Did you know this "Moving Day" novel is an epic struggle between a thief who loves to annihilate his victims, and a victim who refuses to give in to that fate? Forty years’ accumulation of art, antiques,
and family photographs are more than just objects for Stanley Peke—they
are proof of a life fully lived. A life he could have easily lost long
ago.
When a con man steals his houseful of possessions in a sophisticated moving-day scam, Peke wanders helplessly through his empty New England home, inevitably reminded of another helpless time: decades in Peke’s past, a cold and threadbare Stanislaw Shmuel Pecoskowitz eked out a desperate existence in the war-torn Polish countryside, subsisting on scraps and dodging Nazi soldiers. Now, the seventy-two-year-old Peke—who survived, came to America, and succeeded—must summon his original grit and determination to track down the thieves, retrieve his things, and restore the life he made for himself.
Peke and his wife, Rose, trace the path of the thieves’ truck across America, to the wilds of Montana, and to an ultimate, chilling confrontation with not only the thieves but also with Peke’s brutal, unresolved past.
Review:
This is not the thriller that you might anticipate. This is a crime thriller that twists and turns through the present and the past, transcends religions, cults and cultures, transverses continents, and melds peace time with war. Just when you think the plot has completed its spirals, it turns again on itself. Huge amounts of internal dialogue. And it is this dialogue that counts. You must be patient as you read.
Although there were moments that dragged a little, this book had a compelling story line and a satisfying ending. A good ending is important. There is quite a bit of character build up throughout the entire book.
This story is about survival. About the human response to some very serious stress and unimaginable nightmares that too many people have lived through in our own lives. Stanley Peke is a 72 yr. old Polish American who came to this country after escaping the Nazis when he was a young boy. He carved out the "American dream" by working hard. Married, 3 children, and an accumulation of wealth. Rose (his wife) and Stanley decide to down size and move to Santa Barbara. The moving company comes a day early, packs up everything and leaves Rose and Stanley with one car and some clothes. They were not the movers but a thief, Nick, who does this for a living. Stanley has never really mentioned his time in Poland or what he went through but the very idea of someone stealing all his valuables is beyond comprehension and thus our story of good (Stanley) versus evil (Nick) begins. We begin to learn more and more about Stanley as he calculates a plan to get his processions back
Jon Stone's writing has always elevated the mystery/thriller genre in which he most often writes. But this time he goes beyond his usual high standards.
With "Moving Day," Jonathan Stone demonstrates once again why he has earned acclaim and national literary prizes for his compelling, page-turning thrillers, informed, as always, with complex and enthralling moral dilemmas that propel his characters to life-altering choices. As in his previous novels, Stone creates a fully realized and conflicted protagonist, Stanley Peke, whose response to the violating theft of his worldly possessions - his life - launches Stanley's quest for justice. This choice, beautifully fulfilled, leads Stanley not only closer to the thieves, but to the recovery of everything he has tried to shed from his life - namely his own personal history and the secrets buried in his past.
If you enjoy fast-moving storylines, vivid characters and a bit of history thrown in you will love this book.
When a con man steals his houseful of possessions in a sophisticated moving-day scam, Peke wanders helplessly through his empty New England home, inevitably reminded of another helpless time: decades in Peke’s past, a cold and threadbare Stanislaw Shmuel Pecoskowitz eked out a desperate existence in the war-torn Polish countryside, subsisting on scraps and dodging Nazi soldiers. Now, the seventy-two-year-old Peke—who survived, came to America, and succeeded—must summon his original grit and determination to track down the thieves, retrieve his things, and restore the life he made for himself.
Peke and his wife, Rose, trace the path of the thieves’ truck across America, to the wilds of Montana, and to an ultimate, chilling confrontation with not only the thieves but also with Peke’s brutal, unresolved past.
Review:
This is not the thriller that you might anticipate. This is a crime thriller that twists and turns through the present and the past, transcends religions, cults and cultures, transverses continents, and melds peace time with war. Just when you think the plot has completed its spirals, it turns again on itself. Huge amounts of internal dialogue. And it is this dialogue that counts. You must be patient as you read.
Although there were moments that dragged a little, this book had a compelling story line and a satisfying ending. A good ending is important. There is quite a bit of character build up throughout the entire book.
This story is about survival. About the human response to some very serious stress and unimaginable nightmares that too many people have lived through in our own lives. Stanley Peke is a 72 yr. old Polish American who came to this country after escaping the Nazis when he was a young boy. He carved out the "American dream" by working hard. Married, 3 children, and an accumulation of wealth. Rose (his wife) and Stanley decide to down size and move to Santa Barbara. The moving company comes a day early, packs up everything and leaves Rose and Stanley with one car and some clothes. They were not the movers but a thief, Nick, who does this for a living. Stanley has never really mentioned his time in Poland or what he went through but the very idea of someone stealing all his valuables is beyond comprehension and thus our story of good (Stanley) versus evil (Nick) begins. We begin to learn more and more about Stanley as he calculates a plan to get his processions back
Jon Stone's writing has always elevated the mystery/thriller genre in which he most often writes. But this time he goes beyond his usual high standards.
With "Moving Day," Jonathan Stone demonstrates once again why he has earned acclaim and national literary prizes for his compelling, page-turning thrillers, informed, as always, with complex and enthralling moral dilemmas that propel his characters to life-altering choices. As in his previous novels, Stone creates a fully realized and conflicted protagonist, Stanley Peke, whose response to the violating theft of his worldly possessions - his life - launches Stanley's quest for justice. This choice, beautifully fulfilled, leads Stanley not only closer to the thieves, but to the recovery of everything he has tried to shed from his life - namely his own personal history and the secrets buried in his past.
If you enjoy fast-moving storylines, vivid characters and a bit of history thrown in you will love this book.
