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Leo Waterman #9
Salvation Lake
At the end of an especially raucous day at his neighborhood bar, private eye Leo Waterman is surprised to see his old flame, Rebecca Duval, walk in the door. But King County’s medical examiner is here on business, not pleasure. Two dead bodies, covered by an old coat that once belonged to Leo’s father, have turned up in the trunk of a car. The only thing that seems to connect the men is a controversial local church and its charismatic pastor.
With help from Rebecca and surveillance expert Carl Cradduck, Leo begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. While a pair of goons do their best to chase him off the case, Leo painstakingly retraces the victims’ final days, charting their unusual search for redemption—from a downtown homeless encampment to suburban McMansions to the shores of Salvation Lake. There Leo must confront an opponent hell-bent on retribution in order to get to the twisted truth about the killings.
With help from Rebecca and surveillance expert Carl Cradduck, Leo begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. While a pair of goons do their best to chase him off the case, Leo painstakingly retraces the victims’ final days, charting their unusual search for redemption—from a downtown homeless encampment to suburban McMansions to the shores of Salvation Lake. There Leo must confront an opponent hell-bent on retribution in order to get to the twisted truth about the killings.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2016
335 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
G.M. Ford
34 books219 followersGerald M. Ford was the author of the widely praised Frank Corso novels, Fury, Black River, A Blind Eye, Red Tide, No Man's Land, and Blown Away; six highly acclaimed mysteries, featuring Seattle private investigator Leo Waterman; and the stand-alone thriller Nameless Night. A former creative writing teacher in western Washington, Ford lived in San Diego.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
July 11, 2016
This is the latest in the superb Leo Waterstone PI series based in Seattle which I adore. Leo is in good financial circumstances thanks to his notorious and corrupt politico father's financial legacy. And it is his father's well known coat that draws Leo into this deadly and complex case. As usual, Leo relies on his gang of irregular and offbeat pensioners - George, Harold, Ralph et al, to help him. Carl Cradduck, the paralysed IT expert, and Leo's friend ends up paying a heavy price for aiding Leo.
Two corpses are discovered covered by his father's old coat. Leo's ex, Rebecca, the Chief Medical Examiner, struggles to find a cause of death and Timothy Eagen of Seattle PD warns Leo to not get involved. Leo, however, cannot let it go. He goes on to identify one of the men as homeless preacher, Charles Stone. The other body is Blaine Peterson from a well to do family. What could possibly connect these two people from opposite ends of the social spectrum? It turns out both men used to be married to Theresa Calder, a woman who appeared from nowhere and disappeared on ending her marriage to Blaine. The trail leads to a religious cult lead by Aaron Townsend. There are historical ties to the Mob and two dangerous and psychopathic thugs which bring danger to Leo and his friends. Leo eventually finds his way to Salvation Lake where many answers lie. In addition, thanks to intervening in a domestic violence issue with his neighbours, Leo finds himself arrested for murder.
This is a smart story packed with suspense and tension. The plot is twisted and sublime, and keeps the reader totally engaged. The author is assured in his writing and his ability to weave a compelling story with wonderful characters. Cannot recommend this book highly enough. Thanks to Thomas and Mercer for an ARC.
Two corpses are discovered covered by his father's old coat. Leo's ex, Rebecca, the Chief Medical Examiner, struggles to find a cause of death and Timothy Eagen of Seattle PD warns Leo to not get involved. Leo, however, cannot let it go. He goes on to identify one of the men as homeless preacher, Charles Stone. The other body is Blaine Peterson from a well to do family. What could possibly connect these two people from opposite ends of the social spectrum? It turns out both men used to be married to Theresa Calder, a woman who appeared from nowhere and disappeared on ending her marriage to Blaine. The trail leads to a religious cult lead by Aaron Townsend. There are historical ties to the Mob and two dangerous and psychopathic thugs which bring danger to Leo and his friends. Leo eventually finds his way to Salvation Lake where many answers lie. In addition, thanks to intervening in a domestic violence issue with his neighbours, Leo finds himself arrested for murder.
This is a smart story packed with suspense and tension. The plot is twisted and sublime, and keeps the reader totally engaged. The author is assured in his writing and his ability to weave a compelling story with wonderful characters. Cannot recommend this book highly enough. Thanks to Thomas and Mercer for an ARC.
July 17, 2016
Aha - methinks I just found a great new (to me) series! This one actually is the eighth featuring private detective Leo Waterman, but it stands on its own very well. In fact, since I enjoyed it so much - I'd give it 4.5 stars if it were possible - I'm going to try and get my hands on a few of the earlier books.
The writing and the plot make this a plain old, hard-boiled, fast-paced detective novel in traditional fashion; no chapters shifting back and forth between past and present and no tense psychological drama or wishy-washy characters. I half expected Leo to crack, "Hey, doll, what are you doing in a joint like this?" at any moment. In fact, to my great amusement, he did utter some great lines (the best of which, alas, are a bit too ribald to put in print). And all that, IMHO, is a good thing.
It begins as Leo learns from his long-time but now former squeeze, county Medical Examiner Rebecca Duval, that two unidentified and apparently unrelated bodies have been found in the trunk of a car, inexplicably covered by a huge coat that belonged to Leo's equally huge father. The two dead guys appear to have quite dissimilar backgrounds, raising even more questions, and Leo - particularly curious about how the coat got involved - sets out to ID the pair and find the connection.
Enlisting help from Rebecca and a couple of other expert cronies, he finds links to a local "church" and a pastor who loves to make parishioners' hair stand on end with his sermons. His search for the truth leads to an out-of-the-way church camp with a lake (to which the title refers), a couple of trigger-happy bad guys and across-the-street neighbors who make the fights between Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard pale in comparison. Amid all these crazies there's plenty of action that kept me turning the pages (the book isn't very long, so I breezed through it in just a couple of days of spare time).
In short, good job! Many thanks to the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.
The writing and the plot make this a plain old, hard-boiled, fast-paced detective novel in traditional fashion; no chapters shifting back and forth between past and present and no tense psychological drama or wishy-washy characters. I half expected Leo to crack, "Hey, doll, what are you doing in a joint like this?" at any moment. In fact, to my great amusement, he did utter some great lines (the best of which, alas, are a bit too ribald to put in print). And all that, IMHO, is a good thing.
