Written by award-winning thriller heavyweight R. J. Ellory, this ambitious crime novel takes the author's skill for suspense to a spellbinding level.
When Catherine Ducane disappears in the heart of New Orleans, the cops react fast—after all, she is the governor's daughter. But the case gets very strange, very quickly. Her bodyguard turns up horribly mutilated in the trunk of a beautiful vintage car, and when the kidnapper calls, he doesn't want money; he wants time alone with a certain government functionary.
Dragged down to the deep South from the New York district attorney's office, Ray Hartmann puzzles over why he has been summoned and why the mysterious kidnapper, an elderly Cuban named Ernesto Perez, wants to tell him his life story. But by the time the pieces fall into place, it's already too late.
A Quiet Vendetta is both the epic story of one man's life in the Italian Mafia—a story ranging from Cuba to Chicago—and a thrilling tale of rage, love, and loss. With tension to match the best of Cussler, Patterson, and his own bestselling work, A Quiet Vendetta confirms R. J. Ellory's place at the forefront of the genre.
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"Ellory is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller/mystery writers. Be warned that this book is very dark.When the daughter of the Governor of Louisiana is kidnapped, Ernesto Perez comes forward to offer details that will lead to her recovery. Ernesto is a hit man for the Mafia and the tale he tells is at once gruesome and compelling. A real surprise ending!"
— Maryellen (4 out of 5 stars)
“An engrossing tale about organized crime from the perspective of a kidnapper whose agenda will keep you guessing until the end.”
— Entertainment Weekly (“Must List”)“As in the very best of thrillers, A Quiet Vendetta has the ring of truth and real research behind it all. With exquisite pace and perfect timing, R. J. Ellory has given us a piercing assessment of the nature of love, loyalty, and obsessive revenge, not to mention a deep understanding of la cosa nostra.”
— Guardian (London)“R. J. Ellory proves himself a leader among the royalty of crime writers with this five-decade-long saga of Mafia history forming the framework for an exciting, well-constructed tale that ultimately becomes one of two men attempting to redeem themselves for their many individual sins against humanity.”
— New York Journal of Books“Pre-Katrina New Orleans, with all its passion and decadence intact, provides an ideal backdrop for the intimate revelations of Ernesto Perez, a career hit man. In what may well be the best Mafia novel since The Godfather, Ellory explores the dark intimacies of people bound by a complex relationship with violence, ranging from the mean streets to the highest strata of society…One damn fine book.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Absorbing…[A] brilliantly conceived tale of greed, politics, family loyalties, and vengeance.”
— Publishers Weekly“This is a great thriller that uses five decades of Mafia history in the Bronx, Manhattan, Vegas, Cuba, and elsewhere as the backgrounds to a fascinating tale. Readers will be hooked from the moment Perez makes his demand known and will keep on reading until they learn what his agenda is and why…A Quiet Vendetta is a superb and enthralling story.”
— Mystery Gazette" marvellous, long, detailed, vicious, complex - hard to say much more without getting into spolers, but it is a great book marching through American history from the 50s to the present day. "
— Tom, 2/9/2014" I kept thinking I was disappointed in this book because it was all Mafia story in which I'm not much interested but after all the twists and turns near the end, I guess this one turned out to be just as good as his others. Ellory could write literary fiction easily. "
— Rebecca, 1/31/2014" Absolutely fantastic read, superb twists and turns, strongly recommended. This is my second RJ Ellory read, after Candlemoth, and I'm looking forward to following it up with others by the same author. "
— John, 1/28/2014" A surprisingly well written crime novel with intriguing characters. Many twists and turns that turns into an unlikely ending that you see coming but none the less it is a cracking good read. "
— Juliet, 1/9/2014" Didn't enjoy this one as much as Candlemoth and Ghostheart. To much Mafia stuff in there for me. "
— Pauline, 1/9/2014" My favourite RJ Ellory novel "
— Big, 1/8/2014" just an amazing story "
— Bob, 1/4/2014" Up there with Mario Puzo's The Godfather "
— Michael, 12/27/2013" powerful, compelling story! "
— Ellis, 12/9/2013" Overall it was good, but it just went on for for.ev.er. Kind of in the vein of an old-fashioned crime novel. Some things weren't explained very well, and the writing was pretty heavy-handed in some parts. Interesting idea though, and a satisfying ending. "
— Rachel, 12/9/2013" If you are interested in the Mafia and the life of a hitman, this is a book you should read. It is also a book about situations, faith, love, and family. Ellory is amazing. "
— Betty, 10/25/2013" not finished yet...bust so far so WOW "
— Feriel, 6/30/2013" Stunning thriller! "
— Paul, 6/10/2013" Well written thriller! "
— Cheryl, 6/5/2013" Not thrilling, not a page turner, not full of twists and surprises, and not entertaining. Bunch of muck and guck to wade through only to be left completely unsatisfied. In running for worst book published in 2012 to be read. "
— Charity, 5/19/2013" I love Ellroy's writing style. The story is told from an interesting point of view. There is a lot of darkness so don't read it if you are feeling down. "
— C.S., 3/5/2013" Get out your dictionary. What an interesting book. The ending was a total surprise. "
— Mariann, 2/1/2013" An extremely well plotted book. Not at all what I expected and all the better for it. I thought it was going to be a standard murder mystery, how wrong could I be? Great read with a fantastic end. Highly recommended. "
— Colin, 1/19/2013" Not as enthralling as Ghostheart but still a good read. "
— Jennifer, 12/30/2012R. J. Ellory, orphaned at the age of seven and sent to prison for poaching when he was seventeen, immersed himself in literature and set about learning the craft of writing fiction. He now divides his time between writing and volunteer programs in drug rehabilitation and youth literacy. He is married with one son.
Donald Corren is an audiobook narrator and a New York actor with leading credits on and Off-Broadway, as well as numerous television appearances. On Broadway, he costarred with Judy Kaye in the critically acclaimed production of Souvenir, and replaced Harvey Fierstein in the seminal production of Torch Song Trilogy. His Off-Broadway appearances include The Soap Myth, Dietrich & Chevalier, The Last Sunday in June, Stephen Sondheim’s Saturday Night, and the original New York production of Tomfoolery. His television credits include eight seasons as forensic tech Medill on NBC’s Law & Order, as well as his current role as Dr. Kurian on Syfy’s Z Nation.