Nero a Manhattan

Rune #1

by Jeffery Deaver

Togliere di mezzo Robert Kelly, un anziano e solitario signore il cui unico passatempo consiste nel guardare e riguardare lo stesso vecchio film giallo, si direbbe un gioco da ragazzi per una coppia di veri professionisti come Haarte e Zane. Peccato che anche i lavoretti più facili a volte possano riservare imprevisti. In questo caso l'imprevisto si chiama Rune, ha vent'anni, è bella ed eccentrica, cambia lavoro con la stessa disinvoltura con cui cambia colore di capelli. E, soprattutto, è troppo curiosa e ostinata per tenersi lontano dai guai. È lei che, nella scalcinata videoteca del Greenwich Village in cui lavora, ha dato a noleggio a Kelly il solito film, "Nero a Manhattan", che il vecchio stava guardando nel momento in cui, nel suo appartamento, è stato freddato con tre colpi di pistola. Ed è sempre lei - che con il vecchio ha stretto un'improbabile quanto sincera amicizia - a nutrire il sospetto che nei fotogrammi in bianco e nero di quella vecchia pellicola possa celarsi la chiave per svelare il mistero della sua morte. Rune si getta così in una pericolosa indagine privata, che, tra equivoci e scambi di persona, porterà alla luce la verità che si cela dietro un omicidio apparentemente inspiegabile. Con "Nero a Manhattan" Jeffery Deaver costruisce un intreccio intenso e d'atmosfera come un noir degli anni Quaranta, che avviene svelando il volto di una New York insolita e affascinante.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Detective

306 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 1 in The Rune Series Published 1988.

3.5 stars

This is one of Jeffery Deaver’s earlier works and whilst it is not one of his best pieces the raw potential of Jeffery Deaver’s imagination is well on display.

Rune is a young, late teens early twenties, woman who has her head stuck in the clouds. She works in a video store and tends to relate her life to the movies she’s seen. But she is about to get her first lesson in reality.
One of Rune’s favourite older customers, a Mr. Kelly, has a passion for one particular movie, Manhattan is My Beat, a movie he rents at least once a week. Intrigued why Mr. Kelly likes this particular movie so much Rune decides to do a little detective work of her own. It turns out that the movie is based on fact and it involves the theft and disappearance of One Million Dollars.

So when Rune finds out that Mr. Kelly has been murdered Rune’s first thought is that Mr. Kelly was murdered for the money.

For a young woman who’s life is just one big fantasy this is too good an opportunity to pass up. She goes looking for the money. But this fantasy is about to become a nightmare.
The two thugs that killed Mr. Kelly are in the process of tying up loose ends and what Rune doesn’t know is that she is a loose end that needs to be taken care of.

Whilst I enjoyed this read I have to say that Rune was just a bit over the top for me. The story lacked the drama and tension of his later works but for all that still worth a read.

[Tokoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this charming little romp of an imaginative adventure into documented and archival time---such a fitting late-80s & 90s cinematic feel! It brings out the childhood nostalgia us 90s babies used to cherish with this late-20th century pop culture. Our young protagonist is super charming, endearing, childlike, sweetly naive/optimist, not yet inured (much) into the anxieties and droll repetitiveness of adulthood hustle and judge. She's a collector of fairy tales, works at a video shop, is a huge film and pop culture buff, begins spending lots of time with this (fake) jaded, philosophical guy, sees the world in rose-coloured glasses, sneaks into a loft to live rent-free, gets adorably excited about sharing her secret spot viewing the city in the local junkyard, loves adventure, and is very sweetly imaginative. Though her dear, close-to-her elderly customer who rents the same old video cyclically is murdered and she feels she needs to do justice for him in investigating what happened, she mainly just wants to actually go on a cool adventure, play the cool detective, go on a treasure hunt. She is the the entire heart and soul of this series, and Jeffery Deaver imagined the perfect character. I wish she were real and could meet her in person! I love her perspective on life and the little observations she makes, pondering magical meaning for life. She earns a place with a Hollywood star in my list for favorite and most endearing female characters.