It begins as Leo learns from his long-time but now former squeeze, county Medical Examiner Rebecca Duval, that two unidentified and apparently unrelated bodies have been found in the trunk of a car, inexplicably covered by a huge coat that belonged to Leo's equally huge father. The two dead guys appear to have quite dissimilar backgrounds, raising even more questions, and Leo - particularly curious about how the coat got involved - sets out to ID the pair and find the connection.
Enlisting help from Rebecca and a couple of other expert cronies, he finds links to a local "church" and a pastor who loves to make parishioners' hair stand on end with his sermons. His search for the truth leads to an out-of-the-way church camp with a lake (to which the title refers), a couple of trigger-happy bad guys and across-the-street neighbors who make the fights between Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard pale in comparison. Amid all these crazies there's plenty of action that kept me turning the pages (the book isn't very long, so I breezed through it in just a couple of days of spare time).
In short, good job! Many thanks to the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.
February 18, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but that did not affect my opinion.
This is the second or third Leo Waterman series book I've read by G.M. Ford. I need to read more. Leo is a Seattle P.I., whose father was a well-known, wealthy local politician. Two dead bodies turn up in the trunk of a car, wrapped in his father's topcoat: one is a homeless person and the other a wealthy socialite. Leo cannot help himself, but to start asking questions. The two have something in common, His investigation into their deaths leads him into tangling with a religious cult, the Mafia, and accidentally puts a family at risk. I liked the twists and pace of the book, and look forward to reading more in the series.
This is the second or third Leo Waterman series book I've read by G.M. Ford. I need to read more. Leo is a Seattle P.I., whose father was a well-known, wealthy local politician. Two dead bodies turn up in the trunk of a car, wrapped in his father's topcoat: one is a homeless person and the other a wealthy socialite. Leo cannot help himself, but to start asking questions. The two have something in common, His investigation into their deaths leads him into tangling with a religious cult, the Mafia, and accidentally puts a family at risk. I liked the twists and pace of the book, and look forward to reading more in the series.
July 31, 2017
Ford is the rightful heir to the late great Donald Westlake, a writer of monstrously amusing mysteries full of quirky sidekicks and kick-ass, zesty dialogue. There’s nobody like him in Seattle or anywhere else. I gobbled up the DRC when it became available via Net Galley and publishers Thomas and Mercer, so I read this free in exchange for an honest review. But I’ll tell you a secret: if I’d had to, I’d have paid for this one had it been necessary. And so should you. It’s for sale today, and you can get it digitally at a bargain rate.
But back to our story. We open at a bar called the Eastlake Zoo. The band of misfits to which detective Leo Waterman is tied through bonds of family history and quixotic affection are rocking the house in “well-lubricated amiability”. In fact, there’s a story being told right as we begin, and if it doesn’t hook you, check your pulse, because you’re probably dead. Here:
“Red Lopez was a spitter. When Red told a story, it was best to get yourself alee of something
Waterproof, lest you end up looking like you’d been run through the Elephant Car Wash.
‘So we was comin’ down Yesler,’ Red gushed. “Me and George and Ralphie.’
Everyone had found cover, except the guy they called Frenchie, who was so tanked he probably
Thought it was raining inside the Eastlake Zoo…”
Right?
As it happens, Waterman, who’s inherited his old man’s ill-gotten wealth, has been lying low and enjoying the good life, but now his late father’s hideously distinctive overcoat has been found on a corpse, and Timothy Eagen of the Seattle Police Department want to talk to Leo. Now. There’s bad blood between them:
“…he hated my big ass the way Ahab hated that whale…Eagen was a skinny little turd with a salt-and-pepper comb-over pasted across his pate like a sleeping hamster.”
Since SPD has been under the eye of the Feds lately, Eagen can’t give full rein to his attack-Chihuahua impulses. SPD needs to provide “the kind [of law enforcement] that doesn’t look like Ferguson, Missouri or Staten Island, New York.” So Waterman doesn’t get shaken down or tossed into a cell, but his curiosity is piqued, and since he has no paying job and time on his hands, he finds himself checking into a few things. One thing leads to another.
What relationship does the victim, known as the Preacher, have to Mount Zion Industries, whose pamphlet is found among his effects? Before we know it, Leo is off and running, checking out Salvation Lake, located at the end of Redemption Road. Events tumble one upon the next, and I found that instead of reading in my bed that evening, as is my usual bedtime custom, I was reading on it, bolt upright and clicking the kindle to go a little faster please.
Waterman may have come into money midway through life, but his perspective is a working class perspective. His take on the city’s thousands of homeless denizens and the relationship that cops have to those in need strike a sure clear note that must surely resonate with anyone that’s been paying any attention at all.
Meanwhile, Salvation Lake is written with warp speed pacing, sharp insight, authority, and the kind of wit that can only come from a writer that has tremendous heart.
Don’t miss it. Get it now.
But back to our story. We open at a bar called the Eastlake Zoo. The band of misfits to which detective Leo Waterman is tied through bonds of family history and quixotic affection are rocking the house in “well-lubricated amiability”. In fact, there’s a story being told right as we begin, and if it doesn’t hook you, check your pulse, because you’re probably dead. Here:
“Red Lopez was a spitter. When Red told a story, it was best to get yourself alee of something
Waterproof, lest you end up looking like you’d been run through the Elephant Car Wash.
‘So we was comin’ down Yesler,’ Red gushed. “Me and George and Ralphie.’
Everyone had found cover, except the guy they called Frenchie, who was so tanked he probably
Thought it was raining inside the Eastlake Zoo…”
Right?
As it happens, Waterman, who’s inherited his old man’s ill-gotten wealth, has been lying low and enjoying the good life, but now his late father’s hideously distinctive overcoat has been found on a corpse, and Timothy Eagen of the Seattle Police Department want to talk to Leo. Now. There’s bad blood between them:
“…he hated my big ass the way Ahab hated that whale…Eagen was a skinny little turd with a salt-and-pepper comb-over pasted across his pate like a sleeping hamster.”
