part of his arc as a character, but it is very frustrating for a reader to watch a character choose to drink instead of to do. Eventually the turn-around does occur, but the feeling is as much a “yes!” as it is a “finally!” I enjoyed him enough to be much more interested in where he goes as a character next.
There is more depth to the novel than just a simple little puzzle to be decoded, which is in part one of the strengths of the novel. Sure, there’s a mystery about a woman disappeared, but Pete Fernandez himself is caught in his own mystery long before Kathy ever enters the picture. He is a lost soul in a time where he is increasingly discovering his obsolescence in every sense. All the signs of his earlier days are painful reminders of what is no more. His career as a journalist has become more and more of a joke as the media world itself evolves away from needing him (and he likewise slowly moves away from it). His soured relationship with his ex-fiance is made only worse by his inability to accept that it is over. He hates himself for still having feelings and hates himself for ruining things with her. With the death of his father, even his youth has died. Can he continue to be a child in a world without a father to fall back on? Lord knows Pete tries to ignore the baton of maturity that keeps getting waved in his face. Segura definitely has something to say about fathers and father figures in this novel, but to go much further takes this review into the realm of contemporary criticism. But then again, how often do you get that out of a paperback mystery?
All deconstruction aside, "Silent City" isn't a novel about alcoholism or futility or the ennui of a lost youth or anything like that. It's a crime mystery, inspired by the pulpy pages of the noirs past, with a damsel in distress who turns out to be, thankfully, a lot more than just that, shady foes crawling out of the city's underground, a thrilling chase, plenty of gun play, and a handful of surprise double-crosses, both by characters and the author. When I look at it that way, I suppose its only right that Pete be allowed a drink or two at a bar. As a character type, he’s earned it.
In the end, for whatever you perceive in this review to be a criticism, know that ultimately, when said and done, “Silent City” clicks. No one weakness is so strong as to weaken any of its strengths. Once I started reading, I was sucked in and continued turning pages to let Segura surprise me again and again.
March 1, 2014
I was hopeful about this one when the publicist contacted me via my blog to offer me a copy. Chris F. Holm and Adam Christopher blurbed it, and I've certainly enjoyed their books. Plus there was a reference to similarities between the main character and Matt Fraction's Clint Barton, which... hmm, I don't really see.
Anyway, the problem with this is for me, it felt like a pretty standard detective story in style, tone, plot, characters... There's nothing surprising about an alcoholic PI, though Pete Fernandez is a bit more the worse for wear than most. One aspect I did like was some of the relationships in the story, like Pete's with his ex-girlfriend. That felt a bit more nuanced than typical for these stories.
It's a quick read, and if you have a particular affection for the genre or the city-scape of Miami, then it might be worth checking out, but if your tastes in crime fiction are more for the excellent outliers and stuff that breaks the mould, then I probably wouldn't go for this one.
Anyway, the problem with this is for me, it felt like a pretty standard detective story in style, tone, plot, characters... There's nothing surprising about an alcoholic PI, though Pete Fernandez is a bit more the worse for wear than most. One aspect I did like was some of the relationships in the story, like Pete's with his ex-girlfriend. That felt a bit more nuanced than typical for these stories.
It's a quick read, and if you have a particular affection for the genre or the city-scape of Miami, then it might be worth checking out, but if your tastes in crime fiction are more for the excellent outliers and stuff that breaks the mould, then I probably wouldn't go for this one.
August 29, 2014
A wonderful read. Segura's jump from the world of comics to the world of writing mysteries is straight up effortless. I'm eagerly awaiting his future novels. Keep an eye on this guy, people.
July 10, 2018
Great new mystery series with Pete Fernandez. I loved the whole atmosphere of Miami. I truly felt hot and sticky like Miami while reading this.
July 25, 2017
Pete Fernandez, drunk, and generally messed up guy, agrees to find a missing daughter.
Pete finds himself in a world of drugs, murder, and criminal activity.
Except for the language sprinkled throughout this story, I felt this was an excellent read.
Fernandez is an underdog, a person who has lost his purpose in life. He finds it when a mission is placed upon him. This character fights when he's down. When his friends are killed, he continues to struggle against the evil that threatens to destroy him.
Tension stays high throughout the book, making this a page-turner. The rhythm allowed me to take a breather after intense scenes. I want to find out more about this Pete Fernandez and already have the next book downloaded.