This is an earlier series from Deaver, and reads more like an old noir (updated for values and cultural references), and is also more cozy; different than the later Lincoln Rhyme crime thrillers he's known for. So, keep that in mind. I found it sweet and endearing, with some old Hollywood-meets-90s whimsy. I also thought of Alice from Alice and Wonderland, Dorothy from the Oz series, old Hollywood dialogue, The Pink Panther, Audrey Hepburn, Roger Rabbit, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, stuff like that---my personal internal vision and visual transposing of the story, not everyone (or maybe not anyone) will agree and see my logic. I agree it sounds far-fetched.

The plot and plot twists later on just seemed kind of jarring to the character of the book and the characters, so that's probably the reason for the downgrade of one star, rather than a ***** read. Quite glad I came across this in a little free street library at an old wooden playground and seaplane-themed splash park by the lake, so that I became aware the author had this kind of character and imagination in him. I will definitely pick up more from Rune's adventures if I find them secondhand out in the wild.

Why can't we have more character-heavy, whimsical and imaginative noir like this, publication houses? Recommend away if you, the reader, can think of any other mystery-noirs that feature female protagonists like Rune! I will seek to find more like her! She's so precious! Will Laurie R. King's young Sherlockian protege in Mary Russell fit this bill, fill these shoes for me?

A little bit of discussion within was mildly triggering to me personally, just from the vicious and hurtful turn-around and betrayal in character directed towards her worth in her current station as wanting to see the world and city as a magical place rather than embrace the harsh reality. May we keep this inner magical, childlike perspective and state alive inside our slowly dying adult selves. The lesson of Peter Pan.

Edit: A reminder that maybe we need more people willing to have the strength to be like her, that we continue to need the quaint freshness and innocence of bringing some of this kind perspective to our harsh world of hustle. She also reminds me of a girl I befriended back when I worked with youth through my college years.

[JULIE · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a friend at work who really likes Jeffery Deaver. In fact, she insisted I read The Bone Collector (the first in the Lincoln Rhyme series) several weeks ago, and I enjoyed it, and thought I might want to read him from beginning to end, like I've done with other mystery writers.

I don't know how old Deaver was when he wrote Manhattan Is My Beat, the first of three in the Rune series, but it reads like a young adult mystery. In fact, it reads like it was written by a young adult.

Rune is a 20-year old who works in a video store. (Keep in mind this was written in 1988.) She's lived in NYC for about two years and has blown about wherever the wind takes her. She loves fairy tales, and that's how she sees life.

When the owner of the video store sends her to pick up a video from a favorite customer (unlike any video store I've ever rented from), she discovers he has been shot. She is intrigued by his obsession with the movie Manhattan Is My Beat and thinks that may be why he was killed. Since the movie is based on a true story about $1M that was hidden following a robbery and never found, she latches on to the idea that this customer may have known something. And yes, as a matter of fact, she would like to find the money for herself as well as find the killer of her favorite customer.

It's not a bad idea for a story but the dialogue is rather juvenile, the main character seemed shrill (her youth, I guess), and some of the events I deemed unlikely. Still, since there are only three books in this series, I'll go ahead and finish the three, if only to see how he finds his better story-telling voice.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, but nothing to write home about.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not DEAVER’s typical complicated scientific thriller. Seemed more YA and had many typos.

[fleurette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read most of the books by Jeffery Deaver and loved them. This is one of his first books and the series I haven't read yet. I was a bit afraid that it wouldn't be as good as the other books.

I was partly right because Manhattan Is My Beat is not as good as Lincoln Rhyme series. But it was still a great story and highly enjoyable read. The story is complicated and full of action as usual. It's not easy to guess who is the killer. Of course, if you have read some other books by Deaver, it's easier.

I have mixed feelings about the main heroine Rune. In the beginning I didn't like her, I found her careless and strange or even completely mad. But after a while I get used to. She is definitely an unconventional and complicated character.

I had good time reading this book.

[Andrew Belleci · Rating 2 out of 5]

If Manhattan were my beat then this novel would be dog food.

So bad. 75% in and she still hadn't really investigated the murder. My other question is where does he go from here? She's an unemployed 20yo living in NY. I'm impressed he even squeezed 3 books out of this.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure what to think of this book. That is because I am not sure what sort of book it is supposed to be. It started out as your basic mystery. A woman's friend is murdered and she believes the police are not pursuing the murder as they should. Naturally she begins to investigate on her own. It proceeds in a fairly predictable way until about two thirds of the way through the book. Then things start to fall apart. She locates people relevant to the story and amasses clues unrealistically easily. People are not who they seem. Police and bad guys alike are similarly able to follow her without any apparent effort. Huge problems (like dead bodies) vanish without much n the way of consequences. It all becomes a bit of a fantasy toward the end.