Since SPD has been under the eye of the Feds lately, Eagen can’t give full rein to his attack-Chihuahua impulses. SPD needs to provide “the kind [of law enforcement] that doesn’t look like Ferguson, Missouri or Staten Island, New York.” So Waterman doesn’t get shaken down or tossed into a cell, but his curiosity is piqued, and since he has no paying job and time on his hands, he finds himself checking into a few things. One thing leads to another.
What relationship does the victim, known as the Preacher, have to Mount Zion Industries, whose pamphlet is found among his effects? Before we know it, Leo is off and running, checking out Salvation Lake, located at the end of Redemption Road. Events tumble one upon the next, and I found that instead of reading in my bed that evening, as is my usual bedtime custom, I was reading on it, bolt upright and clicking the kindle to go a little faster please.
Waterman may have come into money midway through life, but his perspective is a working class perspective. His take on the city’s thousands of homeless denizens and the relationship that cops have to those in need strike a sure clear note that must surely resonate with anyone that’s been paying any attention at all.
Meanwhile, Salvation Lake is written with warp speed pacing, sharp insight, authority, and the kind of wit that can only come from a writer that has tremendous heart.
Don’t miss it. Get it now.
November 28, 2016
I have loved all of the titles in this series set in Seattle and this 9th entry was especially terrific.
Read these if you are a fan of Sue Grafton (Leo has the smarts and heart of Kinsey Millhone), Janet Evanovich (Leo is not nearly as inept as Stephanie Plum but gets himself in some interesting situations and his "operatives" are very colorful), and Lee Child (Leo is a tough manly man). Ford also infuses his mysteries with a lot of snort-worthy snark and humor.
This can be read without reading the others but I highly recommend starting with the first, "Who the Hell is Wanda Fuca?" and bingeing on the rest.
Read these if you are a fan of Sue Grafton (Leo has the smarts and heart of Kinsey Millhone), Janet Evanovich (Leo is not nearly as inept as Stephanie Plum but gets himself in some interesting situations and his "operatives" are very colorful), and Lee Child (Leo is a tough manly man). Ford also infuses his mysteries with a lot of snort-worthy snark and humor.
This can be read without reading the others but I highly recommend starting with the first, "Who the Hell is Wanda Fuca?" and bingeing on the rest.
July 7, 2016
Would you be as curious as Leo Waterman if two, nude bodies showed up with your dad’s ugliest overcoat covering them? Leo is and his curiosity leads him into religious scams, a woman with a shady past now trying to be a typical mom, gangsters, and close encounters with his old girlfriend.
Well written, stuffed with suspense, humor, and a little love and sex – what could be better?
This is one of those not to be missed mysteries that will have you reading more by this high spirited talented writer.
Well written, stuffed with suspense, humor, and a little love and sex – what could be better?
This is one of those not to be missed mysteries that will have you reading more by this high spirited talented writer.
July 6, 2016
This was my first Leo Waterman story but it will not be my last. This reads like a 50-60's noir mystery and is just the fast easy read to make you appreciate the good guys. Leo Waterman cannot leave well enough alone and winds up in the middle of a decades old mob story of which he is not aware until his trip to Vegas and his almost death. Can he now undo all that he has put in motion before anyone is hurt. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
August 10, 2017
Although it's been several years since I have read a Ford/Waterman novel, the Waterman character hasn't faded from my memory. Still the same interesting character, although he is now an ex P.I., just following his nose and trying to figure out the mystery of two bodies found in the trunk of a car. Waterman's trademark use of homeless street people as his 'helpers' is still evident in this novel.
Great twist to solve the mystery. Highly recommended. In fact, if you haven't read any of Ford's Waterman series, I recommend starting at the beginning, Who The Hell Is Wanda Fuqua.
Great twist to solve the mystery. Highly recommended. In fact, if you haven't read any of Ford's Waterman series, I recommend starting at the beginning, Who The Hell Is Wanda Fuqua.
December 2, 2020
A very good entry in this series, with several apparently unrelated puzzles gradually getting illuminated by the detective's dogged determination to continue sticking his nose where it doesn't belong and endangering other people, many of them innocent. And getting himself beat up. A lot. I'm glad to see the return of his long-term girlfriend, who is also the county medical examiner. The conclusion was a trifle too neat to be believed, but the apparent big finish was impossible to put down.
September 24, 2016
#9 in the Leo Waterman series. It's real pleasure to see Leo and his friends back in business after a hiatus from 2000-2012. This series entry may also provide the romantic reunion of Leo with former girlfriend Rebecca Duval. The series provides a compelling mix of detective business leavened with humor and the distinct flavor of Seattle.
Leo Waterman series - At the end of an especially raucous episode at his neighborhood bar, private eye Leo Waterman is surprised to see his old flame, Rebecca Duval, walk in the door. But King County's medical examiner is here on business, not pleasure. Two dead bodies, covered by an old coat that once belonged to Leo's father, have turned up in the trunk of a car. The only thing that seems to connect the men is a controversial local church and its charismatic pastor. With help from Rebecca and surveillance expert Carl Cradduck, Leo begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. While a pair of goons do their best to chase him off the case, Leo painstakingly retraces the victims' final days -from a downtown homeless encampment to the shores of Salvation Lake.
Leo Waterman series - At the end of an especially raucous episode at his neighborhood bar, private eye Leo Waterman is surprised to see his old flame, Rebecca Duval, walk in the door. But King County's medical examiner is here on business, not pleasure. Two dead bodies, covered by an old coat that once belonged to Leo's father, have turned up in the trunk of a car. The only thing that seems to connect the men is a controversial local church and its charismatic pastor. With help from Rebecca and surveillance expert Carl Cradduck, Leo begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. While a pair of goons do their best to chase him off the case, Leo painstakingly retraces the victims' final days -from a downtown homeless encampment to the shores of Salvation Lake.
July 14, 2016
G.M. Ford's Salvation Lake (Thomas & Mercer 2016) is the story of Leo Waterman, a retired P.I. living off a trust fund but unable to shake the need to answer questions and right wrongs. When Seattle's Medical Examiner finds Leo's dad's custom-made jacket on a dead homeless man--stuffed in the trunk of a car next to another dead man--Leo can't stop himself from trying to track down how his dad's coat ended up on a stiff. As he digs into the mystery, he's attacked, almost killed, his friends are almost killed, he's accused of murder--none of which discourage his search for answers.
