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All He Saw Was The Girl

3.66 of 5 stars 3.66 · rating details · 64 ratings · 41 reviews

Rome: McCabe and Chip, two American exchange students, are about to become embroiled with a violent street gang, a beautiful Italian girl and a flawed kidnapping plan.Detroit: Sharon Vanelli's affair with Joey Palermo, a Mafia enforcer, is about to be discovered by her husband, Ray, a secret service agent.Brilliantly plotted and shot through with wry humour, All He Saw Was...more

Paperback, 290 pages

Published May 15th 2012 by Story Plant, The (first published January 2011)

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May 14, 2012 Paula Mitchell marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, partners-in-crime, virtual-book-tour

This just like Voices of the Dead picks up quickly on. We meet two American Exchange Students McCabe and Chip, who start off spending time in a Italian jail. Chip's Senator father quickly mops up their mess. Little do either boy know that leads to McCabe being kidnapped thought to be the Senator's son. The tables turn quickly when McCabe decides to get the ransom money back. With the help of Angela the girl who used him to set up the kidnapping. The find themselves working together to get the mo...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Robert Carraher rated it 5 of 5 stars

That rule is from Elmore Leonard’s New York Times article, “Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodle”. His son, Peter certainly had memorized that rule, along with the rest, in writing this marvelous novel. The prose are terse, hard-bitten and to the point. When a story opens with the protagonist in jail, well, it’s got to be dark and hardboiled. And true to the Leonard name, its slapstick-caper-with-great-dialogue in vintage.

When American college buddies, the rich and...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Suzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, blog-tour-book

At the beginning of the book I did not understand how the author was going to connect everything together. Two different cities, a handful of people and at the time it seemed like two different plots. However the author brings it all together for the reader. The author has readers hopping around the world, from the USA to Italy. This book will keep the reader entertained and wondering what is happening next.

I loved how the author included several different mafias in this book. This is not just a...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Peter Leonard’s All He Saw was the Girl is an intense drama of mistaken identity. One night in Rome, college buddies Chip Tallenger (rich and egotistical) and William McCabe (the son of a Detroit working class family) find themselves in an Italian jailhouse after Chip decides to steal a taxi. The pair clashes with an Italian thug, Roberto Mazara, who picks on Chip. Intervening between them is McCabe who rightfully puts Mazara in his place.

Their troubles seemed to be over when they are released f...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Danica Page (One Page at a Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, romance, suspense, asked-to-review, thriller, relationships, criminal-justice, floater

My Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

Disclaimers: I received an electronic form of this book for review in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review and did not receive any compensation for writing this review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: First of all, I love Italy, and so the second I heard this took place in Rome, I knew I had to read this one. Plus the mafia is involved...come on...how can you not read this one?

Leonard exceeded my expectations in every manner po...more My Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

Disclaimers: I received an electronic form of this book for review in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review and did not receive any compensation for writing this review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: First of all, I love Italy, and so the second I heard this took place in Rome, I knew I had to read this one. Plus the mafia is involved...come on...how can you not read this one?

Leonard exceeded my expectations in every manner possible. I was stunned by the depth in the plot, the characters, and in the writing style. His writing was compelling, intriguing, and never boring. He masterfully weaved several different story arcs together into one action-packed novel that had my heart racing. Beautiful prose to say the least.

As for the characters, they were all so brilliantly crafted. Often when I read suspense, I feel like the characters are flat. This was not the case with this novel. Every single one of these characters (and no I'm not exaggerating) left me impressed. I absolutely adored McCabe and Angela in particular. Their interactions were amusing, thrilling, and had me frantically turning pages to see how their story ended.

As for the whole Sharon, Ray, and Joey angle, I usually have no tolerance for people who cheat. However, I found myself thoroughly intrigued by their relationship and couldn't help but wonder how everything I would turn out. A girl married to a Special Service man and having an affair with a mobster. Intriguing, horrible, but thoroughly intriguing.

This novel was one of the better thriller/mystery/suspense novels I've read in a long time. Like I mentioned earlier, the writing seemed to flow so well and the plot development was brilliantly done.