The twist at the end - never saw it coming. Put your seatbelts on, grip the steering wheel and hold on. You're in for a wild ride.
Pete finds himself in a world of drugs, murder, and criminal activity.
Except for the language sprinkled throughout this story, I felt this was an excellent read.
Fernandez is an underdog, a person who has lost his purpose in life. He finds it when a mission is placed upon him. This character fights when he's down. When his friends are killed, he continues to struggle against the evil that threatens to destroy him.
Tension stays high throughout the book, making this a page-turner. The rhythm allowed me to take a breather after intense scenes. I want to find out more about this Pete Fernandez and already have the next book downloaded.
The twist at the end - never saw it coming. Put your seatbelts on, grip the steering wheel and hold on. You're in for a wild ride.
July 24, 2018
Newspaper editor Pete Fernandez is a wreck. After his father’s death, he drowned his feelings in alcohol until his fiancé eventually left him.
A permanent hangover is the norm for him, followed by a daily routine of arriving to the office at least an hour late.
A man with such promise, turned out to be a drunken failure. But then a colleague enlists his help to find his missing daughter. This puts him on a path of purpose. But the path is also dangerous as he delves into the corruption on the streets of Miami and comes face to face with the city’s assassin, Silent Death.
I won this book in a goodreads drawing and although it’s not my typical genre, Mr. Segura did an excellent job with the suspense. Shortly into the book, I felt like I was watching an action packed movie. Something like The Departed. I began to imagine each character being played by a Hollywood actor, Kathy: Charlize Theron, Emily: Nina Dobrev, Pete: Mark Ruffalo, Javier: Juan Diego Botto. This was a great read and I really wouldn’t be surprised to see it on the big screen one day.
A permanent hangover is the norm for him, followed by a daily routine of arriving to the office at least an hour late.
A man with such promise, turned out to be a drunken failure. But then a colleague enlists his help to find his missing daughter. This puts him on a path of purpose. But the path is also dangerous as he delves into the corruption on the streets of Miami and comes face to face with the city’s assassin, Silent Death.
I won this book in a goodreads drawing and although it’s not my typical genre, Mr. Segura did an excellent job with the suspense. Shortly into the book, I felt like I was watching an action packed movie. Something like The Departed. I began to imagine each character being played by a Hollywood actor, Kathy: Charlize Theron, Emily: Nina Dobrev, Pete: Mark Ruffalo, Javier: Juan Diego Botto. This was a great read and I really wouldn’t be surprised to see it on the big screen one day.
October 30, 2017
I have the pleasure of hearing Alex Segura speak during a Mysterious Bookstore event months ago, as he read chapters of his book Dangerous Ends. I was pleasantly surprised by how his character Pete Fernandez managed to survive in the real world. Segura seems to cast Pete as his shadow-self -- a dark compulsive personality type who can't help but get into trouble. It makes reading this first story infinitely compelling.
March 25, 2019
A very Rockford Files type of vibe here. Picked this up at Hudson's in New Jersey while waiting for the bus. Pete is the best/worst travelling companion a girl could ask for
February 6, 2018
Good start to a series. Very interested to see how this character moves on from here.
January 12, 2014
Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Pete Fernandez is a mess. He’s on the brink of being fired from his middle-management newspaper job. His fiancée has up and left him. Now, after the sudden death of his father, he’s back in his hometown of Miami, slowly drinking himself into oblivion. But when a co-worker he barely knows asks Pete to locate a missing daughter, Pete finds himself dragged into a tale of murder, drugs, double-crosses and memories bursting from the black heart of the Miami underworld – and, shockingly, his father’s past.
So the first in a new mystery series from Alex Segura and boy, that was a terrific start – mainly because our protagonist, Pete Fernandez is so well drawn so you get right behind him at the start even though he kind of falls through life and has a spectactularly illogical decision making process. In that there is not really a process at all…I loved that because its a bit like me…shall I do that? Oh yes why not. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?
Set in Miami, the city comes to life in the authors hands – rich and vivid with a definite dark underbelly, it put me in mind of “Miami Vice” a show I used to love which visually had the same feel to it – bright lights and warm nights hiding a less salubrious reality..where danger lurks around every corner.