This is the eighth in the Leo Waterman series, but my first. Told in the first person, I quickly became enamored with Waterman's irreverent approach to life:
"When the big guy [Waterman's father] finally blew a heart valve..."
"Like I said, this was an easily amused crowd. The place came unhinged again. Everybody pointing at me and whooping it up for all they were worth. Even Marge forgot her Billy Bob death wish and was laughing her ass off."
"Gosh and golly, I'll have to sleep with a night-light." [in response to a threat from a large nasty guy]
"They'd been sliced and diced from stem to stern, split down the middle like capons, and then sewn back together, with something akin to red fishing line."
This flippancy made me laugh and groan, in equal measures. It reminded me of Nelson DeMille's John Corey in Plum Island, a smart-aleck detective who couldn't control his mouth. And then there are the poetic lines that hint at Waterman's deeper outlook on the world:
"...eroded by the torrents of life..."
Even as I was wrapping up the last few pages, I wasn't clear on Leo's motivation. In his own words:
"All I'd managed to accomplish thus far was to endanger the lives of any number of innocent people, get myself beat up, kidnapped, and dumped in the trunk of a car, then arrested and charged with capital murder, and now for my grand finale..."
Surely all of this didn't happen because Leo as curious. Since this is well into the series, I'm guessing the motivations that forced Leo to grab ahold of this problem and refuse to give up, despite the danger to him, to his friends, and the lack of an upside, were clarified in the earlier books. Like Jack Reacher who can't let the little guy get trampled or Sherlock Holmes who simply loves a good puzzle, there's probably a character fault that forces Leo to keep moving forward.
Oh, one more quirky discomfort: Despite being an ex-PI with a rather large physique, Leo manages to get outsmarted and outfought quite a lot, much of it self-inflicted. And some story parts left me scratching my head. It took a big dose of suspended disbelief to accept what happened at times. I'd say the author's plotting is a bit ragged occasionally, but since this is the eighth in the series, it's probably intentional (I won't give you examples because I don't want to reveal any spoilers).
But, as I turned the last page, I knew I'd be reading #1-7 in the series. Something about Leo Waterman makes me want more.
This is the eighth in the Leo Waterman series, but my first. Told in the first person, I quickly became enamored with Waterman's irreverent approach to life:
"When the big guy [Waterman's father] finally blew a heart valve..."
"Like I said, this was an easily amused crowd. The place came unhinged again. Everybody pointing at me and whooping it up for all they were worth. Even Marge forgot her Billy Bob death wish and was laughing her ass off."
"Gosh and golly, I'll have to sleep with a night-light." [in response to a threat from a large nasty guy]
"They'd been sliced and diced from stem to stern, split down the middle like capons, and then sewn back together, with something akin to red fishing line."
This flippancy made me laugh and groan, in equal measures. It reminded me of Nelson DeMille's John Corey in Plum Island, a smart-aleck detective who couldn't control his mouth. And then there are the poetic lines that hint at Waterman's deeper outlook on the world:
"...eroded by the torrents of life..."
Even as I was wrapping up the last few pages, I wasn't clear on Leo's motivation. In his own words:
"All I'd managed to accomplish thus far was to endanger the lives of any number of innocent people, get myself beat up, kidnapped, and dumped in the trunk of a car, then arrested and charged with capital murder, and now for my grand finale..."
Surely all of this didn't happen because Leo as curious. Since this is well into the series, I'm guessing the motivations that forced Leo to grab ahold of this problem and refuse to give up, despite the danger to him, to his friends, and the lack of an upside, were clarified in the earlier books. Like Jack Reacher who can't let the little guy get trampled or Sherlock Holmes who simply loves a good puzzle, there's probably a character fault that forces Leo to keep moving forward.
Oh, one more quirky discomfort: Despite being an ex-PI with a rather large physique, Leo manages to get outsmarted and outfought quite a lot, much of it self-inflicted. And some story parts left me scratching my head. It took a big dose of suspended disbelief to accept what happened at times. I'd say the author's plotting is a bit ragged occasionally, but since this is the eighth in the series, it's probably intentional (I won't give you examples because I don't want to reveal any spoilers).
But, as I turned the last page, I knew I'd be reading #1-7 in the series. Something about Leo Waterman makes me want more.
June 23, 2017
I received an advanced ebook of Salvation Lake via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Salvation Lake is a fairly typical hardboiled lone-detective novel. This is the eighth book in the series featuring private detective Leo Waterman, but the other books aren't required reading; Ford does a decent job of filling in relevant events from previous books.
The book begins with a bar fight, and introduces us to Leo Waterman, former private eye and son of the deceased local political scumbag, Bill Waterman. Unfortunately for Leo, his old flame and King County (Seattle) medical examiner, Rebecca Duval, not only witnesses Leo's humiliation, but comes bearing bad news: it seems two dead men have been found in a car trunk, wrapped up in one of Leo's father's signature jackets.
From here the story twists and turns. Naturally, the Seattle Police tell Leo to stay away from the case they're investigating. And naturally, Leo ignores them and begins his own investigation with help from the ME and a motley group of friends and bar flies. Unfortunately, trying figure out who killed the two guys in the car, and why they were wrapped in that particular jacket, opens up a writhing, rotten can of worms.
From the initial crime, we are lead to a crooked fundamentalist preacher, the Las Vegas Mob, and violent goons among others. Small subplots and minor mysteries wander in and out, leaving the reader, like Leo, to determine what is connected to the case and what is not.
The book was decently written, with good dialogue and a steady pace. It was a good two-afternoon read. One complaint (which may be irrelevant, as I haven't read the rest of the series) is that the characters, particularly Leo and Rebecca Duval, seem a bit two dimensional. They go about their business, but never seem to rise above the "I'm a private eye with a complicated past" and "I'm the incredibly intelligent and attractive medical examiner" outline. Maybe it's due to coming into this series in the middle; I'd be curious to read the earlier books and see how/if the characters have changed over time.
The grand finale is thrilling, with danger and flying bullets and assorted action-hero feats. The ending itself is a bit pat, with everything wrapped up in a very, very neat bow. Especially in a series of books, I always prefer when authors leave somethings unfinished, or even imperfectly wrapped up. It adds interest and realism to the story, and even if you're burning to tie up every last loose end, doing it serially makes it a bit easier on the reader.