In Summary: A fast read with a killer plot line that left me thoroughly entranced from the very first page to the very last. Brilliant characters...plus it takes place in Italy and involved the Mafia. What more could you ask for?

Warnings/Side-notes: Several instances of strong language, but not excessive use. Sexual references were very common. They were a little more detailed than some books I've read, but they were still not very detailed. (See the excerpt. It mentions sex like this frequently, but isn't really detailed.)

The Wrap-up: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read in a manner of hours and intrigued the entire time. Every moment of this book seemed to flow together so nicely and in a way that compelled me to keep reading. Plus, I loved the characters. At the beginning, I found the jumps between characters and the flashes to the past a little confusing. However, I quickly caught on and became swept away in the story. An intriguing read to say the least. Definitely recommended.

Love,

Danica Page(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Detroit and Italy.....what could these two cities have in common? You would be surprised.

There was a connection between the two cities, and it definitely wasn't a good connection. The connection involved murder, marital affairs, the Mafia, street gangs, and kidnappings.

The book's chapters slide from one side of the world to the other and ultimately end up in Italy along with all the characters. The characters are vividly described along with the action. You will feel the tension among the chara...more

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Jun 28, 2012 gautami rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading Voices Of The Dead by Peter Leonard, I decided that I was going to pick all his books. So when I was offered to review All He Saw Was the Girl, I was thrilled. I was notdisappointed at all!

I had a roller coaster ride throughout the novel. It has the ingredients of an action movie. Drug Mafia, kidnapping, car chasing, and a love story. And all that happens in Italy, that too due to a misunderstanding! One American exchange student is kidnapped by mistake and ransom is paid for him....more

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Jun 27, 2012 Rachel French rated it 4 of 5 stars

This novel is a great mixture of love, action, and culture. The way the author jumps from one person's perspective to the next is exciting and allows the reader to know more about the story than the characters do. Beginning with drunk college guys crashing a taxi and heading for jail, All He Saw Was The Girl takes the reader on a thrill ride through kidnapping attempts, love affairs, and the inner workings of the Italian mafia. The reader learns of the strange ways lives can become tangled toget...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Fenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

All He Saw Was The Girl is a fast paced book with chapters switching between the two-story lines while weaving it into a climax. It is easy to read without much depth of characters. The wry humor used brings on some smiles, but gets a bit old after a while. As to the plot, there are a few nice surprises with one good twist nearer the end. I enjoyed the descriptions of Italy and Rome, which allowed me to picture the scene well.

