Foreign Detective Books
Bayer's latest thriller may surpass even his Edgar-winning Peregrine and bestselling Switch (basis of a TV series) in popularity. A large cast and many layers are involved in the new novel, set in Jerusalem. David Bar-Lev of the city's criminal division exhaustively pursues each lead in a series of murders in which victims are similarly marked. Since David and his team of detectives find no other connection as they investigate the "pattern crimes," the mystery seems insoluble. But David widens his approach, contemplating the fight for dominance of Israel by zealots in religious, military and political factions that disrupt the ancient city. Eventually, the detective and his dedicated force uncover a monstrous plot as well as the means to prevent a crime that could destroy the state. This labyrinthine novel exploits sex, violence and matters of conscience in the persons of David's lover Anna; her former lover, a Soviet defector who comes to Jerusalem; disillusioned war heroes and other well-realized characters. 60,000 first printing; BOMC alternate.Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CITY OF KNIVES is a psychological thriller set in one of the world’s most fascinating cities. The destinies of four main characters, each pursuing his/her own agenda, intersect in Buenos Aires.MARTA ABECASIS, homicide detective, known as La Incorrupta (“the incorruptible one”) is assigned to investigate the murder of a prostitute. As her investigation unfolds she uncovers a political conspiracy involving powerful people who will stop at nothing to obstruct her.BETH BROWDER, a San Francisco teacher, comes to Buenos Aires to search for her missing lover and to immerse herself in the tango. Soon after her arrival she is drawn into a frightening decadent demimonde that pushes her to the brink of madness.DR. TOMÁS HUDSON, a psychoanalyst specializing in the treatment of the damaged children of los desaparecidos (“the disappeared ones”), is approached by an extortionist offering to sell him the name of the person responsible for the arrest and murder of his wife.HANK BARNES, a militaria dealer, is hired by an anonymous stranger to travel to Buenos Aires to retrieve a long-lost jewel-encrusted dagger that once belonged to Nazi leader, Hermann Goering. As he pursues this quest, he suspects he is being manipulated by the intelligence service of a foreign government.Other characters include a corrupt priest, a young investigative journalist, an incestuous brother-sister, and an imprisoned right-wing military leader. The city in which they cross paths becomes a character itself – Buenos Aires, rich and cruel, haunted by a violent past, a gorgeous city of intrigue and decay, a dangerous city...a City Of Knives.William Bayer is the author of numerous crime novels published in ebook and audiobook form by Crossroad Press. His books have won the Best Novel Edgar Award, the Lambda Prize, and the French prizes, Prix Mystere de Critique. He lives in the California wine country with his wife, food writer Paula Wolfert.From Reviews of the French Language Edition:QUOTIDIEM NATIONAL: "A breath taking plunge into the plagues and wounds of a capital city haunted by ‘disappeared ones’ and dictatorship, rot and false appearances. Saturated by the tango, this is a captivating novel.”LIBERATION: “Intrigue reminiscent of the thrillers of John Le Carre. Superb!”LE PARISIEN: “My heart was captured by William Bayer’s City Of Knives. A series of murders that recall the torture methods of the dictatorship, and, in parallel, a young American woman passionate about tango. The author captures the essence of South America.”EXPRESSION ACTIVE: “A profound immersion in Argentina revealed by the author...a majestic work, masterly and passionate.”Film director, CLAUDE CHABROL: “A great noir novel.”