Paradise Salvage

By: John Fusco

Narrated by: Brian Emerson

In his tantalizing debut novel, Paradise Salvage, at once a taut thriller and a lyrical coming-of-age story, John Fusco marvelously traces the unforgettable trajectory of 12-year-old Nunzio Paradiso's last summer of innocence.

Each new wreck towed into Paradise Salvage is a desultory gift from Fortune, a random opportunity for discovery. Sometimes it's a handful of loose change under the upholstery or an old copy of Vue magazine with a Betty Page centerfold under the front seat. But on a hot summer day in 1979, in the trunk of an abandoned Pontiac Bonneville, Nunzio uncovers a secret that will change his life.

In the blink of an eye, all evidence is lost to the crusher, and only his older brother Danny Boy believes Nunzio's story. Enlisting the help of his father's renegade cousin, an ex-cop with a dark history of his own, they embark on a bizarre and dangerous journey that proves to be as much one of personal discovery as an unraveling of the mystery behind the corpse at Paradise Salvage.

A story of innocence lost and justice found, of ambition frustrated and dreams realized, and the difference between generations of a family struggling to reconcile the traditions of the past with the demands of the present, Paradise Salvage glows with heart and marks the debut of a gifted storyteller.

©2002 John Fusco

Critic reviews

"The story...brims with suspense, adventure, and Italian-American culture." (AudioFile)

Well Read!

Very engaging story. The characters just come to life as the book is read and you feel as though you are there with them! I wish there was a follow up book so I could continue to experience the family's life and adventures.

terrific

Well done by both the author and narrator. The predominantly Italian community in which the story takes place and the often idiosyncratic characters are so well developed that you can really picture the setting as a real place, in a real time. Highly recommend.

Paradise Salvage

I loved this book. It was a great 'coming-of-age' story which put me in mind of Stephen King's Stand By Me. The story had plenty of twists and turns and a believable cast of characters. I'll look forward to more great books from this author.

enjoyable story

This was a clever story that was well read and enjoyable. There were some zanny characters that make you smile and enough suspense to hold your interest. I think it would be especially appealing to anyone with some Italian in their blood.

Great Book

This is a great book.

I don't want to say too much because it's an enjoyable story and I didn't have a clue when I took a chance on it and I think that's the best way with this book.

I really liked this book. I don't know if just resonated with my personal history, (I grew up on the upper east coast near a salvage yard) or if it was the time period,(set in the past approx 20 years)or what but the story really clicked. The author got it exactly right.

This is my first 5 star rating.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.