Mystery

Eyes Closed Tight by Peter Leonard is an intriguing and fast faced mystery. This well-plotted novel's lead protagonist is a retired homicide detective from Detroit who now owns a motel in FL.

O'Clair's discovery of a corpse on the beach is eerily similar to a case he worked on back in Detroit, but the killer was caught and convicted. However the current death is too similar to the previous killings to ignore, so O'Clair joins forces with Holland, the detective assigned to the case, and when another body turns up, O'Clair returns to Detroit to take closer look at the previous murders. Just as he begins closing in on the killer, someone he loves is threatened and O'Clair is soon in a race against time to capture the murderer before he/she kills again.

Eyes Closed Tight is an intricately plotted story that is told from multiple points of views. Some of the perspective switches are a little confusing at first but become easier to follow as the novel progresses. The closed case is revealed through flashbacks that provide an in-depth look into the previous investigation and subsequent arrest. Newly discovered information offers vital clues about the killer's possible identity but additional evidence clouds the investigation.

Eyes Closed Tight is full of suspense from beginning to end and Peter Leonard's clever storyline keeps the action moving at a brisk pace. The cast of characters is well-drawn and the good guys are extremely likable. The killer's identity is well-disguised and a brilliant plot twist late in the novel completely caught me off guard. An alarming deadline drives the novel to a thrilling and dramatic conclusion. ( )

3.5 stars

Three months ago, retired Detroit homicide detective O'Clair (Oak) moved to Pompano Beach, Florida & bought a motel. With him, he brought a few possessions & Virginia. He met her during his last case & although he doesn't understand why, she seems to have chosen him. Virginia is 26, handy with tools & a knockout. Oak is 46, divorced & can't believe his luck. All he knows is she's the best thing that ever happened to him & he's going to enjoy it while it lasts.
He doesn't have a background in hospitality but his previous life has given him some experience dealing with drunken frat boys & people's complaints. Luckily, he has Virginia to fix broken appliances & Jady, the maid, to keep the place clean. It's a small motel but backs up to the water off Pirate's Beach where every day is perfect.
On one such perfect morning, Oak goes out to clean the pool, pick up the beer cans & straighten the deck chairs. One is missing. Looking over the wall, he sees it down by the water. He goes to retrieve it but it's occupied....by a beautiful, young & very dead woman.
When the police arrive, he meets Det. Roger Holland. He's a nice guy, a little green but keen to learn once he realizes Oak has a wealth of experience. It's not so much what they find at the scene as what's missing. The woman's eyes have been removed. Oak is reminded of a case from 2006 in Detroit where several prostitutes were found strangled & without eyes. But he & DeAndre Jones, his partner, put the killer away.
Holland finally ID's the woman. She was an escort with a high class agency that seems to have no physical address. Reluctantly, Holland agrees to let Virginia pose as an online job applicant & she leads them to the boss. But what they don't know is the killer has been watching the whole time.
In alternating chapters, we travel with "Frank", the psycho responsible for the horrific murders (I won't go into how he kills them). Each day he sits on the beach, just close enough to observe Oak & Virginia at the motel. Obviously he has some connection to Oak but we don't know who he is or why he's trying to get Oak's attention.
But after the next murder, he has it. This one hits close to home for Oak (and ruins another of his deck chairs). He decides to go back to Detroit & check the old case files, meeting up with Lt. DeAndre Jones. And soon the bodies are piling up in both places.
I don't want to risk any spoilers but the author takes us on a convoluted path to the killer's identity. The story is told on two fronts. We follow Oak around Detroit as he & Jones reinvestigate, coming up with new information & suspects. Meanwhile, back in Pompano, Holland works the clues & tries to keep loved ones safe as they are threatened by an elusive killer who dogs his every step.
I really enjoyed this book. It's a combination police procedural/thriller & has more than enough twists & turns to hold your attention. Although we meet "Frank" early on, we don't know who he actually is 'til the final pages.
But the main reason I liked it is Oak. He's not a cyber genius or former covert spy/black ops agent. He's just a regular guy who worked hard as a cop & then walked away. He's a smart & decent guy with a slightly cynical take on life, a good dependable man you'd want in your corner. That's certainly how Virginia sees him. Their relationship is touching & seems to work despite their age difference because she is older than her years due to surviving some tough times before meeting Oak.
The setting is beautiful & there are strong peripheral characters that flesh out the plot. I know the author has written other books but I'd really like to see a sequel so I can follow these people around a bit longer. ( )

A decent mystery from an author who is the son of Elmore Leonard. The problem with the story was the killer was too smart at least in my opinion, but otherwise a good murder mystery. ( )

Fans of fast moving mystery stories will know they have a winner from the first pages of this novel.

Former Detroit homicide detective, "Oak" O'Clair, retires and buys a motel on the beach in Florida. He runs it with his efficient girlfriend, Virginia.

One day he finds the body of a murdered woman on the beach outside of his motel. The dead woman's eyes had been cut out. The Pompano Beach detective investigating, Hammond, is inexperienced and asks O'Clair to help.

When O'Clair finds one of his employees murdered in the same manner, he compares it to his old cases and remembers a case of a man who murdered prostitutes and cut their eyes out. He asks Hammond to provide security for Virginia and returns to Detroit to re-open his old case.

He teams up with a detective he worked with in the past, the man is now a lieutenant. Thinking of the man in jail for killing the prostitutes and cutting their eyes out, O'Clair thinks he moved too soon and the wrong man is in jail.

The action is at a super speed and the tension intense as the killer taunts O'Clair and seeks a new victim.

There is confusion on the actual suspect but I don't want to disclose any plot secrets.

I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more from this excellent story teller. ( )