Title: Rendez-Vu
Author: Pete Liebengood
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 9781514489642
Pages: 308
Genre: Fiction/ Thrillers / Crime
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent
Buy on AmazonPacific Book Review
Rendez-Vu is a thrilling adventure from Pete Liebengood. This crime drama is an exciting book readers won’t be able to put down.
Rendez-Vu tells the story of Kimberly Vu, a Vietnamese-American TV reporter in Sacramento who will stop at nothing to get breaking news. Kimberly starts having an affair with Sacramento’s police chief to get an inside scoop on crime and news stories in the city. The relationship leads Kimberly to get promoted at work, but soon her rising star is dimmed when Chief Fanning is charged with his wife’s murder. Kimberly investigates the murder and uncovers details about Fanning’s life that soon get her involved in more danger than she could ever imagine.
A very compelling story unfolds which shows the seamy underbelly of TV news. Author Pete Liebengood was a TV sportscaster and uses his real-life experiences to pull back the curtain on the ratings-driven world of local news. His commentary about the quest for scoops and even using high-tech drones for gathering video for news stories demonstrate how TV news is drastically changing. His writing also highlights the complexity of how journalism can be manipulated and can be tainted for selfish reasons. Liebengood’s writing is fast-paced and hooks the reader within the novel’s twists and turns.
Kimberly is a fascinating character who’s torn between being a dutiful daughter of Vietnamese immigrants and an ambitious reporter who has to break the rules to get ahead in a male-dominated industry. Kimberly’s conflicted feelings about Fanning and her journalistic instincts also make her a complex character. Liebengood writes a female protagonist who is as strong as she is vulnerable underneath a tough exterior. Kimberly makes questionable choices, but her reasons for making the choices will be fascinating to readers.
Rendez-Vu would be a great choice for readers who want to read thrillers from authors like James Patterson. The novel would also be an excellent choice for readers who want to read about investigative journalism, like the classic All the President’s Men. Rendez-Vu also would be an excellent book for readers who want to learn about the inner workings of TV news.
Liebengood’s writing is perfect for readers who want an exciting crime drama that is a nonstop adventure. Rendez-Vu is a thrilling and thoughtful novel that readers will love. Pete Liebengood has created a world where reporters and cops can be on the wrong side of the law, and nothing is quite what it seems. Readers will want to make an appointment for this Rendez-Vu.
