Dane Cooper, a New York City private detective, is hired by a Tennessee man to find his handsome, 20-year-old son named Elvis, who has been missing for several months. Though hesitant at first, Dane takes the case because he needs the money. And then he meets Darcy... a troubled, pretty blonde with a talent for caressing secrets.
Dane learns that the case centers around Darcy, and against his better judgment, he falls for her, believing she might lead him to Elvis.
Her dangerous secrets worry him, and he knows he can’t trust her. Dane’s investigation turns deadly when he learns that Elvis has left a trail of pregnant young girls, unhappy husbands, and vengeful women.
Dane becomes a target as he struggles to find Elvis and save him from the killers who are closing in. Can Dane save Elvis and himself, or will Darcy's secrets get them all killed?
Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the husband and wife writing team of Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse began writing poems and short stories at an early age and graduated with a Master's Degree in English Literature. Douglas grew up in a family of musicians, astrologers, and avid readers. Some of Elyse Douglas' novels include: "Time Change," The Summer Letters," "Daring Summer," The Christmas Eve Series" and "Time Stranger." They reside in New York City.
CITY OF DEADLY DREAMS by Elyse Douglas is a noir style private investigator mystery. The story has the atmosphere of an old style gritty P.I. mystery, but it is set in present day New York City.
Private Investigator Dane Cooper is hired to find Elvis. Elvis is a twenty-year old spitting image of THE Elvis and he has not been in contact with his father and mother in Tennessee for several months. Dane is hesitant to take the case, but he is offered too much money to turn the case down.
As the investigation progresses, Dane begins to believe Elvis has been a victim of foul play. He meets Elvis’ ex-high school music teacher, Darcy who is rumored to have been having an affair with her student. Darcy is a beautiful blonde and Dane falls for her even as he believes she is not telling him the whole truth about Elvis’ where abouts.
As Dane follows the trail to find Elvis, he runs into a vengeful, jealous ex-husband, a madame of a male escort service and a connected Vegas assistant casino manager with a missing underage daughter. Will Dane find and save not only Elvis, but himself before they end up dead?
This is a fast-paced mystery plot with several well placed red-herrings and plot twists. The ending is a big twist that I was not expecting. Dane is the tough, single POV investigator and all the characters are classic noir character archetypes set in the present and that makes for a unique and fun read.
I recommend this noir style P.I. mystery set in the present.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.City of Deadly Dreams by Elyse Douglas is a unique noir style mystery featuring former NYPD detective turned private investigator Dane Cooper. Come see why this would make a great addition to your summer reading list.
The story, which was set in modern day New York, had the feel of a noir style Private Investigator mystery. A distraught father came to Dane seeking his help in finding his son, Elvis. His parents believed him to be the reincarnation of Elvis, the King of Rock-and-roll. They had so many plans for him, but then he left Tennessee and they have heard from him since then. On hearing the details behind the young man’s disappearance, Dane was reluctant to take the case. However, the enticement of monetary compensation, which he so desperately needed, led to him taking the case. Soon he finds himself caught up in the world of the beautiful and enticing Darcy Lynn Roberts, who he believes can help him in his search for Elvis.
As Dane’s investigation progressed, he discovers that Elvis had amassed several enemies in his short life. A disgruntled Madam, a jealous husband and an enraged father. Dane finds himself in a race against time in locating Elvis and saving both himself and the young man before they end up dead.
With unconventional characters, an engaging storyline and entertaining writing, City of Dreams proved a difficult book to put down. It may not have been one hundred percent perfect, but it still kept me entertained. There were some interesting revelations, some of which I wished were further explored. Danger and suspense with well-placed twists kept me on my toes throughout this riveting tale.
The story centered on Elvis, but he got little page time. In fact, he did not appear until near the end. Despite this, he intrigued me. I understood (not that I agree) why his parents dreamed of him being in the music industry. This story was a great reminder why parents should allow their child/children to live their own dreams and not the one they want for them.