For some reason, this book didn’t grab me as much as I expected. Using...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Brian Blocker rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Disclaimer: I did not pay for this book. I received a free copy to review for a magazine which will remain nameless. I have no vendetta against Peter Leonard. I’m sure he is a nice man and I wish him all the success in the world. This is just my honest review.
I asked for this book for the same reason a lot of you discovered Peter Leonard. His dad is Elmore Leonard, a novelist and writer of the story ‘Fire in the Hole’, which became the basis for ‘Justified’, one of the best shows on TV. When I s...more Disclaimer: I did not pay for this book. I received a free copy to review for a magazine which will remain nameless. I have no vendetta against Peter Leonard. I’m sure he is a nice man and I wish him all the success in the world. This is just my honest review.
I asked for this book for the same reason a lot of you discovered Peter Leonard. His dad is Elmore Leonard, a novelist and writer of the story ‘Fire in the Hole’, which became the basis for ‘Justified’, one of the best shows on TV. When I saw the list of books I could get for free, I did quick searches and when I found out who Peter’s dad was, I jumped on it. Surely, the apple can’t fall that far from the tree.
The story started out great. Two college friends, studying in Rome, get drunk, steal a taxi, and get arrested. One of the students’ dad is a rich senator, so he pulls some strings and gets them out. Their picture is taken and put in the paper, which mixes their names up, so when a group of thugs want to kidnap the son of a wealthy American for ransom purposes, they abduct the wrong one. So far so good. After the ransom is paid and he is set free, he decides that he wants the money back (that wasn’t his) so he tracks down the hot girl that tricked him and kidnaps her and holds her for ransom. Did I mention that she was the local mafia don’s daughter? He didn’t know that yet. So he kidnaps her, and it is obvious that they’re going to start fooling around and fall in love, which is what happens. The other characters are Joey, an American relative of the don, Sharon, Joey’s girlfriend, and Ray, a disgraced Secret Service agent and Sharon’s husband.
Early on, I could tell that these separate narratives were going to end up together and be awesome, so I kept reading. The reading was the hard part, because Leonard put so many Italian street names and landmarks in his writing that by the time you reached the end of a paragraph, you forgot what he was trying to say. It’s like he wrote this specifically for American expatriates living in Rome. Editors have a rule they like their writers to follow: No info dumps. It’s okay to talk about how old something is or some unique aspect of a building as long as that building plays into the story or tells me something about a character. Leonard clogged paragraphs with details that only contributed to a higher word count. One particular sentence has the following points of interest: Corso Vittoria Emaniele, Pantheon, Fontana del Moro, and Piazza Navona. And that was a short sentence. There are hundreds like this, so much that when trying to mentally follow someone’s route through the city, I skipped ahead three paragraphs and didn’t miss a beat. He acts like more of a tour guide than a writer at points, so much that I told my wife, “I bet this guy used to live in Italy.” A quick Google search told me I was correct.
The constant listing of things continues with everything. Leonard lists everything the character packs in his suitcase and everything each character eats, drinks, and wears. Even if it’s not important to the story. He describes the main character’s love interest, Angela, as looking like Manuela Arcuri. Don’t know who she is? I don’t either, probably because I don’t keep up with Italian soaps. That reference would make sense if he was an Italian writer whose book was translated into English, but instead it leaves the reader searching the web for a picture.
Another problem I had with this book, which is a major pet peeve of mine, is using brand names. Some brand names are iconic enough to make a statement. Having a foreigner offer an American a cigarette and having the American say “I only smoke Marlboros,” tells me something about that particular character. Drinking Jack Daniels, driving a Ferrari, riding a Harley, you get the idea. If someone drives a Prius, you automatically assume something about that character, though you can say it was a hybrid and get the same effect without name dropping. See what I mean? So having a kid pay for dinner, then telling me is was a Visa, does nothing for anyone! I don’t care what kind of bottled water the Secret Service guy drinks, or what kind of scooters clog up the roads, or the name brand on the gym bag used to hold the ransom money, or the brand of the lighter used to light a particular cigar. None of it matters. I know the rich mafia dude has money, because you already told me about his house and boat, so telling me what luxury car he drives feels like wasting my time, because I already assumed it was nice. This is a selection from chapter ten: Costco, US Bank, Visa, DTE Energy, Honda, Verizon, People, Rolling Stone, Vibe, Scene, Murder Dog, SKBK Sotheby’s, and TruGreen. I imagined him sitting behind his laptop wearing an outfit like NASCAR drivers wear, with sponsorship logos everywhere. Does saying Visa instead of ‘credit card bill’ make it better?
Back to the story. As the tension builds, and all the parties are about to collide in some park somewhere that Leonard mentions by name but doesn’t matter to anyone, and you know it’s about to get real. Everyone is armed except the guy facing down the mafia. The secret service dude is there, and so is the guy that’s having sex with his wife. Here comes the epic-ness that will make all of the clutter worth it. Pssssshf. That was the sound of the air being let out of my balloon. When the moment comes, the cops show up and arrest the bad guys, and then the mob guy gets arrested for having a gun in a train station. I think maybe one person got shot. Then the kid gets the money he was after (that wasn’t his to start with). That’s it.
Honestly, I think that if he left out the info dumps and the name brands, this would barely be a novella. He had the beginnings of a good story, but it felt like in the end he was trying too hard. (less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Dana Burgess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Peter Leonard has written a very different sort of book than what I've been reading lately. It took me a chapter or two to get into it because it is very stark and abrupt. From the first word, the reader is thrown into the action. There is no time to build characters or explain what is going on - that comes eventually, but it is a bit of a shocking beginning. It's kind of like being tossed into cold water: it takes a minute to get your bearings. Once the shock wears off you find that the effect...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Two college students, McCabe and Chip, are students out on the town who've had a wee bit too much to drink. Chip gets the bright idea to steal an Italian taxi and enjoy a joy ride. But things don't turn out so well for McCabe. Chip's very wealthy and powerful father saves the day by rescuing his son and giving him one tongue lashing. He does succeed, however, in infuriating some mob characters in prison over a pack of stolen cigarettes. McCabe, meanwhile, is warned by the College Dean that he wi...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Do you like action? This book has plenty…right from the beginning.

