What an interesting read. Collision of Lies by John J. LeBeau is totally out of my element and was very hard for me to connect with and complete.
I am more of a kill-your-husband book kinda girl. I have to say, even though it was not my cup of tea, that the plot was serious! As I turned the pages, I figured this writer knows what he is talking about. Even though the style of writing was a bit different, the details are immaculate.
The story starts somewhere off the Angolan coast, bouncing from Germany to Austria. First page... um, murder! I love a good murder! I like it better when it’s a wife who kills her husband but I had to settle for an Austrian politician this time. Georg Forster had plans to rule Austria. He founded a political party to “purge Austria of unwanted elements”--basically anyone that was not of Aryan Blood.
After jumping from country to country, catching up on the lingo… Forster is getting smashed at the bar in celebration of the party’s victory. On his way home he dies in a car accident. Or what might look like a typical accident or maybe its murder! The locals seem to think so.
Waldbaer, a German homicide detective, rolls past the accident and found himself partnered with Austrian policewoman, Sabine Reiner. Arrogant Waldbaer is not impressed or amused that his partner is a woman but sucks it up to get the job done. As the media sets in with rumors of murder, they are pressured to provide answers and to find the truth behind the death of Forster. Little do they know…
Politics, murder, lies, weapons, illegal business… investigating one murder turns into more than Waldbaer ever bargained for. More people, more lies, corruption and cover-ups--I don’t want to ruin the book for anyone else but it surely was not what I had expected. Glad I gave it a chance.
Overall, Collision of Lies was a great book. It took way too much out of me to flop from country to country and keep up with who was who. I finally became familiar with the characters; so about half way through it picked up the pace. I could imagine each scene, described perfectly so that made it easier to move along. It was a slow read for me and it took too long for me to finish it. That’s just me, though. John J. LeBeau has a way with words and with drawing you in.
(Reviewed by Jennifer Haas for Reader Views)
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