Jake Lassiter Hits Havana: Bestseller "False Dawn" Now an E-Book

[Paul Levine]

“False Dawn,” an international bestseller in Paul Levine’s “Jake Lassiter” series, is now available on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords for $3.99.

Miami lawyer Jake Lassiter has plenty of clients who lie, but usually they deny their guilt. When Francisco Crespo admits killing a fellow warehouse worker with a forklift – speared like an olive on a toothpick – Jake is suspicious and won’t take “guilty” for an answer. Determined to find the truth, Jake follows a trail of priceless Fabergé eggs to an international theft ring involving the CIA, Fidel Castro, and the Russian government. Through twisted revelations, deadly double crosses, and bizarre murders, Jake heads to Havana where he discovers that nothing is as it seems.

“Realistic, gritty, fun.” – New York Times Book Review

“A highly entertaining yarn filled with wry humor.” – Detroit Free Press

“Mystery writing at its very, very best.” – Larry King, USA TODAY

[Paul Levine]

Today, Oline Cogdill is widely considered the top mystery reviewer in the country. In the early 90's, she was still fairly new on the crime fiction scene. With "False Dawn" now a Kindle bestseller for $3.99, I thought it would be fun to look back at her 1993 review of the hardcover in the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

LEVINE’S ‘DAWN’ IS A NEW BEGINNING
By Oline H. Cogdill


Miami lawyer Paul Levine, who showed so much promise in his first two books -- To Speak for the Dead and Night Vision -- finally proves that potential in False Dawn.

Mixing mystery, courtroom antics and drama with the backdrop of an international political thriller, Levine gives full attention to each.
Set in Miami, the story moves at a break-neck pace on a road of twists and turns involving violence (not gratuitous) and a complicated yet plausible premise. It culiminates with a heart- stopping action sequence. Anything can happen -- and it does.

Who`s stealing the great works of art from Russia? And why would these paintings, icons and Faberge eggs find their way to Miami?

Levine`s hero, Jake Lassiter, an ex-football star turned lawyer, thinks he has an ordinary murder case on his hands, defending Francisco Crespo, the low- rent son of Lassiter`s former landlady. Crespo has been accused of killing a fellow warehouse worker who was Russian. Crespo is a small-time criminal, but he is no murderer. Although his story is ludicrous, he seems determined to go to jail rather than tell what he knows.

And it`s hard to know on whose side are a rich Japanese art collector -- whose pride is a Faberge egg containing a solid gold railway train -- and an exiled Cuban anticommunist leader with a prized Matisse painting. And

Lassiter doesn`t know what to make of Lourdes Soto, a high-tech private investigator whose interest in Lassiter isn`t just professional.
Levine has finally got a firm grip on his character, Lassiter. Cynical about his profession ("they don`t call us sharks for our ability to swim"), himself and life in general, Lassiter still is guided by his loyalties and a thirst for truth.
Levine also does a good job with the lawyer`s best friend and mentor, Charlie Riggs, a retired coroner who seems to know a little about everything.

But Levine`s other characters tend to emerge as mere encounters for Lassiter -- not full people. And Levine has never been good at creating flesh-and-blood women, though he does a fine job of developing female characters who are male fantasies.

Miami shines as an international city. Its beauty, litter, fancy homes, sad homeless and crime are told with the unflinching eye of a South Florida native. He regards Palm Island as "one of the luxury landfills between Miami and Miami Beach. Years ago, Al Capone was an island resident. The current neighbors -- lawyers, investment bankers, bond traders -- aren`t as law- abiding."

Lawyers-turned-writers are hotter than ever. Scott Turnow, who seems to be a one-trick pony with Presumed Innocent, was just the tip of the iceberg. John Grisham continues his perch on the best-seller list with The Firm, The Client and Pelican Brief.

But there`s a major difference between Grisham and Levine. Levine actually can write -- he just doesn`t have the public-relations machinery behind him that Grisham does.
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"False Dawn" on Kindle for $3.99

Also on Kindle:
"Night Vision" for $2.87

"To Speak for the Dead" for $2.89

"Reversal" for $2.99

[dreams]

I saw this at Smashwords and added it to my cart.

Thank you for publishing at smashwords.

[Paul Levine]

"False Dawn" Then and Now:



Yep, that's me at a 1993 signing of the $22 hardcover in Miami.

Today, "False Dawn" is a bestselling e-book at $2.99.



And yes, that's my "To Speak for the Dead" on the list, too.

"False Dawn" is "Rrealistic, gritty, fun.” – New York Times Book Review

[Graphic allowed in first post - MODERATOR]

Nook readers: "False Dawn" Here

Smashwords readers: "False Dawn" Here

More info at http://www.paul-levine.com