As Pete traverses the city streets trying to track down the missing Kathy, and runs into all sorts of trouble, the mystery element is well imagined and intriguing. Decent action all the way and a great twisty turny tale that resolves realistically, this was a fascinating and compelling story with great character development and excellent scene setting to keep you involved all the way. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
Happy Reading Folks!
Pete Fernandez is a mess. He’s on the brink of being fired from his middle-management newspaper job. His fiancée has up and left him. Now, after the sudden death of his father, he’s back in his hometown of Miami, slowly drinking himself into oblivion. But when a co-worker he barely knows asks Pete to locate a missing daughter, Pete finds himself dragged into a tale of murder, drugs, double-crosses and memories bursting from the black heart of the Miami underworld – and, shockingly, his father’s past.
So the first in a new mystery series from Alex Segura and boy, that was a terrific start – mainly because our protagonist, Pete Fernandez is so well drawn so you get right behind him at the start even though he kind of falls through life and has a spectactularly illogical decision making process. In that there is not really a process at all…I loved that because its a bit like me…shall I do that? Oh yes why not. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?
Set in Miami, the city comes to life in the authors hands – rich and vivid with a definite dark underbelly, it put me in mind of “Miami Vice” a show I used to love which visually had the same feel to it – bright lights and warm nights hiding a less salubrious reality..where danger lurks around every corner.
As Pete traverses the city streets trying to track down the missing Kathy, and runs into all sorts of trouble, the mystery element is well imagined and intriguing. Decent action all the way and a great twisty turny tale that resolves realistically, this was a fascinating and compelling story with great character development and excellent scene setting to keep you involved all the way. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
Happy Reading Folks!
March 13, 2019
Nice Miami atmosphere but otherwise disappointing unless you enjoy spending time with an active drunk of a protagonist and watching the body count climb. The story reads as if the only ways to advance the plot are to kill off a character or have the on-again off-again ex-wife change her attitude one (or two or three) more times. Still, the potential is there for at least an average mystery series.
December 2, 2015
What this Miami based book is not and never will be:
Kick it down,
in stereophonic sound,
perpetual motion,
palm trees, girls, along the ocean,
pastels, neon, night mutes the color kings,
don't need back-up,
bust the cocaine cowboys and rack-up,
number one in arrests
Crockett and Tubbs are Miami Vice(ing) it.
A Chris Roberts Review
Kick it down,
in stereophonic sound,
perpetual motion,
palm trees, girls, along the ocean,
pastels, neon, night mutes the color kings,
don't need back-up,
bust the cocaine cowboys and rack-up,
number one in arrests
Crockett and Tubbs are Miami Vice(ing) it.
A Chris Roberts Review
September 7, 2017
This is a fine debut novel by a smart, savvy writer who makes only a couple of rookie mistakes with the details of his plot. Alex Segura has created an interesting, flawed hero in the character of Pete Fernandez, the son of a now-dead Miami homicide detective, himself a one-time hotshot sports reporter, and now a hopeless drunk mired in career limbo working the copy desk at the Miami Times.
Fernandez is clinging to his job by his fingernails when he's asked by the paper's longtime metro columnist to find his missing daughter, herself a reporter. She was working on a hot story about a legendary South Florida hit man who's so scary not even the cops want to talk about him -- hence the title of the book. Pete makes some moves that are both smart and stupid, as befits a guy who used to be sharp but is now a mess, and before long people start dying left and right as the killer tries to keep his identity secret.
Segura does a fine job of describing the South Florida setting and the mundane newsroom politics that eventually cost Pete his job as he becomes more interested in solving the case than keeping his paycheck. There's a scene in the Keys that's particularly good.
Segura stumbles only a few times. At one point Pete is messing around with his dad's old service weapon, a Glock, and then becomes freaked out and, according to the book, puts the safety back on. But Glock's don't have a safety -- that's one of the reasons that it was so controversial for so many police departments to adopt them. A couple of things happen that could only be called a coincidence, which is always a sign of iffy plotting. And while the climax of the story is a fine, thrilling thing with a nice twist, it's a twist you'll probably see coming a mile away, and it leaves an unexplained corpse that Segura never gets around to identifying.
Otherwise the novel is a good, solid thriller that explains how Pete became a PI, and I look forward to reading the other books in the Fernandez series.