Dane Cooper turned in his police badge to open his own private detective agency in New York City. He accepts a case to find a man’s missing 20-year-old son, Elvis. The twist? The father claims that his son in the real Elvis Presley, reincarnated.
Due to the quirky nature of the case and the boy’s father’s delusion of his son being Elvis Presley, Dane is reluctant to take on the case. However, he needs the money, and is offered a lot. As he further investigates, he goes deeper and deeper down a rabbit hole. For one, he falls for the woman Dane believes will lead him to Elvis, Darcy. She has lots of secrets plus she had an affair with Elvis when he was in high school and she was his teacher.
Dane soon finds out that there are men out to find and kill Elvis as he has broken up marriages and left teen girls pregnant. As he races against time to find and save Elvis, the walls close in. Will he save Elvis and will he survive himself? You will have to read it to find out.
I have read many books by the husband-and-wife author team, Elyse Douglas. They write across many genres and my favorite are their time travel novels. However, I have enjoyed their other’s, including this one, ‘City of Deadly Dreams’. The characters are their quirkiest ever and there are surprising twists and turns the keep the reader turning the pages. I highly recommend it and give it 4 stars.
A unique mystery with a noir style! 'City of Deadly Dreams: A Mystery,' by the husband and wife writing team of Elyse Douglas is unlike any mystery I have ever read. A seamless blend of noir and 21st century crime solving that kept me guessing the whole way through, this novel gave me a new standard for storytelling. The mystery centers around a young man named, of all things, Elvis. Elvis Lipps is a 20 year-old man who was seemingly on his way to rock and roll stardom when he disappeared suddenly. Enter private detective Dane Cooper, a former policeman with a penchant for witty repartee and a dark past. Elvis' father, Abner seeks out Cooper's help in finding his lost son. Abner believes that Elvis is the reincarnation of the King himself, Elvis Presley and he has been trying to get the young man into the music industry for his entire life. Although Cooper doesn't believe the reincarnation story, he agrees to look for Elvis in the unkind streets of New York City. But there is another aspect of Elvis' story that Cooper must investigate, the teacher that he reportedly had an affair with while he was still in high school. In meeting the teacher, a beautiful young woman named Darcy, Cooper ends up getting caught up in more of a tangled web than he asked for, and he begins to fall for the woman himself. The writing in this was superb as well as the sense of place and atmosphere. I loved the noir-like style that reminded me of some of the classic detective movies from the 20th century. Dane Cooper is a great POV character and I would love to read more books with his character. I hope that they decide to turn this into a series!
Dane Cooper is a widowed private eye. He has a reasonably successful investigative business in New York City. Cooper is a former NYC detective. When a blunt wealthy Tennessee businessman wants to hire Cooper to find his young son, he’s reluctant. Why? Because Abner Lipps doesn’t strike Cooper as a completely rational human being. Since Cooper’s wife and daughter were killed in a horrible auto accident, Cooper is visited by thoughts and feelings that are often foreign to hard-nosed New York cops lives. The profession isn’t given to practitioners who often spend nights wandering the city streets wondering about the reasons for it all. Nevertheless, Cooper is attracted to the money Lipps offers for Cooper to find his young son, Elvis Lipps. Abner and his wife totally believe their son is the reincarnation of Elvis Pressley. It’s a complicating factor. But Cooper goes ahead, Lipps signs a contract and thus a long and winding trail is started. Cooper follows plain and obscure clues, travels the country from the East Coast to Nevada and back, meets fascinating and boring characters, falls in and out of lust with a beautiful woman—check out the book cover—and is often able with his excellent verbal skills, to get himself into and out of fraught situations. The novel is very well written, carefully designed with many interesting characters, and good descriptions. Its pace is steady and periodic reveals judiciously placed to maintain readers’ interest. I’d read more by this pair of writers. They understand and use well the important characteristics of the crime novel.