All in all, this is still an enjoyable (and quick) read, worth a few afternoons on the hammock.
Check out more reviews by checking out my blog!
www.theirregularreaderblog.wordpress.com
Salvation Lake is a fairly typical hardboiled lone-detective novel. This is the eighth book in the series featuring private detective Leo Waterman, but the other books aren't required reading; Ford does a decent job of filling in relevant events from previous books.
The book begins with a bar fight, and introduces us to Leo Waterman, former private eye and son of the deceased local political scumbag, Bill Waterman. Unfortunately for Leo, his old flame and King County (Seattle) medical examiner, Rebecca Duval, not only witnesses Leo's humiliation, but comes bearing bad news: it seems two dead men have been found in a car trunk, wrapped up in one of Leo's father's signature jackets.
From here the story twists and turns. Naturally, the Seattle Police tell Leo to stay away from the case they're investigating. And naturally, Leo ignores them and begins his own investigation with help from the ME and a motley group of friends and bar flies. Unfortunately, trying figure out who killed the two guys in the car, and why they were wrapped in that particular jacket, opens up a writhing, rotten can of worms.
From the initial crime, we are lead to a crooked fundamentalist preacher, the Las Vegas Mob, and violent goons among others. Small subplots and minor mysteries wander in and out, leaving the reader, like Leo, to determine what is connected to the case and what is not.
The book was decently written, with good dialogue and a steady pace. It was a good two-afternoon read. One complaint (which may be irrelevant, as I haven't read the rest of the series) is that the characters, particularly Leo and Rebecca Duval, seem a bit two dimensional. They go about their business, but never seem to rise above the "I'm a private eye with a complicated past" and "I'm the incredibly intelligent and attractive medical examiner" outline. Maybe it's due to coming into this series in the middle; I'd be curious to read the earlier books and see how/if the characters have changed over time.
The grand finale is thrilling, with danger and flying bullets and assorted action-hero feats. The ending itself is a bit pat, with everything wrapped up in a very, very neat bow. Especially in a series of books, I always prefer when authors leave somethings unfinished, or even imperfectly wrapped up. It adds interest and realism to the story, and even if you're burning to tie up every last loose end, doing it serially makes it a bit easier on the reader.
All in all, this is still an enjoyable (and quick) read, worth a few afternoons on the hammock.
Check out more reviews by checking out my blog!
www.theirregularreaderblog.wordpress.com
March 7, 2017
It took three in a row for me to figure out that this series is definitely not binge-worthy. For such short novels, Ford sure spends a lot of time re-telling Leo's backstory. In each of the three latest, we are told that Leo's father made his money through corruption; that Leo is lazy; that he feels somewhat guilty about having inherited his father's fortune (but not guilty enough to give it back); that he lives in half of the downstairs of his mansion (but the Maid Brigade keeps it clean); and that he does his own laundry. We're also reminded that Rebecca is a childhood friend who's been around ever since they were partnered in dancing class because they were tall, and that Carl is a photographer-turned-data guy. Oh - and Leo doesn't like authority and is too stupid to keep himself out of trouble. His words, not mine. Sometimes it even feels like this information is simply copied and pasted from the previous books.
Once again, Leo's band of Irregulars makes a very brief token appearance (I swear they used to be more central to the older books). There's also a pointless subplot, and another climax that comes with yet another woman getting beaten up and tortured. So, yeah. I think I might have to let this series stay in the past where it belonged, because I am not enjoying the newer offerings.
Once again, Leo's band of Irregulars makes a very brief token appearance (I swear they used to be more central to the older books). There's also a pointless subplot, and another climax that comes with yet another woman getting beaten up and tortured. So, yeah. I think I might have to let this series stay in the past where it belonged, because I am not enjoying the newer offerings.
October 16, 2017
This was my first Leo Waterman book. While, I haven't read the other books in the series but there was enough background sprinkled throughout that I got the gist and it didn't really seem to matter.
Leo was interesting and I liked the secondary characters a lot. It was nice to see he wasn't a superhuman awesome investigator. Instead he is a guy who has a bit too much time on his hands and a brain that won't let a mystery go. He definitely makes mistakes and is human enough to admit that he has regrets and isn't perfect.
I was a bit frustrated with a few parts of the book, but overall it was a decent mystery and a easy read. One annoying thing that stayed with me is how in-depth his guns were described. EVERY time he looked at one. Frankly, I am good with 'he grabbed his shotgun or 9 mm' or whatnot. I don't need 5 paragraphs of detail for each gun, especially over and over for the same gun. But this is a minor, annoyance in the grand scheme of things.
*I received this book through the goodreads firstreads program but am under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.
Leo was interesting and I liked the secondary characters a lot. It was nice to see he wasn't a superhuman awesome investigator. Instead he is a guy who has a bit too much time on his hands and a brain that won't let a mystery go. He definitely makes mistakes and is human enough to admit that he has regrets and isn't perfect.
I was a bit frustrated with a few parts of the book, but overall it was a decent mystery and a easy read. One annoying thing that stayed with me is how in-depth his guns were described. EVERY time he looked at one. Frankly, I am good with 'he grabbed his shotgun or 9 mm' or whatnot. I don't need 5 paragraphs of detail for each gun, especially over and over for the same gun. But this is a minor, annoyance in the grand scheme of things.
*I received this book through the goodreads firstreads program but am under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.
August 30, 2016
I thought G.M. FORD couldn't write a bad Leo Waterman-novel...
I was wrong.
Leo Waterman has turned into a bored, tired and humorless pensioner... No more witticism, sharp dialogues and outrageous humor.
It seems like the author had a contractual obligation to deliver the next LEO WATERMAN book and found some stale ingredients in a forgotten drawer, which he used to brew a lukewarm, tasteless broth...
The plot is farfetched, the alcoholic crew of the Zoo makes a moot short appearance because it is expected to, and G.M. Ford had to use an extremely tiresome deus ex machina to knit an ending to this novel, he grew clearly tired from himself.
If this is the Leo Waterman we have to expect for the future, I'd suggest he takes a long, rain soaked walk on a short Seattle pier...
Really disappointing...
I was wrong.
Leo Waterman has turned into a bored, tired and humorless pensioner... No more witticism, sharp dialogues and outrageous humor.
