Because who doesn’t love a crime novel where people go running off to Rome?
Well, it seems Death Never Sleeps, and neither did I once I started reading this book. My timing was, as always, impeccable: exhausted, fresh from a multi-week journey and more planes than I can count on one hand, and with jet lag dogging my yawns, I assumed this was the perfect time to get started on a few pages of the E.J. Simon novel. Can you tell I don’t usually read crime fiction? Four hours later, three AM rolled around, and if the artificial intelligence of my dead brother had broken into my bedroom screaming and waving an alarm clock around, I wouldn’t even have noticed.
Death Never Sleeps is a fun, easy read – but not only, because Simon offers a portrayal of several worlds. Focusing on Michael Nicholas, surviving brother of the murdered Alex Nicholas, the book takes you from Connecticut to New York, from France to Italy, all of this intertwined with the story of Michael absorbing his brother’s life and trying to solve the question of his murder while trying to keep his own family safe, aided by… His brother. Wait, wasn’t his brother murdered, you say? Yep. I won’t ruin the story for you here, but from the beginning of the book it’s clear that Alex Nicholas dabbled in artificial intelligence in a desperate attempt to evade death.
Simon writes his characters thoroughly from the get-go, leaving no question as to whose side you should be on – at least once you’ve figured out who the bad guys are. A great little mix of old-world murder mystery charm and up-to-the-minute technological crime tactics, if Death Never Sleeps were a movie, it would be portrayed in black and white, with all the male leading characters talking out of the side of their mouth and wearing great hats, and all the women impeccably dressed and manipulating their men with perfectly applied lipstick and devious agendas. A twenties gangster movie until Simon throws you a curve ball with twentieth century artificial intelligence and descriptions of food so thorough you’re probably going to want to be snacking while you read and fighting off the sudden urge to wriggle into some stockings and book a table at a snazzy New York City restaurant.
Don’t worry, I haven’t made you curious for nothing! The lovely folks over at Italy Book Tours are holding a giveaway, and one winner will receive a free copy of Death Never Sleeps and its sequel, Death Logs In! The giveaway is open internationally, and you can be a part of it here: http://www.italybooktours.com/blog—current-tours/book-tour-death-logs-in-by-ej-simon-dec-1-to-12
If you just can’t wait, you can pick up the books at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Chapters Indigo. European readers can also follow these links to pick up Death Never Sleeps at Amazon.it / Amazon.fr, and Death Logs In at Amazon.it / Amazon.fr.
There is currently a virtual tour going on for Death Logs In (a concept I was not familiar with before, but you learn something cool every day!), and if you want to take a peek at the tour schedule, head on over this way.
Happy reading!
E.J. Simon Bio
E.J. Simon was the CEO of GMAC Global Relocation Services (a division of GM) and the Managing Director of Douglas Elliman, the largest real estate company in NY. He is a consultant to many leading private equity firms and has held senior level positions at prominent financial services companies. He is a world traveler, food enthusiast and lives in Connecticut. Death Never Sleeps is his first novel. His second novel, Death Logs In, is also available now.
Connect with him: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
