Pierce (ISBN 1560236574)

Finding Answers:
Ferrari, Roberto. "Pierce". Harrington Park Press, 2007. Finding Answers Amos Lassen and Literary Pride "Pierce", a first novel by Roberto Ferrari is magical/ Psychological and real, it grabs the reader's interest on the first page and the beauty of the book does not stop even when the covers are closed. Weave in a gay love story and you have a read you are not likely to forget. Every family has secrets. Some come to light and some are meant never to be discovered. When Matt Pierce was killed in an automobile accident, graduate student, Leo Vasari's (Matt's lover) life was torn asunder. To make matters worse, a year later Matt's mother, Millie, attempts suicide. Leo realizes that the Pierce family has secrets and he is determined to earth them. Still mourning the death of his lover, Leo dives head on into the heart of the Pierce family. As he toils his way into the family secrets, he finds another chance at love but will not allow himself to indulge until he finds out the real reasons for his lover's death. As he searches for truth, Leo must struggle with both sadness and guilt and while doing so he discovers those secrets that were never meant to see the light of day. If I had to find one word to describe "Pierce", it would have to be vivid. Everything about this books is vivid--the characters, the plot, and the action. It is a book that pulls you in, rests on your brain, and leads you to a sense of awe at the beauty of the book. It seems as if every word is chosen precisely, each action is developed beautifully, and each character is real to the core. When I finished reading, I sat back and mused over what I had read and I was perfectly useless--the book affected me so deeply. I had become close to the characters and empathetic towards them. It was as if I had found a whole new circle of friends. I felt Leo's pain when he learned of the death of Matt and I commiserated with him about Millie's attempted suicide. It was not enough that she is Matt's mother but she is also Leo's close friend. I understand his shock at learning about the Pierce family and I feared for him as he discovered what he did. I am sure that those who read "Pierce" will feel much the same. The crystal clear prose used to tell the story sparkles but if I have to laud one thing it is the amazing character development. "Pierce" is just an amazing book that should be read by all. It teaches us how to deal with grief and how to deal with ourselves.

A Mystery With A HUGE Twist:
Pierce is a sweeping mystery that will capture the reader's attention and test his sleuthing skills. Additionally, it will drop the reader into the middle of a evolving romance that is destined to happen. Leo, the story's protagonist, is mourning the unexpected and accidental death of his lover Matt. Matt comes from a tragic and dysfunctional past, and suffers demons that have haunted him since early childhood. Matt's estranged mother, Millie, is brought into the plot mix, and as the story evolves, the reader is treated to a series of revelations and confrontations that evolve into a well written murder mystery. Multiple plot twists add to the appeal of this work. Mr. Ferrari's writing style is abundant, i.e., he provides the reader with details that humanize the characters but are not necessary for plot line development. His hero, Leo, is at times annoying, since he over-analyzes events and literally intrudes into venues that would normally be verboten. Without such actions, the story could not proceed, however, this particular characteristic became labored and in fact annoying to this reader. Despite this minor aspect, PIERCE will provide ample entertainment for any and all readers and will leave the reader with a new sense of privacy and truth, whatever that, truth, might be.

Intense, well-written mystery with great characters.:
Leo Vasari's life was put on "hold" one year ago when his boyfriend of four years, Matt Pierce, was killed in an auto accident. Leo blames himself, since they had argued right before Matt went out on that rainy night, argued about Leo's decision to invite Matt's mother, Millie, to Leo's upcoming birthday party. Matt had been estranged from his mother since the unexplained departure of his father when Matt was a young boy, after which Millie left Matt and his older sister Theresa with their grandmother and took off for California. When his mother recently decided to move back to Florida, Matt had resisted her attempts to reconcile, while Leo had immediately been taken by the feisty senior and their mutual love of genre literature. After Millie attempts suicide, on the anniversary of Matt's death, Leo is forced to face the circumstances of not just that death, but of the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Matt's father so many years before. Was it a mob-related murder, as Millie had told the police, or was the real truth buried in the subconscious of her two children? What could it possibly have been, to cause Matt a lifetime of psychological problems and hatred of his mother? A stranger provides evidence of the man's death, but pushes Millie, Theresa and Leo to find out more. First time movelist Ferrari has woven a well-written, emotionally intensive, intelligent mystery, with vivid characters that come alive to the reader, that shows what can happen when a parent's desire to protect her children gets out of hand. A bit lengthy, at 368 pages, but it engages the reader every step of the way, as Leo struggles to find the truth that will finally allow him to move on with his life. The reader forms theories along with the characters, and is just as stunned by the revelation of what really happened. I give it five stars out of five.

Mystery?:
This book isn't badly written (though a little too much whining for my taste), but it's not really a "mystery" in the classic sense. If you're looking for some clever sleuth (like I was), this isn't the book for you.