It seems like the author had a contractual obligation to deliver the next LEO WATERMAN book and found some stale ingredients in a forgotten drawer, which he used to brew a lukewarm, tasteless broth...
The plot is farfetched, the alcoholic crew of the Zoo makes a moot short appearance because it is expected to, and G.M. Ford had to use an extremely tiresome deus ex machina to knit an ending to this novel, he grew clearly tired from himself.
If this is the Leo Waterman we have to expect for the future, I'd suggest he takes a long, rain soaked walk on a short Seattle pier...
Really disappointing...
August 6, 2016
I liked the character, but wasn't really that concerned about him. I really get involved more with the character than the plot. There are some serial mystery or suspense books that make me sad when I get near the end. This wasn't one of them. Having said that, I do need a plot and story line. He was a little 2 dimensional. Of course sometimes characters grow. I hope so. The writing was clean, there were some great lines and insights. Will definitely try another Leo story.
May 14, 2017
A reliable series that doesn't really know if it wants to be quirky and funny or dark and violent. Mix doesn't always work. The subplot in this one - a married couple breaking up - is actually more interesting than the main one. The ending is too chaotic and the double ending - that deals with the married couple -- is too pat. I'm also not really comfortable with the use of the cast of alcoholic derelicts in these books. Not really funny....
June 8, 2017
Entertaining
A fairly decent read, had some intensity and intrigue and could have used more effort on characterization. The sexual activity was believable without being exotic.
A fairly decent read, had some intensity and intrigue and could have used more effort on characterization. The sexual activity was believable without being exotic.
December 12, 2017
6/10. mildly entertaining but forgettable.
June 5, 2023
2015 - USA, Washington: Seattle
First published 2016
Red Lopez was a spitter. When Red told a story, it was best to get yourself alee of something waterproof, lest you end up looking like you’d been run through the Elephant Car Wash.
“So we was comin’ down Yesler,” Red gushed. “Me and George and Ralphie.”
Everyone had found cover, except the guy they called Frenchie, who was so tanked he probably thought it was raining inside the Eastlake Zoo.
“And you know , ’bout halfway down the hill, the Hotel Cairo there on the corner?”
Everybody nodded. Thus assured, Red went on.
“There’s this big ol’ black mutt laying there on the front step lickin’ his nuts for all he’s worth — I mean, just havin’ a party with himself — and George looks over to me and says, ‘Man, I wish I could do that.’ And you know what Ralphie says?”
He threw a liquid leer around the bar. Having heard the story three or four thousand times previously, the cowering crowd was prepared.
“Ralphie looks over at George and says, ‘I don’t know , man . . . maybe you ought to try to pet him first.’”
Ich hatte meinen letzten Leo-Waterman-Roman 2014 gelesen und bisher gar nicht mitbekommen, dass es neue Teile gibt... da stürze ich mich doch gleich mit Begeisterung drauf!
Geschrieben in chandleresker lässig-schnoddriger Weise (was dennoch nicht verhindert, dass mir die sozialen und weltanschaulichen Abgründe an die Nieren gehen und mich wütend machen...)
...as if poverty and degradation not only robbed a person of their dignity but of their identity as well. Almost like it didn’t matter who they were anymore, ’cause they didn’t own enough stuff to be listed among the living. The American Dream turning nightmare 💰 👿
Every prison movie I’d ever seen flashed through my mind as I sat there in that rancid cell, imagining how I was going to survive in that hell we call the American prison system. The place where we lock up anybody who doesn’t fit the mold— the criminal, the crazy, the poor, the disenfranchised, the wretched refuse of our teeming shores. Anybody who threatens to interfere with shopping. The Shop Must Go On!
Fanatisch naive scheinheilige US-Religiosität kriegt hier echt ihr Fett weg!
He railed against mainstream Christians who imagined what he called an “androgynous Christ .” Instead, he molded his doctrine on manliness, sexual purity, and submission to authority: wives to husbands, husbands to pastors, and everyone to God. Needless to say, not everyone was enamored with this somewhat testicular approach to religion. Almost immediately, rifts began to appear in the social fabric. A full-scale them and us situation erupted. Those unwilling to submit to church demands were ostracized and shunned by members of the Mount Zion community.
Spannend und sehr gut konstruiert, wobei die Handlung komplex und verschlungen ist. G.M. Ford schreibt bildhaft und witzig, sein Leo Waterman ist verdammt "hard boiled" aber dabei im Gegensatz zu den typischen Vertretern des Genre kein bisschen frauenverachtend. Leider ist die Story insbesondere zum Ende hin etwas schusswaffenlastig, aber die USAutoren können halt oft nicht ohne...
First published 2016
Red Lopez was a spitter. When Red told a story, it was best to get yourself alee of something waterproof, lest you end up looking like you’d been run through the Elephant Car Wash.
“So we was comin’ down Yesler,” Red gushed. “Me and George and Ralphie.”
Everyone had found cover, except the guy they called Frenchie, who was so tanked he probably thought it was raining inside the Eastlake Zoo.
“And you know , ’bout halfway down the hill, the Hotel Cairo there on the corner?”
Everybody nodded. Thus assured, Red went on.
“There’s this big ol’ black mutt laying there on the front step lickin’ his nuts for all he’s worth — I mean, just havin’ a party with himself — and George looks over to me and says, ‘Man, I wish I could do that.’ And you know what Ralphie says?”
He threw a liquid leer around the bar. Having heard the story three or four thousand times previously, the cowering crowd was prepared.
“Ralphie looks over at George and says, ‘I don’t know , man . . . maybe you ought to try to pet him first.’”
Ich hatte meinen letzten Leo-Waterman-Roman 2014 gelesen und bisher gar nicht mitbekommen, dass es neue Teile gibt... da stürze ich mich doch gleich mit Begeisterung drauf!
Geschrieben in chandleresker lässig-schnoddriger Weise (was dennoch nicht verhindert, dass mir die sozialen und weltanschaulichen Abgründe an die Nieren gehen und mich wütend machen...)