Fernandez is clinging to his job by his fingernails when he's asked by the paper's longtime metro columnist to find his missing daughter, herself a reporter. She was working on a hot story about a legendary South Florida hit man who's so scary not even the cops want to talk about him -- hence the title of the book. Pete makes some moves that are both smart and stupid, as befits a guy who used to be sharp but is now a mess, and before long people start dying left and right as the killer tries to keep his identity secret.
Segura does a fine job of describing the South Florida setting and the mundane newsroom politics that eventually cost Pete his job as he becomes more interested in solving the case than keeping his paycheck. There's a scene in the Keys that's particularly good.
Segura stumbles only a few times. At one point Pete is messing around with his dad's old service weapon, a Glock, and then becomes freaked out and, according to the book, puts the safety back on. But Glock's don't have a safety -- that's one of the reasons that it was so controversial for so many police departments to adopt them. A couple of things happen that could only be called a coincidence, which is always a sign of iffy plotting. And while the climax of the story is a fine, thrilling thing with a nice twist, it's a twist you'll probably see coming a mile away, and it leaves an unexplained corpse that Segura never gets around to identifying.
Otherwise the novel is a good, solid thriller that explains how Pete became a PI, and I look forward to reading the other books in the Fernandez series.
December 8, 2019
I enjoy crime fiction that effectively doubles as a tour guide. I’ve never been to Miami before so part of Silent City's allure for me was to learn more about the city. Charles Willeford does it somewhat effectively but he’s looking at it through the ethnographic lens of an old, racist white guy.
Alex Segura gives me that and more. I appreciate writers who talk about their urban environments as if they actually dwell there. No “this is a good/bad neighborhood” kind of nonsense, but espousing a familiarity with the terrain itself. The bars and roads and neighborhoods he mentions feel lived in and not stocked with Stereotypical Miami Characters. It gave the book an earthy feel.
And it needs it because this is a first novel and I’m being generous with my first novel curve. Segura’s Pete Fernandez is somewhat interesting but I’ve kind of had my fill with the alcoholic “detective” who keeps having bad things happen to him like he’s Job. And of course, despite more bad things happening to him, he has to do This One Thing because he brought this mess on himself so he has to clean it up, aided by coincidences.
It’s very familiar and yet, Segura gives enough life into his lead that I’m willing to look past the fact that most of the characters are plot devices. He effectively lays the foundation for what promises to be an interesting series. I’d probably check out more books in this at some point to see how he grew as a writer. This is a good enough start and I’m hoping for more.
Alex Segura gives me that and more. I appreciate writers who talk about their urban environments as if they actually dwell there. No “this is a good/bad neighborhood” kind of nonsense, but espousing a familiarity with the terrain itself. The bars and roads and neighborhoods he mentions feel lived in and not stocked with Stereotypical Miami Characters. It gave the book an earthy feel.
And it needs it because this is a first novel and I’m being generous with my first novel curve. Segura’s Pete Fernandez is somewhat interesting but I’ve kind of had my fill with the alcoholic “detective” who keeps having bad things happen to him like he’s Job. And of course, despite more bad things happening to him, he has to do This One Thing because he brought this mess on himself so he has to clean it up, aided by coincidences.
It’s very familiar and yet, Segura gives enough life into his lead that I’m willing to look past the fact that most of the characters are plot devices. He effectively lays the foundation for what promises to be an interesting series. I’d probably check out more books in this at some point to see how he grew as a writer. This is a good enough start and I’m hoping for more.
April 24, 2018
Silent City is the first foray into the Peter Fernandez series. In the noir tradition of flawed characters, Pete is a train wreck of an individual who gets thrown into the deep end of a Missing Persons case that pits him against a contract killer. Pete has lost his dad, his girl, and he’s finding solace in the bottle and in the company of cats. He’s treading water in both his personal and professional life, when a colleague’s father asks him to investigate his daughter’s disappearance. Bored, curious, and naive, Peter takes the assignment. That Peter is a journalist is a clever inroad to a detective’s chops for deductive and tenacious skills. Pete, however, becomes a punching bag often, and he persists where any sane person would quit, but that’s the point. Pete has nothing to lose, and he wants to redeem himself. He is hapless but not hopeless. Silent City is in Miami and the city is every bit of a character in this outing. The author sets keys this story to a soundtrack, which can cut both ways if you don’t know the music. If you’re a fan of moody noir and wanting to berate and cheer for a mensch, then start here. If you read for character, Peter Fernandez is frustrating but likeable, a guy you can root for along the way. I look forward to book 2, Down the Darkest Street.
