Eve Missing
Ralph PezzulloMystery
Available from Zumaya Publications
ISBN: 1-894942-37-X
September 2003
| With his partner Wolf, Tony Annicelli, known as Smokey, answers a domestic violence call. His partner is in a bad mood, and begins beating on the husband. Tony tries to stop him, when the wife comes into the room and shoots. She shoots her husband. She shoots Tony. Wolf shoots the wife. When Tony comes to, three weeks later, a story about what happened has been concocted. A fictional story Tony feels makes him look like an idiot or a coward or both. Wolf gets off scot-free. As a reward for keeping his mouth shut, Tony is retired from the force with a special disability, full pension, and a large monetary reward. Sick of the violence, his wife divorces him and takes the children away to Florida. All this happens 11 years before the story begins.
Retirement does not agree with Tony. A friend suggests he contact Sabino Goldstick. They meet at the New York athletic club. Sabino maneuvers him into the swimming pool. Tony is very self-conscious about his ugly wounds. But then Sabino whips off his robe, displaying his own scars, gotten during a drug bust. Sabino used to be a cop, but he walked off the job because he didn't like all the red tape. He is supposed to have connections with the mob, get things done, and be rich. Sabino introduces him to judges, lawyers, and dignitaries. He restores Tony self-esteem, and in a way becomes his mentor. Sabino sends him a girl named Lina. She is a skinny, tired looking 14-year-old. She is running away from father she's afraid will kill her. She had been staying with a guy who introduced her to drugs and sex parties. Her parents hired a sleazy lawyer named who somehow became her legal guardian. Tony pulls strings and gets Lina set up in a special rooming house in Greenwich Village. The girl survives and becomes a tough business woman. Tony travels the world, fixing problems for people that Sabino has sent his way. He has become a fixer. Over the years Tony has kept in touch with Lina. Lina has befriended a girl named Angela Bowman, who goes by Eve. Eve as gone missing and Lina asks Tony to find her. Finding Eve takes Tony an adventure full of violence, sexual exploits, and introduces him to the woman he loves. EVE MISSING is one of the old-fashioned tough guy mysteries. It's exciting and keeps the pages turning because you just don't know what will be on that next page. In some ways, such as Tony's attitude toward sex, the book is targeted toward the male reader, but I'm female, and I couldn't put it down. Maybe it is because the hero truly seemed to like women, which sometimes makes him vulnerable. The women in his life vary from beautiful models to violent, masculine lesbians. He gets beaten up as often as he gets laid. If you like mystery, and you like hot sex, you will love EVE MISSING.
Overall rating:
Reviewer: Judy Cook |