With the rising voices of crime literature, a new rendition of this beloved genre which involves detective fiction has been on the rise. Some of these works will have you hiding behind the cushions while others will make you cringe and shut your eyes in disgust. One such piece which blends a reader’s feelings and emotions is the ‘City of Deadly Dreams’. Prompted by the need for money a sassy private detective Dane Cooper takes up a case involving the mysterious disappearance of a young man named Elvis. It is during this quest that he meets a pretty blonde by the name Darcy who is surely more than meets the eye. Upon some comprehensive unravelling, Dane gets to find out that Darcy has something to do with this disappearance. Furthermore, Darcy has numerous dangerous secrets and Dane knows that he cannot trust her. Things take a sharp turn when Dane finds out that Elvis has left a trail of pregnant young girls, unhappy husbands and a bunch of vengeful men. What will he do to solve the case while protecting himself and Elvis from killers who seem to be closing in and what does Darcy’s dangerous secrets got to do with all this? Elyse Douglas is one of the promising foremost stylists at work in crime and detective fiction today. In her unique way, she blends some unique touches that render the narrative fiendishly outstanding. Furthermore, the whole narrative is held together and also driven forward by perfectly formed characters especially Dane who, through him, readers can experience a great mind at work, as he unravels the mystery. A genuinely compelling read with scenes keenly observed, a strong sense of place, and some brooding atmospherics all lovers of this genre can appreciate. Unfailingly entertaining!
Elyse Douglas – City of Deadly Dreams – Reviewed 4/25/21 – 4/21-22/21
How can you believe when you have feelings that all is not right? Especially about Elvis!
Dane Cooper, an NYC Private Detective, is contacted by the father of a young missing man by the name of Elvis. But when Abner Lipps, the father was sitting in front of him, all of his previous NYPD training kicked in, and those instincts told him that there was something that Abner was not telling him. He went on to explain that Elvis was the reincarnation of Elvis Presley and that he would someday take his place in fame. Now, that takes some thinking to come up with a story like that. Dane told him several times that he thought that he should find someone else to help him find his son, but Abner bribed him with a large retainer, and finally, Dane told him that he would look into it, but if at the end of two weeks if he were unsuccessful that Abner would find someone else. Abner agreed and even upped the ante with a bonus, even if he did not find his son. How could anyone refuse???
In his investigation, Dane finds out that Elvis was reportedly having an affair with his music teacher, and that teacher’s husband had threatened to kill him. So, he flies down to Knoxville to meet with her. He does the unthinkable, he falls for her. But he also figured that she might lead him to the young Elvis after she proclaimed that she had (past tense) loved him. His research also turns up the fact that Darcy has as many secrets as the elusive Elvis does. Then he discovers that both of their secrets most definitely leads to danger for him and Elvis. He knows now that he has to find the kid before he is killed if it has not already happened.
Join Dane Cooper in his quest of finding and saving Elvis…
What did I like? This is a new genre for Elyse, and I think that she nailed it. I also am sure that she needs to continue writing more in this field because this was so exciting and mind-absorbing. I found myself reading at 3 am, then 5 am because I could not lay this book down. The excitement is ramped up near the end and will grab hold of you with a vengeance! Don’t get me wrong, it is exciting all the way through, with so much happening but near the end, it just jumps out at you!
What will you like? Mystery, intrigue, exciting, romantic, throw-in-light humor, danger, gangsters, interesting, heartbreaking, and downright mind-boggling! The characters are unique and believable, with that everyday feeling. The descriptions will have you working right along with Dane as he works to solve this mystery. The details are spectacular, you feel the NYC excitement, the flight in the air, the sound of the Vegas strip, the worry of the bullets flying, the sound of the ocean, and the impact of the beatdown. The ending is beyond amazing, and one that you will never see coming, but when you think about it, I think you will feel as I do, IT FIT!