...as if poverty and degradation not only robbed a person of their dignity but of their identity as well. Almost like it didn’t matter who they were anymore, ’cause they didn’t own enough stuff to be listed among the living. The American Dream turning nightmare 💰 👿
Every prison movie I’d ever seen flashed through my mind as I sat there in that rancid cell, imagining how I was going to survive in that hell we call the American prison system. The place where we lock up anybody who doesn’t fit the mold— the criminal, the crazy, the poor, the disenfranchised, the wretched refuse of our teeming shores. Anybody who threatens to interfere with shopping. The Shop Must Go On!
Fanatisch naive scheinheilige US-Religiosität kriegt hier echt ihr Fett weg!
He railed against mainstream Christians who imagined what he called an “androgynous Christ .” Instead, he molded his doctrine on manliness, sexual purity, and submission to authority: wives to husbands, husbands to pastors, and everyone to God. Needless to say, not everyone was enamored with this somewhat testicular approach to religion. Almost immediately, rifts began to appear in the social fabric. A full-scale them and us situation erupted. Those unwilling to submit to church demands were ostracized and shunned by members of the Mount Zion community.
Spannend und sehr gut konstruiert, wobei die Handlung komplex und verschlungen ist. G.M. Ford schreibt bildhaft und witzig, sein Leo Waterman ist verdammt "hard boiled" aber dabei im Gegensatz zu den typischen Vertretern des Genre kein bisschen frauenverachtend. Leider ist die Story insbesondere zum Ende hin etwas schusswaffenlastig, aber die USAutoren können halt oft nicht ohne...
July 27, 2017
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
SALVATION LAKE by G.M. Ford is the 9th book in the Leo Waterman series, and the first book I’ve read by this author.
Leo Waterman is a former private detective, and son of a former influential man in the political landscape of the Seattle area where Leo lives in the house of his late father.
Rebecca is Leo’s old girlfriend who walks into a local bar and catches Leo in a somewhat embarrassing moment, only to inform him he’s been summoned to answer some questions at the request of the local authorities.
Leo is questioned regarding his father’s old coat that is recognized by any who knew him, and is found with two unidentified men wrapped up in it in a trunk of a car.
While Leo is unable to shed any light on the situation, his interest in the case causes him to ignore warnings from the authorities to stay out of the case, and he finds himself regretting getting involved as not only his personal safety, but the safety of those closest to him is compromised.
I really enjoyed this book by G.M. Ford, and had it sitting on my shelf for awhile, but am glad I got around to reading it. Leo Waterman is likable as a big relatively fearless man who doesn’t mind tackling difficult situations, which at times is a good thing and other times not so much.
Leo is flawed, sarcastic, and funny yet is able to handle himself in most situations.
SALVATION LAKE is a fine novel, and I’ll be looking forward to reading more books in this series in the future.
4 stars.
SALVATION LAKE by G.M. Ford is the 9th book in the Leo Waterman series, and the first book I’ve read by this author.
Leo Waterman is a former private detective, and son of a former influential man in the political landscape of the Seattle area where Leo lives in the house of his late father.
Rebecca is Leo’s old girlfriend who walks into a local bar and catches Leo in a somewhat embarrassing moment, only to inform him he’s been summoned to answer some questions at the request of the local authorities.
Leo is questioned regarding his father’s old coat that is recognized by any who knew him, and is found with two unidentified men wrapped up in it in a trunk of a car.
While Leo is unable to shed any light on the situation, his interest in the case causes him to ignore warnings from the authorities to stay out of the case, and he finds himself regretting getting involved as not only his personal safety, but the safety of those closest to him is compromised.
I really enjoyed this book by G.M. Ford, and had it sitting on my shelf for awhile, but am glad I got around to reading it. Leo Waterman is likable as a big relatively fearless man who doesn’t mind tackling difficult situations, which at times is a good thing and other times not so much.
Leo is flawed, sarcastic, and funny yet is able to handle himself in most situations.
SALVATION LAKE is a fine novel, and I’ll be looking forward to reading more books in this series in the future.
4 stars.
July 4, 2017
Filled with quirky characters, not the least of which is the 45 year old protagonist PI Leo Waterman, SALVATION LAKE is a mix of humor and action set in the Seattle area.
In this particular outing, Waterman has supposedly retired after putting in 20 years as a PI but cannot seem to extricate himself from the cat and mouse sleuthing game he enjoys so much. This time he becomes involved when a couple of bodies turn up in the trunk of a car covered in an overcoat that once belonged to Leo’s notorious father “Wild Bill Waterman”. Although Leo insists he hasn’t seen the coat in years, Police Lieutenant Timothy Eagan thinks Leo is good for the murders.
With his curiosity aroused and Eagan warning him off the case, Leo can’t resist beginning a little investigating of his own with the assistance of his “boys”. His inquiries lead him to the Mount Zion Ministries and its minister, Aaron Townsend, a man of questionable morals and deceitful practices.
Murder, violence, sex and crude language liberally pepper the pages of this narrative as well as a few well-placed similes that will bring a smile to your lips, i.e., “he hated my big ass like Ahab hated that whale” If you’re not easily offended and enjoy reading material that does not tax your grey matter. SALVATION LAKE should be right up your alley.
In this particular outing, Waterman has supposedly retired after putting in 20 years as a PI but cannot seem to extricate himself from the cat and mouse sleuthing game he enjoys so much. This time he becomes involved when a couple of bodies turn up in the trunk of a car covered in an overcoat that once belonged to Leo’s notorious father “Wild Bill Waterman”. Although Leo insists he hasn’t seen the coat in years, Police Lieutenant Timothy Eagan thinks Leo is good for the murders.
With his curiosity aroused and Eagan warning him off the case, Leo can’t resist beginning a little investigating of his own with the assistance of his “boys”. His inquiries lead him to the Mount Zion Ministries and its minister, Aaron Townsend, a man of questionable morals and deceitful practices.
Murder, violence, sex and crude language liberally pepper the pages of this narrative as well as a few well-placed similes that will bring a smile to your lips, i.e., “he hated my big ass like Ahab hated that whale” If you’re not easily offended and enjoy reading material that does not tax your grey matter. SALVATION LAKE should be right up your alley.
June 13, 2018
G.M. Ford is good at plotting, character development, and dialog. He's not so good at physics.