The books starts in Rome with Chip and McCabe, two exchange students who steal a cab, try to help a girl in trouble and end up in jail. Then in Detroit, we read about Sharon Vanelli, who is married to Ray, a secret service agent. She’s having an affair with Joey Palermo, a Mafia enforcer. And Ray is about to find out about it. Could things get any worse for them? Oh yeah!!

There are so many twists and surprises in this book that it...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Kathleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Two narratives ... two cities ... both intertwining to provide a suspense thriller that is one heck of a roller coaster ride!

William McCabe and Charles "Chip" Tallenger III are American exchange students studying abroad at Loyola University in Rome, Italy. McCabe is from Detroit, Michigan, and is on an academic scholarship, while Chip is the spoiled rich son of U.S. Senator Charles Tallenger II from Greenwich, Connecticut. While out partying one night, Chip and McCabe steal a cab and end up lock...more Two narratives ... two cities ... both intertwining to provide a suspense thriller that is one heck of a roller coaster ride!

William McCabe and Charles "Chip" Tallenger III are American exchange students studying abroad at Loyola University in Rome, Italy. McCabe is from Detroit, Michigan, and is on an academic scholarship, while Chip is the spoiled rich son of U.S. Senator Charles Tallenger II from Greenwich, Connecticut. While out partying one night, Chip and McCabe steal a cab and end up locked up in Rebibbia, a hardcore Italian prison, where they cross paths with a violent street gang with mafia ties. A case of mistaken identity leads to one of the boys being kidnapped by the street gang which included a beautiful Italian girl, the ransom is paid and the boy plots to avenge the street gang and reclaim the ransom money.

Meanwhile in Detroit, Michigan, Sharon Vanelli is a lonely wife of an absent Secret Service agent, who goes to bars and seeks the company of other men. Sharon meets Joey "Swinging Joey" Palermo, a mafia lieutenant and enforcer for the Corrado mob family. Sharon and Joey's affair is soon discovered by Sharon's husband, Ray Pope. When Joey tells his father "Joe P," an underboss in the Corroda mob family, about his relationship with Sharon, and that her husband is a Secret Service agent, Joey is sent packing to Italy to stay with his uncle, Don Carlo Gennaro, who is the head of the Rome mafia, until the coast is clear. Ray is determined to track down his missing wife. Sharon follows Joey to Rome, so Ray travels to Italy where the fun is just about too begin ...

What will happen when these two narratives and cast of characters intertwine and collide in Rome?

All He Saw Was The Girl is a fast paced action packed suspense thriller that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. The author masterfully weaves a story with two intertwining narratives in alternating chapters, that easily transports the reader between Detroit, Michigan and Rome, Italy. This complex suspense thriller has enough drama, action and twist and turns that will keep the reader engaged and turning the pages to see what will happen next. I found it fascinating how the author takes the two narratives and intertwines them in a satisfying climatic fashion.

The author has created a strong cast of characters that are realistic and complex. Their different personalities and entertaining interactions are intriguing, and the author does a great job of flowing from one character to another, engaging the reader to keep up with all of the characters. What I liked best is how the author keeps the reader guessing how all the characters fit into the two intertwining narratives, until ultimately they come together to mix it up in the backstreets of Rome.