July 16, 2018
Pete Fernandez, sometime sports copy editor for the Miami Times, and full-time drunk, is asked by an acquaintance to look into the disappearance of his daughter. Chaz Bentley used to be a big-time columnist, but has fallen on hard times; his daughter, Kathy, managed to ride his coattails into a job as an investigative reporter for the Times. Now, Kathy has gone missing, just as it appears she may have cracked the biggest case of her career, exposing the name of The Silent Death, a hit-man who has plagued Miami for years. Peter's father, a cop for the notoriously corrupt Miami PD, worked on the case for years, before his death. Pete finds his father's case files on the case and begins to investigate, as he searches for Kathy. He soon uncovers a troubling pattern and then the murders start. Fast-paced action, once the set-up is done. A little too much exposition on Pete's drinking, but I will keep reading the series to find out what happens. The final scene will make the reader nostalgic for the old days of printing presses.
July 2, 2018
2.5 Stars.
An ok read but the series shows promise. Slightly predictable and the alcoholic investigator schtick was overdone (and I’ve over that trope). I’ll read the next one and make the determination as to whether or not to continue the series.
An ok read but the series shows promise. Slightly predictable and the alcoholic investigator schtick was overdone (and I’ve over that trope). I’ll read the next one and make the determination as to whether or not to continue the series.
September 26, 2017
Segura captures Miami and its different neighborhoods really well. Pete Fernandez is a compelling character who feels lived-in. You feel his pains and enjoy the beers he does. Some of the other characters aren't as well drawn and the story sometimes fell into cliche. I also found it a little annoying that every chapter had some reference to a little known band. Overall, the book was briskly paced and very readable. I'll be reading the next Fernandez book.
February 27, 2025
Audio. Pete Fernandez #1. Narrators voice was delightful. The Spanish accent - loved it. Looking forward to seeing where Pete and maybe Emily are going in book 2
April 10, 2025
A crackerjack sun-drenched noir. The mystery kept me engaged throughout, and Segura writes Pete Fernandez deftly, keeping him relatable even as he walks the line of self-destructiveness. You always care about him enough to be mad at him when he makes a bad choice.
June 27, 2022
3.5 stars. I like Pete Fernandez, he has promise as a human and a character.
June 13, 2017
Great series start - great character
Pete Fernandez is a terrific addition to the world of amateur sleuths, a down on his luck drunk who gets wrapped up in the dark underworld of Miami.
Pete Fernandez is a terrific addition to the world of amateur sleuths, a down on his luck drunk who gets wrapped up in the dark underworld of Miami.
November 23, 2017
This needs to be a tv show!
July 4, 2018
Silent City: (Pete Fernandez Book 1)
Author Alex Segura takes readers on the harsh journey of an alcoholic newsman, Pete Fernandez, fighting the feelings of helplessness, fear, and guilt of addiction; while trying to hold onto his job and to his friends. The despair of finding himself hung over on a daily basis and late for work sends him into a greater downward spiral with tough consequences.
Pete works to sober up when he is asked to find a talented female newswriter who seems to be missing. The compelling story of Pete following leads to find the young woman make this novel difficult to put down until the very end!!
Excellent writing and "right-on" descriptions of alcoholic addiction (both my parents were terminal alcoholics) make this a must-read novel with a stunning end! --- I'm starting the 2nd book ASAP!!
Author Alex Segura takes readers on the harsh journey of an alcoholic newsman, Pete Fernandez, fighting the feelings of helplessness, fear, and guilt of addiction; while trying to hold onto his job and to his friends. The despair of finding himself hung over on a daily basis and late for work sends him into a greater downward spiral with tough consequences.
Pete works to sober up when he is asked to find a talented female newswriter who seems to be missing. The compelling story of Pete following leads to find the young woman make this novel difficult to put down until the very end!!
Excellent writing and "right-on" descriptions of alcoholic addiction (both my parents were terminal alcoholics) make this a must-read novel with a stunning end! --- I'm starting the 2nd book ASAP!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews