Charles Bateman had left New York in the late 1970s, vowing never to return to the city. This was after he had been involved in a mugging incident that had culminated in the demise of the woman who was trying to mug him. Close to two decades later, Charles is back in New York as a guest professor at NYU. However, he is surprised to discover that the local authorities never concluded their investigations and that he is still a suspect in the case. To clear his name, he has to appear before a jury. This demands that he recalls everything exactly the way it happened on that fateful night. Does Charles remember anything about the incident? By chance, Charles stumbles on the deceased woman’s belongings. Will they help him in his case? He hires a cleaner during his short stay in New York but later finds out that the cleaner had been keeping a big secret from him. Find out more in A.I. Fabler’s A Song for Leonard.

Hinging the narration on a tale of drugs, marriage, affairs, city life, music, murder, family, and religion, A.I. Fabler forges an enthralling plot that kept me on edge, flipping through page after page. Fabler builds the narration effortlessly, digging through the present and the past, giving the storyline a good flow. He develops the cast wonderfully, bringing out their various characteristics. I found Charles’s passive and nonchalant way of engaging with the people around him to be quite irritating - a trait that greatly affected his past and shaped his future. While Elody reflected Charles’s uncaring personality, it was interesting that, in turn, Charles found Elody’s character irritating. The scenes were impressively vivid, as Fabler captures the nuances of the settings with great detail, highlighting the different cultures and moods. This made me feel as if I was right next to the cast in every scene. There is drama, adventure, suspense, wit, secrets, and so much more in A Song for Leonard.

In A Song for Leonard by A. I. Faber, Charles Bateman returns to New York eighteen years after an event that rocked his world. Suzanne Finch tried to mug him, and she was killed during the struggle. Charles must come to terms with his past before moving forward to the future. Upon his arrival, his passport is confiscated due to an outstanding warrant against him. Charles stands accused of Suzanne’s death. Charles digs deeper into Suzanne's past and realizes that the lyrics of her songs mirror elements surrounding her death. Charles finds out more about Suzanne's circumstances and her emotions. He feels that Suzanne was abandoned and did not get the necessary support for her addiction. During his investigation into Suzanne’s past, he uncovers irregularities in the Police Department.

The events described in A Song for Leonard by A. I. Faber took place in 1978 and 1996. The gap of almost eighteen years could easily be overlooked by the way that the two years were intertwined. Each chapter was dedicated to one of the two years. It was easy to read and follow. The story was a page-turner and full of suspense. I could not wait to find out more about Suzanne. She was a woman with dreams of her own and not just an addict. The characters' personalities are excellently described and were authentic and relatable. The language and social viewpoints enhanced the characters. The story is well-researched and superbly written. The surroundings were described in detail so that I could feel the difference in New York life between 1978 and 1996.