This is the third book I have read by Deaver. The first was 4 stars. The second was 2. I decided to try one more. I gave this 3 but I'd say this is closer to a 2 than a 4. Probably enough of Deaver for me.

[Traceytrace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't believe this was a Jeffrey Deaver book, the main character Rune, would probably appeal to a younger reader. Very slow, boring book, not even close to the interesting, complicated Lincoln Rhyme character or books. Tried to finish this but couldn't.

[Cao Đức Hiếu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tác phẩm đầu tay của nhà văn trinh thám nổi tiếng có số lượng sách xuất bản ở VN thuộc hàng top: Jeffery Deaver. Chắc từ quyển này mà ổng đã định hình được phong cách sáng tác: hành văn ngắn gọn, nén nhiều nội dung trong một câu và càng về cuối twist càng chóng mặt, nhức cả đầu 🤣🤣
Rune là một cô gái không chịu lớn, sống mơ màng giữa thực tại, nhảy cóc nhiều công việc, sợ sự ổn định. Khi cô làm việc cho một cửa hàng cho thuê băng đĩa, cô làm thân với một ông già Robert lịch thiệp với đặc điểm kì lạ là thuê cùng một cuộn phim "Manhattan Is My Beat" tận 18 lần. Một lần đi thăm Robert, và cũng là lần cuối cùng, Rune bị cuốn vào một vụ án mạng li kì, dẫn đến những hiểm nguy về tính mạng.
Là tác phẩm đầu tay và không nổi tiếng nên mình cũng không kì vọng nhiều, nhưng đã có một trải nghiệm đọc khá thú vị. 3,5/5*

[Alessandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un romanzo insolito (anche abbastanza irreale) con una protagonista (Rune) che combina un guaio dietro l'altro fino alla risoluzione del caso. Romanzo che strizza l'occhio alla fascia più giovane di pubblico. Gradevole.

[Karen S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. Jeffery Deaver used to be one of my favorite authors. The Bone Collector was so good and it sparked my fascination with forensic science.

This one was a little boring and unbelieveable to me.

[Tim Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my review at http://world-of-sleuths.blogspot.com/....

[Jaq {Gwen} · Rating 2 out of 5]

Letto per le sfide
1. Alphabet 2021 per Un libro di un autore il cui cognome inizi per D

[Davide Perego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rune, che personaggio! E poi la storia, ricca di colpi di scena che si susseguono. Persone che non sono quello che sembrano in un intreccio di avvenimenti, fino all'epilogo inaspettato.

[Sheila Soprovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky. But the usual Deaver twists and turns. I'm kind of curious if there is a Rune #2. Not as good as the Kathryn Dance, but I like the whole body language thing. Colter Shaw series is better as well. Looks like I'm going to have to do some serious hunting and find more books from all of these series.

[Arianna Farina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non ho una grande cultura su Deaver, ma questo thriller non è per me riuscitissimo. Si tratta del suo primo libro, del quale ho apprezzato la scrittura, il racconto di Manhattan (luogo che ho visto e adorato) e i riferimenti al cinema d’altri tempi (altra passione). La storia è stata però per me non sempre avvincente e un po’ improbabile.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manhattan is My Beat is the first of the Rune trilogy. Rune is a five foot two, twenty year old who seems to be able to solve many crimes the police cannot. This inevitably has her running foul of employers and authorities alike. Does she mind? Not the slightest.

In this novel, the first of the trilogy series, Rune works in a video store where she befriends an elderly customer who happened to have a role in the movie Manhattan is My Beat and which he rents regularly

The Manhattan is My Beat movie is allegedly based on a 1940s, real life bank robbery in which one million dollars was stolen and never recovered.

Rune believes she knows where the money is hidden and sets out to recover it which leads to inevitable problems.

Manhattan is My Beat is the first of the rune trilogy, however, there is no necessity to read Manhattan is My Beat first. Rune is the lead character in all three novels with a few other characters playing supporting roles. In other words each book can be read as a standalone novel. I have enjoyed Jeffery Deaver’s entire Rune trilogy which was written in the late eighties early nineties.

Lack of mobile/cell phones and pay phones being the only means of communication with others combined with video tape stores, all date these books. Overlook lack of modern technology and you have a good well-paced read.