Author Peter Leonard has provided the reader with a richly detailed and tour-guide description of the beautiful ancient city of Rome, Italy. His descriptions of the famous landmarks and tourist attractions, along with a street map worthy description of the locale, easily transports the reader to Rome, where they can visualize the tantalizing sights and sounds of the city. I absolutely loved his style of describing settings in this novel, it is simply phenomenal.

I had previously been introduced to Peter Leonard's writings when I read and reviewed his novel Voices of the Dead, which I thoroughly enjoyed. When I was given this opportunity to read and review All He Saw Was The Girl, I was hoping that this novel would provide the same kind of suspense and action that I had read in the previous novel, and I can honestly say that this novel has exceeded my expectations and then some! I look forward to reading many more of his novels in the future.

If you are looking for a novel that is full of drama, suspense and enough action that volleys you back and forth from one end of the globe to the other, then All He Saw Was The Girl is the one for you! This is one suspense thriller that is a must read, you won't be disappointed!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book by the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
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Jun 22, 2012 LORI CASWELL rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

Two story lines collide in All He Saw Was The Girl.

McCabe and Chip are two American college students studying abroad in Italy. A freak incident, a case of mistaken identity, and a beautiful Italian girl, lead to more than one exciting chase.

Sharon is a bored wife of a secret service agent. He is always traveling leaving her home alone. Her choice to have an affair with Joey Palermo to add a little excitement to her life may cost her dearly.

When Elmore Leonard is your father good writing is in th...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Sherry Fundin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, thriller, paperback

McCabe and Chip, a senator's son are going to school in Rome. Chip steals a taxi and they are arrested. The Senator greases some palms and they are released.

As McCabe sits at the cafe waiting to meet up with Chip and some friends, he sees "the girl". She encourages him to walk with her and when they meet up with "Fabio", who is a tough guy Mafia man he met in prison, McCabe realizes she has set him up to be kidnapped. They have mistaken him for Chip because of a mix-up in the newspapers. They ha...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Marjorie rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first page tells you trouble is brewing.
Two university friends McCabe and Chip are enjoying their lifestyle in Italy.
One is wealthy, the other not so much.
Seeing a damsel in Distress and trying to rescue her leads to a case of
mistaken identity, because this girl has very close ties to the mafia.
Meanwhile, in the States, Ray a secret service agent lives with his wife
Sharon. She is tired of her boring life with him and hooks up with a
fella named Joey. You guessed it a member of the mob with hu...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Jo Linsdell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Rome: McCabe and Chip, two American exchange students, are about to become embroiled with a violent street gang, a beautiful Italian girl and a flawed kidnapping plan.

Detroit: Sharon Vanelli's affair with Joey Palermo, a Mafia enforcer, is about to be discovered by her husband, Ray, a secret service agent.

All He Saw Was the Girl takes place as these two narratives converge in the backstreets of Italy's oldest city.

Peter Leonard throws you straight into the action in this book and keeps the stor...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Karly added it

Shelves: netgalley, arc

McCabe and Chip, two college students studying abroad in Italy, end up in jail one night after a drunken Chip steals a taxi for a little joy ride. Luckily, Chip's wealthy father bails them out, but the escapade doesn't go unnoticed by the press. McCabe soon finds himself mistaken for Chip and kidnapped by the Italian mafia. That about sums it up. Unfortunately, there's really not that much more to it. It wasn't the most horrible book I've ever read, but the writing was amateurish, the story was...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of mafia-based thrillers/suspense

Recommended to Katy by: NetGalley

Shelves: ebook, galley-for-review, net-galley

Disclosure: I received a free eGalley eBook ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Rome: McCabe and Chip, two American exchange students, are about to become embroiled with a violent street gang, a beautiful Italian girl, and a flawed kidnapping plan.

Detroit: Sharon Vanelli’s affair with Joey Palermo, a Mafia enforcer, is about to be discovered by her husband, Ray, a secret service agent.