In this book, as in other writer's books, they seem to feel that Newton's Third Law of Motion is really Newt's Suggestions. The third law (paraphrased) says that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In practical terms this means that if you shoot persons with a gun powerful enough to lift them off their feet and make they "fly backwards," as Leo Waterman does, then the gun would have made the shooter ... Leo ... fly backwards, too. You cannot escape it. But a shotgun ... even one of the old 8-gauge punt guns that market hunters slew rafts of ducks with once upon a time ... does not generate enough force to perform that feat; it's a fable of the movies and television, perpetuated by directors who want spectacular explosions after a rear-end car wreck, too. Doesn't happen. Never will happen. Oh, and cars that blow up when a bullet goes through the fuel tank. Never happen ... etc.
I enjoy Waterman and others in Ford's stable of Leading Men. I just can't get worked up by folks defying gravity like Hong Kong mystical warrior movies. Or defying Newton's Laws.
Other than that, a pretty good read.
In this book, as in other writer's books, they seem to feel that Newton's Third Law of Motion is really Newt's Suggestions. The third law (paraphrased) says that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In practical terms this means that if you shoot persons with a gun powerful enough to lift them off their feet and make they "fly backwards," as Leo Waterman does, then the gun would have made the shooter ... Leo ... fly backwards, too. You cannot escape it. But a shotgun ... even one of the old 8-gauge punt guns that market hunters slew rafts of ducks with once upon a time ... does not generate enough force to perform that feat; it's a fable of the movies and television, perpetuated by directors who want spectacular explosions after a rear-end car wreck, too. Doesn't happen. Never will happen. Oh, and cars that blow up when a bullet goes through the fuel tank. Never happen ... etc.
I enjoy Waterman and others in Ford's stable of Leading Men. I just can't get worked up by folks defying gravity like Hong Kong mystical warrior movies. Or defying Newton's Laws.
Other than that, a pretty good read.
January 5, 2018
Leo Waterman's dad's coat is found wrapped around two dead men who are found in a trunk. He is asked whether he knows the men and how his dad's coat got there. He doesn't know the men but his curiosity gets the best of him and he starts investigating. This lead him into all kinds of problems. Both men were married to the same woman and he eventually finds her and her new husband and they have problems of their own. Her husband is a preacher and lots of people are rather upset with him as he has kept a lot of the donations that went to his church. Leo is attacked by two men he thinks are affiliated with the church.
Meanwhile Leo meets his new neighbors and things don't go well with them. The husband is murdered and Leo is arrested. He is released pending more evidence and thinks the wife set him up but he can't prove it. Lots of action going on. Leo gets his buddies the bums involved doing some odd jobs for him. He reunites with his former girlfriend the county coroner.
Well written, good descriptions of the local area, interesting characters and a good mystery.
Meanwhile Leo meets his new neighbors and things don't go well with them. The husband is murdered and Leo is arrested. He is released pending more evidence and thinks the wife set him up but he can't prove it. Lots of action going on. Leo gets his buddies the bums involved doing some odd jobs for him. He reunites with his former girlfriend the county coroner.
Well written, good descriptions of the local area, interesting characters and a good mystery.
September 26, 2020
Trite, but true – you can’t take on your dead father’s mantle. When two dead men are found together draped in the enormous, hand-tailored overcoat of Leo Waterman’s deceased father, the ex-PI (finally independently wealthy from his inheritance) decides to suss out how the corpses and the coat came to share an improvised coffin. A ‘jumping the shark’ moment taints SALVATION LAKE because Leo, as they say down South, realistically has no dog in this hunt. He has no client, no plausible emotional stake and no reason to risk life and limb in increasingly frequent gunfights, much less burning so much energy, trying to solve a case better left to the cops. Leo Waterman is a stubborn, contrary cuss – but he’s also famously indolent. What’s his believable motivation here? Readers deserve more than just a super-forgettable title to wedge in between series entries No#8 and No#10.
October 8, 2018
G.M. Ford's writing reminds me of Harlen Coben: the funny & the irreverent mixed into a serious case.
Salvation Lake is a case Leo Waterman shouldn't have been involved in. Except for his long dead father's famous overcoat, he wouldn't have been. But Leo, being Leo couldn't help himself. Luckily he has a troop of homeless drunks as his sidekicks along with a paralyzed computer whiz and his beautiful on/off again medical examiner girlfriend.
Yes, Salvation Lake is that good.
Salvation Lake is a case Leo Waterman shouldn't have been involved in. Except for his long dead father's famous overcoat, he wouldn't have been. But Leo, being Leo couldn't help himself. Luckily he has a troop of homeless drunks as his sidekicks along with a paralyzed computer whiz and his beautiful on/off again medical examiner girlfriend.
Yes, Salvation Lake is that good.
May 24, 2019
WOW, I'm late to this party. Salvation Lake is my first Ford read and I zipped right through it. Great tight writing, omg, lol lines and a most lovable cast of characters - well, the good guys at least! Lots of zips and turns so I had to hold on for the ride!
Looking to read the earlier books, but this one stands solidly on its own. Not often I give a five star reveiw by author Ford earned it. (And a pet peeve, typos. Not to be found in this book. Ford knows how to write. Kudos.)
Looking to read the earlier books, but this one stands solidly on its own. Not often I give a five star reveiw by author Ford earned it. (And a pet peeve, typos. Not to be found in this book. Ford knows how to write. Kudos.)
May 25, 2017
G.M Ford's Leo Waterman series is one of the best I have ever read. Ford is a master of his craft. Plots are understandable and intriguing. Characters are unique and, for the most part, lovable. A little romance and more than just a little bit of humor is always infused into his stories. A real treat that I recommend highly.
July 31, 2017
Book #8 in the Leo Waterman series, great as always. Leo starts investigating 2 dead bodies, a member of the wealthy elite and a homeless man found together in a car trunk, just because they were covered with his deceased father's old overcoat. It leads him down paths he never expected and gets him the closest he's ever came to getting killed.
February 11, 2018
Read It - Great PI Story
You might want to take notes in the beginning on whose who, but somehow the jumbled mess of characters is pulled together with a great story. It has it all...money, cops, judges, coroners, good guys, bad guys...and a main character you will eventually love.
You might want to take notes in the beginning on whose who, but somehow the jumbled mess of characters is pulled together with a great story. It has it all...money, cops, judges, coroners, good guys, bad guys...and a main character you will eventually love.
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