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Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
In 1919, Boston City, Joshua Oates is a hard-drinking former police captain and WWI veteran who now works as a private investigator. His trouble starts when a woman named Beverly Bennett walks into his office and hires him for a case. Next thing he knows, he’s framed for a murder, is kidnapped and suffers the wrath of someone’s revenge. He also must stop a plot to use chemical weapons against the Communist government in Russia, and save an old friend.
Target of Fear (A Joshua Oates Adventure) by Steve Leshin is a good mix of noir-esque crime sleuth and historical fiction with a dose of romance. Leshin handles the 20th-century setting and the historical figures well, giving readers the flavor of the life and times of the era. The exhilarating plot is filled with action and good twists, and the number of times several characters escape and get caught is quite amusing. Joshua Oates is no Sam Spade, but it’s easy to root for this flawed but nonetheless heroic and gutsy protagonist.
Combined with a great line-up of historical figures, Harry Houdini, Marie Curie, Bat Masterson, and Damon Runyon, it adds a good depth to the extensive story line. Houdini, particularly, is a delight to read. The writing style is clear cut but definitely has more room for finesse that Leshin should take on. Overall, this is an enjoyable, roller coaster sleuth read for fans of the genre.
