Two thieves, Bobby and Lloyd, break into a house owned by the head of an illegal bookmaking operation expecting to come away with a large bundle of cash. What they do not expect is the proposition they receive from Karen Delaney, who lives in the home. She convinces the duo to help her get back the $300,000 of her money that ex-boyfriend and bookmaker Samir Fakir kept after their breakup.

Seeing something worthwhile in the plan laid out by the beautiful redhead, Bobby and Lloyd agree to the heist. Although Samir has surrounded himself with a group of heavy-duty thugs, Karen gathers a motley crew together and manages to pull off the robbery, although not without a fatality or two.

Suddenly, Karen disappears with not only the original stake, but a whole lot more. As she tries to stay ahead of those who are trying to locate her, she finds herself the most sought after redhead in town, as the thieves, thugs, ex-cons, Arab hit men, and cops all are in pursuit of Karen and each other through numerous Detroit neighborhoods.

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish who is the most air-headed among them. The less than stellar thugs keep finding Karen, and she has to perform mini-miracles to get away once again. The chase continues with a number of bodies falling by the wayside.

Trust Me is a worthy follow-up to Peter Leonard’s debut novel, Quiver. The unconventional cast of characters in this noir thriller is at times as funny as they are determined hardened criminals bent on gaining control of a situation gone quickly and increasingly awry.

Often during the story, as the reader gets to know the characters, he or she may find themselves tempted to change sides. Leonard created a group of people who have their own quirks and personalities, and more than one may turn out to have socially redeemable skills.

Trust Me combines a heavy-duty dash for the cash with humor and surprisingly tender moments while remaining hard-edged and gritty. The fast-paced thriller generates a quick read, but the reader never feels shorted. The last chapter brings a tender denouement that leaves one wondering what happens next in the lives of the characters in whom we have become so entangled.

Although I have never read the books of Leonard’s father Elmore, I have read the comments of those who favorably compare the two men. To me, Peter Leonard stands alone as an author who should continue to do well in the genre.