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"Mr. Nova, a well-regarded mainstream novelist, has also worked as a screenwriter. His movietown details have the clink of truth, and his lyrical prose has a hardboiled zip. From its ominous first sentence to its (much more encouraging) final line, “Double Solitaire” is a memorable page-turner.”

- The Wall Street Journal​

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“More than refurbished L.A. Noir, the scenes where Farrell visites with the patients (at UCLA Children’s Hospital), canny judges of character and tuning forks for emotional truth, and Nova’s smooth prose brings the roiling undercurrents to the surface…”

- The New York Times

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"A highly talented stylist, Nova complements Farrell’s moral and existential angst with some trenchant observations on L.A.: “hope so perfectly mixed with the possibilities of disaster” in the form of fires, earthquakes, landslides, or loss of fame. Noir fans will hope to see a lot more of Farrell."

- Starred review from Publisher's Weekly

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"Protagonist Quinn Farrell…is deeply intuitive, surprisingly philosophical and well-read, and a bit of a romantic. He falls for his neighbor who has just moved in, and her work with teenagers who have terminal cancer gives them both some perspective on life’s big issues…The insidious glitter and evil of Los Angeles and the promises and betrayals of Hollywood, inevitably loom large, and a dark, bittersweet humor marks the tone… but lively writing and colorful characters keep the reader engaged….Readers. introduced to Nova's new hero….will be eager for his return."

- Kirkus Reviews

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"Reading a new Craig Nova novel is thrilling.  He’s one of our very best writers, creating characters who walk a knife blade sharpened with bleak humor as they simultaneously act out their dangerously excessive plans. The figurative language in Double Solitaire sometimes immerses us more deeply, sometimes lifts us out of a creepy, convincing nightmare; it’s up to us where we land.  When Craig’s not looking at America head-on, it’s in his peripheral vision.  He’s amazing."

- Ann Beattie, Author of A Wonderful Stroke of Luck

 

"Craig Nova has really done it this time. He hooked me in the first paragraph and reeled me in on page 9. What's going to happen to that girl from Alaska? Menace and heartbreak walk hand in hand through these swift pages.  Writing with great brio, style, and economy, Craig Nova dives deep into the scariest depths of the human psyche. He is a real master of dialogue, suspense, and atmosphere. I'll take a ride with Quinn Farrell anytime."

- Lee Smith, Author of Blue Marlin

 

“When it comes to creating a believable, suspenseful situation, enlived by quirky but realistic characters, few writers I know can hold a candle to Craig Nova.  Long admired, by readers and writers alike, for his superb prose, Nova often doesn’t get enough credit for his deft plotting, haunting atmospherics, and unforgettable people.  In Double Solitaire, he returns to Los Angeles, his native territory, and offers a story drawn from that city’s secret alcoves, a tale that perfectly blends dark intrigue and the starlight of love, the ugliness of violence and the beauty of the humane gesture.  I stayed up late to finish this novel, and when I finally set it aside, it echoed in my memory for days, all its complexities and subtleties sparkling like the facets of a gem.  One measure of a fine novel is an apparent simplicity beneath which all the heartbreak and decency of human interaction roils and twirls.  Nova entertains, provokes, enlightens, and educates.  His Double Solitaire is the work of a master at the top of his game.”

- Roland Merullo, Author of Breakfast with Buddha, From These Broken Streets, and twenty other novels

 

"Nova is a proven master of character and plot, and Double Solitaire—set in L.A. and equal in suspense and intrigue to Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain—doesn’t disappoint."

- Jonathan Harr, Author of A Civil Action

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“I wouldn’t delay reading a novel of Nova’s, not even to complete one of my own.”

- John Irving, author of Cider House Rules

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