Brilliantly plotted and shot through with wry humor, All He Saw was the Girl sees thes...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Melissa Rheinlander rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great read!! Leonard has a great writing style that puts you in the story and makes it all "real". His detailing of the characters and setting creates an experience as you read. There is action, adventure, suspense, and even though the story alternates settings you never miss a beat! I definitely recommend checking out this book if you are a fan of thrilling suspense. I look forward to reading more from Leonard.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes only throug...more

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May 15, 2012 Cheryl "Mash" rated it 5 of 5 stars

All He Saw Was The Girl by Peter Leonard
Published by The Story Plant
ISBN-10: 1611880424
ISBN-13: 978-1611880427
At the request of The Story Plant, an ARC digital version was provided, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from publisher):
Rome:
McCabe and Chip, two American exchange students, are about to become embroiled with a violent street gang, a beautiful Italian girl, and a flawed kidnapping plan.

Detroit:
Sharon Vanelli’s affair with Joey Palermo, a Mafia enforcer, is about to b...more All He Saw Was The Girl by Peter Leonard
Published by The Story Plant
ISBN-10: 1611880424
ISBN-13: 978-1611880427
At the request of The Story Plant, an ARC digital version was provided, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from publisher):
Rome:
McCabe and Chip, two American exchange students, are about to become embroiled with a violent street gang, a beautiful Italian girl, and a flawed kidnapping plan.

Detroit:
Sharon Vanelli’s affair with Joey Palermo, a Mafia enforcer, is about to be discovered by her husband, Ray, a secret service agent.

Brilliantly plotted and shot through with wry humor, ALL HE SAW WAS THE GIRL sees these two narratives collide in the backstreets of Italy’s oldest city.

My Thoughts and opinion: I was first introduced to this author when I read, Voices of the Dead, which I thoroughly enjoyed due to his writing style, his character development and descriptive settings, however, I am always a bit skeptical when I start to read a follow up novel. Will it be as good? Have I set my expectations too high and compare it to the first book?

All He Saw Was The Girl, just like Voices of the Dead, within the first few pages the book pulled me in with the introduction of a few of the characters that the author brought to life. Chip and McCabe, 2 students studying in Italy. Then Sharon, a lonesome wife from Detroit, married to a secret service agent, is injected into the story line. Characters, so different and on different ends of the spectrum, had this reader wondering what is their connection? The suspense starts and builds, like a ticking time bomb with one kidnapping that has gone bad, and continues with the tumultuous "mob" related cat and mouse chase of another kidnapping through the streets of Italy.

What I like about Peter Leonard's books is that he creates the cast of characters, with the reader not knowing the connection, and in a very fluid manner, interweaves them all into an intricate plot. Another aspect of his writing that I enjoy is that he alternates chapters with different characters and leaves the reader with mini cliff hangers that it's a "one more chapter" read to find out what happens and I found that I had read many more chapters than one. The detailed descriptions of Italy were vivid, and for me, factual as I had seen and visited many of the locales that he used as his settings. The action fast paced, with twists and turns of suspense and a bit of dry humor thrown in.

Did All He Saw Was The Girl meet my expectations, yes! It was what I call "a transport read", where I was so engrossed into the story that I was unaware of what was going on around me. A page turner!! Would I recommend it, absolutely!!! Only one problem now, waiting for his next novel!!

My Rating: 5(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Audra (Unabridged Chick) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: era-contemporary, heroine-unusually-attractive, place-italy

This was an unexpected hit for me. After a slow start -- in which I kept picking up and putting this one down -- around page 80 I suddenly got sucked in, and I found Leonard wasn't doing a standard double cross crime tale.

Initially confusing -- there's about three story lines that eventually come together -- I got hooked by Leonard's breezy writing style and slightly sarcastic style. Quip-y action flick, all popcorn and soda, this was a perfect beach read.

Charles 'Chip' Tallenger III, spoiled...more

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May 15, 2012 Debdatta Dasgupta Sahay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy

I can, in no way summarize the plot better than the summary from Goodreads. Those few lines tell the tale very well.

