A Bite of Strawberry

Victor Carl #7.5

by William Lashner

Young Victor Carl is a fool for love and money, but he’s not a blind fool. When Victor is propositioned by the woman of his dreams, he knows it’s too good to be true. She offers him the perfect job, a prosperous future, and, best of all, when her tongue is in his mouth, she tastes like strawberries. But it isn’t long before Victor realizes that to keep these prizes, he must keep his client—currently in the clink for murder—from spilling the truth about what really happened the night of the killing.

Is Victor ready to be bought? Hell yes. But not until he learns the truth. Someone is being protected, and Victor intends to find out who’s worth all the fuss. Because Victor Carl is willing to sell his soul, sure, especially for a bite of strawberry, but only if the price is right.

88 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 4, 2013

About the author

William Lashner is a former criminal prosecutor with the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. His novels have been published world-wide and have been nominated for two Shamus Awards, a Gumshoe Award, an Edgar Award, and been selected as an Editor’s Choice in the New York Times Book Review. When he was a kid his favorite books were The Count of Monte Cristo and any comic with the Batman on the cover.

Under the pseudonym Tyler Knox he wrote the noir novel, Kockroach.

Series:
* Victor Carl Mystery

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young and decidedly down and out Philadelphia lawyer Victor Carl has an ethical problem. His current girlfriend offers him a job in her prestigious law firm for big bucks. That and her exotic strawberry tasting self closes the deal until Victor realizes his good fortune might be somehow related to the client he's representing currently on trial for murder. This short story is a prequel to William Lashner's captivating series about Victor Carl. What I like about Victor is his inherent sense of justice and the underlying resentment he wears like a cheap suit. He's basically a Philadelphia rebel with a law degree and a wicked sense of humor. I'd much rather read this exceptional William Lashner short story as a full length novel but I'll happily take what I can get.

[Chuck Barksdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I was thrilled to see William Lashner write more about Victor Carl, even if it was a "short" story. This story takes the reader back in time to both the early days of Victor as a lawyer along with parts even further back when Victor was in high school. I really enjoyed getting a little better understanding of the things in Victor's life and how they affected him later in life.

This is called a Short Story, but it wasn't that short, but too short after waiting this long for another Victor Carl book. The good news is that the About the Author section at the end of the story mentions that a new Victor Carl novel, Bagmen, will be released in 2014. In the mean time, get this story and read it now.

[Leather · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever want to dive into the nuanced universe of the lawyer Victor Carl, this novella is a very good test pool.
Chronologically "A Bite of Strawberry" is a prequel to the eight currently available novels of this rather uneven series (which sails between the average and the magnificent). It is a story built on a recurring dilemma in Victor Carl's: a choose between venality and justice, with all the intermediate shades of gray between these two ends. Added to this, there are the usual few femme fatale, a bit of class struggle and the brilliant William Lashner's sense of humor.
A masterly piece, brilliantly combining depth, efficiency, humor and suspense.

[Nick Stika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Lashner's style and really enjoy Victor Carl stories. Wish there were more Victor Carl stories, the world needs Victor Carl.

[Giuditta Zanoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victor Carl remains one of the best character in the american legal thriller scene ! Chapeau

[Kevin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alas it is too short but fun to have Victor Carl back.

The story is an episode before Hostile Witness (Guthrie, Derringer and Carl) are still together.

We learn more oof Victor's past but a short story does not give us the opportunity for where Bill's work excels, his secondary characters.

It's been seven years since we've had Victor and another seven months until a full novel.

Like Victor himself, it may not be all that I want but I'll take until the best thing comes along.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet but too short. This novella has all the elements: mutual seduction, moral struggle, maverick lawyer, courtroom, in concentrated form. But bonus! It contains a story about Victor's curmudgeonly father.

[Thornton G. Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, sweet, and very compelling

Ordinarily I don't enjoy "clever" writing, but Lashner makes it all part of the telling and it doesn't get in the way of the story. A fun short read!

[Richard Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice addition to the Victor Carl series in which his underdog psyche and morality are explored.