The end caught me off guard this time also.

Probably a three and a half star read, however considering there is no 'half star' option on Goodreads I will bump Manhattan is My Beat to four stars.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rune is a bit of an oddball, sporting purple hair and packing lots of snark. Working at the video store isn’t usually exciting, but when she stumbles into the scene of a murder, she can’t let it go. The old man was a friend of hers and she’s sure that the video he kept renting over and over again ties into a crime committed many years ago. She dives head first into danger to avenge her friend.

Being a fan of Deaver’s darker, brooding thrillers like The Bone Collector, this lighter mystery caught me by surprise. Not that Deaver doesn’t throw in his usual curve balls to keep you off balance so the mystery eludes you til the end.

And I couldn’t have asked for a more delightful character than Rune. For a twenty-year-old, she’s fiercely independent and definitely not a wall flower. Throw in some more quirky people that join her in her endeavors and you get the fun character driven part of the story.

While this felt a bit different than his other writing, being an earlier work, I was glad I listened to it. And now I want to get to the rest of the series. I’m curious what our purple haired gal is going to get into next.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. I enjoyed Rune; I enjoyed the 1980s, and I enjoyed this book. Nothing sophisticated or complicated. Rune is a sassy 20 year-old, a counter-culture girl, working in a video store where she meets Mr. Kelly. He's 70 and obsessed with a late 1940s movie, "Manhattan is My Beat." It's about a real bank robbery during which $1 million disappeared, never to be found. When he gets murdered with Rune on the scene, she sets out to find the money by following clues in the movie. It becomes dangerous especially as she is uncertain who the enemy is. Jeffrey Deaver has an eye for the mid 80s, VCRs, AIDS, business women in running shoes - it's all here and anyone who lived it first-hand is sure to remember most of his references. I just can't be sure why I'm giving it 4 Stars not 5. Maybe #2 in the series will jump to the highest rung. (January 2018)

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in the 80’s and was quite a nostalgic read to that time period. Not going to lie, bought this home with me after seeing the synopsis was about an unconventional girl who works in a video store and gets caught up in the murder of one of the customers. Loved video stores, still enjoy plenty of things from the 80’s, this was a no brainer for me to pick up!
Rune, well she’s a manic pixie dream girl, no getting around that, but she’s an interesting character and I really enjoyed reading about her life. This book felt like it could have been a thriller movie in the 80’s tbh. I was amused by Richard and his posturing, the grumpy, sleazy video store owner and and the other colourful characters. Yes, far fetched in places, but despite the murders and double crossing, kind of a comfort read.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, who knew that the Lincoln Rhyme Bone Guy wrote a crime novel featuring his take on a Manic Pixie Dream Girl? Not me. I wanted to like it more than I did. He had the ingredients for a good book, the proportions were just wrong and he made some substitutions that ruined the recipe.

When the book dealt with the bad guys, it was on solid footing. The majority of the book focused on Rune, of course, but she was far too shallow and unbelievable a character.

My favorite thing about this was the fact it was written and published in the actual eighties, complete with unironic video store and pay phones!

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read and enjoyed several of his later books, so was looking forward to this - a female heroine who sounded a bit like Lisbeth Salander - but was instead disappointed that Rune was a slightly ditzy kook obsessed with finding her Prince Charming and a million dollars that she had no right to. The story wasn't very interesting, and very far-fetched, with a stupid ending. I got to the end but only because it was short.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the whole I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and easy to read, although there didn't seem to be a lot of depth to some of the characters. The author made it a bit hard to judge who were the 'good' guys or 'bad' guys and this added to the intrigue.

I get the impression that by the time I have read a few of these books I'd find them a bit predictable.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2. This was an enjoyable read. It had a feel of a YA book. It was the first book Jeffery Deaver wrote and it is clear he had not yet fully honed his craft, especially when compared to the excellent The Bone Collector. It had a good few twists in the story at the end of the book, and I will read the other two books in the series if I come across them.

[Jade17 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the Rhyme/Sachs series but still worth a read.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Rune - I visualize her as being a younger version of Abby from NCIS.

[Amanda Patterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't read it if you're a fan of the Lincoln Rhyme novels.Deaver was still learning his craft here. Disappointing.

[Gerard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read patiently till the third quarter where you'll get into some interesting twists and turns!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deaver is reliably brilliant