The story starts off in Rome with two students who are out to have fun. But their fun night quickly turns into a nightmare that they have to live through. Chip is pulled out of trouble by his all too influential and wealthy father. McCabe on the other hand lands himself into further trouble all because of his loud mouth. He is mistaken as Chip and is kidnapped by mobsters and lured...more

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May 19, 2012 Alan Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime

A few months ago I had the pleasure to read “Voices of the Dead” by Peter Leonard. I said at the time I would be tracking down some of the authors other books, but I didn’t realise that I would be reviewing another one from Partners In Crime Tours quite so soon. I simply couldn’t resist the request for the review, but then I did wonder if it could be quite as good as Voices of the Dead. Simply put … I was not disappointed.
I couldn’t put “All He Saw Was the Girl”, down and read it in a day. Peter...more A few months ago I had the pleasure to read “Voices of the Dead” by Peter Leonard. I said at the time I would be tracking down some of the authors other books, but I didn’t realise that I would be reviewing another one from Partners In Crime Tours quite so soon. I simply couldn’t resist the request for the review, but then I did wonder if it could be quite as good as Voices of the Dead. Simply put … I was not disappointed.
I couldn’t put “All He Saw Was the Girl”, down and read it in a day. Peter Leonard is a master storyteller, in “All He Saw Was the Girl”; he has developed two complicated and intricate plots, and woven a story of Mafioso, US Secret Service, kidnap and love into one extraordinary book.

The setting of Italy works incredibly well and is an excellent backdrop to the story. In reality the story doesn’t need that backdrop, it could have been set anywhere; but Italy just works, and brings the scenes to life.

All of the characters, and there are quite a few, are believable and it was great to see how the two storylines drew together towards the end of the book, without ever quite connecting completely. This was very well written, and not the obvious way to bring things together which was nice; I like a bit of unpredictability and to be proved wrong once in a while, when I think I know how things are going to end.

As I read I couldn’t help but feel that there is a movie of this book now waiting to be made. Whether that is intentional or not, it would certainly make a good film, all the elements are there.

Whilst I love a series read, I also like to find authors who are capable of producing a different book each time. I think in the case of Peter Leonard the latter is true. Although they fit within the crime/thriller genre, the two I have read to date are completely different. They have the authors quite distinctive voice, but the story premise couldn’t be more different.

Another recommended read from Peter Leonard, and now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find something else by Mr Leonard to read.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 PopcornReads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: peter-leonard, mistaken-identity, italy, mob, contemporary-fiction, crime, cross-cultural, family, giveaway, mysteries-thrillers, suspense

Book Review & Giveaway: We previously reviewed Peter Leonard’s novel, Voices of the Dead, so when we were approached about participating in the virtual book tour for his new novel, All He Saw Was the Girl, it was a no brainer. If I were Peter Leonard, I might grow tired of being compared to my father; however, he and Elmore Leonard both write excellent thrillers. All He Saw Was the Girl is no exception. And one lucky reader is going to win a copy! Read the rest of my review & enter to wi...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This was a fast paced adventure I hated to put down. The story line was interesting, the characters well developed, and I found myself cheering for McCabe. The setting in Italy was perfectly chosen for the story line. I highly recommend this book and will definitely read more by the same author. This was another Goodreads giveaway that I was thrilled to win. I highly recommend this book.

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Mar 01, 2013 Jeffrey rated it 3 of 5 stars

This novel started off so well, with McCabe and Chip stealing a taxi, and the mistaken identity that lead to McCabe's kidnapping was done in exciting fashion, however, the ending of the book was highly disappointing. I felt cheated out of an ending worthy of the rule breaking relationship between McCabe and Angela.

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Jun 13, 2012 Nicole rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was an okay book, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was more appropriate for my age level. I expected more overlapping plot lines, however it still made for some interesting thought. The characters were well developed although some seemed like they needed more of a personality or voice.

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Feb 09, 2013 Joe O'c rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very Good; stories about an American exchange student in Italy who is kidnapped and an affair between the wife of a Secret Service agent and a mafiosi in Detroit become intertwined in interesting ways

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About Peter Leonard

Son of Elmore Leonard.

Peter Leonard lives in Birmingham, Michigan with his wife and four children. He is a partner in the ad agency Leonard, Mayer & Tocco, Inc.

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