This stylish neo-noir thriller by a husband and wife writing team evoked images of old black and white film noir movies, even though it is firmly set in today's world. The overall tone and atmosphere reminded me of those nostalgic movies, with their gruff, tough-guy detectives, mysterious damsels in distress, wise-cracking secretaries and shady killers. I love the whole genre and reading this book sent shivers down my spine with how good this writing team managed to portray the gritty life of a lone-wolf detective who embodies and epitomizes the well-known quote, "down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid." I loved the character of Dane Copper and am looking forward to walking those mean streets with him again someday.
***I received a copy of this book from the author. My review is strictly voluntary.***
I'm a lover of detective novels and this one didn't disappoint. If you're a fan of Sue Grafton, John D. MacDonald, or old-school detective novels, you'll like it.
When I started reading ‘City of Deadly Dreams’ I was interested from the very first page. I will admit as a kid I was caught up in Elvis. Not the gyrating hips so much, but his fancy clothes and smooth voice.
The fact that this character was not in the book very much yet a book that was solely centered on him was intriguing. To not only be born on Elvis -the King of Rock’s actual birthday (January 8th). But to actually resemble him in some ways, (his hairstyle/color and the ability to sing and play the guitar). I could see why his parents were so invested in pushing Elvis in this direction.
The biggest problem with what Elvis’s parents dream for him is they were not his dreams and eventually pushed him away. He also became involved with one of his teachers who was married to the high school gym teacher.
When Dane Cooper was hired to find Elvis his life unbeknownst to him would change forever. Hired by Elvis’s father because Elvis’s mother and father had not seen him for months and were worried.
Mr. Lipps had hired Dane Cooper to find Elvis (his son) and money was not an issue at all. But did Elvis want to be found? Would Dane Cooper find him? And if he did what will happen?
You are going to have to read it if you want to find out. It will be worth your time to read!
In this hard-boiled detective novel, reminiscent of Hollywood film noirs from the 40's, Dane Cooper, ex NYPD detective turned private eye, is hired by Abner Lipps to find his missing son Elvis. Yes, you heard that right, Elvis Lipps conceived on the hallowed ground of Graceland! Elvis Lipps, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the King himself! While following the trail, which leads to jealous husbands, unfaithful wives, Las Vegas shady business men, under age runaways, NY escort services for lovelorn rich women and the porn film industry, I kept thinking of Robert Mitchum, as Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe. And there he is, right at the beginning of Chapter 18! "In the right front seat, a man watched an old black and white movie on his portable DV player that starred Robert Mitchum. Mitchum was a private detective, and as I recall, an angry one." This is the third book, that I have read by this author, though the other books were from the Christmas Eve series. This book has a totally different feel, with it's film noir setting, which takes place in current times. We even have the pandemic mentioned. With it's memorable characters (Who can forget a name like Elvis Lipps?), snappy dialogue and fast paced action, it's a book that fans of the hard-boiled genre will enjoy. I hope it becomes a series!
City of Deadly Dreams: A Mystery gives me another reason why I love reading books by Elyse Douglas. I love that she tackled something new in her writing. I have enjoyed her other releases, and this one is no different. I thought it was great. It is full of intrigue, mystery, suspense and romance. Dane and Darcy make a great team. They were fun and entertaining with some few moments that made me giggle. They get into some danger that made want to see what would happen next. So very good.
I am giving City of Deadly Dreams: A Mystery a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading romantic suspense. As always, I look forward to reading more by Elyse Douglas in the future.
I received a digital copy of City of Deadly Dreams: A Mystery from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
When a son goes missing his father hires Dane Cooper, a former NYPD detective now private investigator, to search for his son. The father believes his son Elvis is the reincarnation of the real Elvis. Conceived at Graceland and born the same day as the real Elvis. Dane was somewhat reluctant to take on the case but as he investigated he learned that Elvis had acquired a few enemies along the way. When Dane discovered that Darcy was once Elvis's lover he stuck to her to see if she would lead him to Elvis. As Dane continues his journey in search for Elvis his journey turns dark. The significant lesson here is to let your children lead the life they want. Do not live your life through your children.
Thank you Booksirens and the author for a digital copy. Read and reviewed voluntarily and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own