Abby Faria returns from an extended vacation/work holiday in BC to discover that her friend, Maria is having marital problems, problems that are affecting her children as well. As Abby resumes her job as a bike courier, it becomes clear that Maria’s troubles are bigger than she first presented and they are soon compounded with the disappearance of her son. She turns to Abby for help. As usual, as Abby tries to piece together the clues, and to help keep Maria’s fish shop running, she makes new friends who help out. Alex, the woman who took over the Community Centre Bike work program for youth in Abby’s absence, becomes a close friend as they work together. Handsome Dave, a fellow bicycle and coffee enthusiast, and an RCMP officer on loan to the Toronto police Force, becomes an unlikely ally as well, in the hunt for Thomas, Maria’s son. As she continues to work on the case, Abby finds time to go for two or three thrilling rides through the city, develop a relationship with Dave, enjoy some excellent meals in Little Italy and Kensington Market, and learn some little known facts about pedophiles. But, the longer time passes, the more desperate the situation becomes. Ultimately Abby ends up trapped in Alex’s house in Little Italy, in danger and frustrated at being unable to help Maria. This leads to an unexpected twist, a hidden room, the rescue of young Thomas, and the tragic death of a new friend, all of which bring relief, and grief, to Abby’s community.
“Road Warrior is a fast-paced ride through Toronto’s gritty streets, gear-shifting between Kensington Market’s eclectic shops and a tense child abduction scene at a Mississauga home. With complex protagonists and vivid representations of urban communities in continual flux, Vivian Meyer is the quintessential Toronto chronicler. In this eagerly awaited follow-up to Bottom Bracket and Ragged Chain, Meyer delivers a nail-biting drama about the dangers lurking close to home.”
—Amy Lavender Harris, author of Imagining Toronto
“In Road Warrior, writer Vivian Meyer gifts us with the return of Abby Faria, her incredible protagonist who doubles up as a bike courier and an amateur sleuth. With a rich downtown Toronto landscape as its backdrop, the plot of Road Warrior takes hold when Abby returns to Toronto and is enlisted to help search for her friend’s missing son. What emerges is a page turner that delves into the themes of love, friendship, community and family. I was sorry to reach this novel’s final pages and can only hope that Abby will return to readers soon.”
—Amy Stuart, author of Still Water
“This is the third book in the Abby Faria mystery series, set in the vibrant Kensington Market and Little Italy neighbourhoods of Toronto. Abby, amateur detective, bike courier, and coffee aficionado comes to the rescue when Thomas, the young son of a good friend, goes missing. But, just like riding a bike in Toronto traffic, there’s twists and turns around every corner. Enjoy the ride while Abby’s search leads her to thin crust pizza at the Dip, Pho on Spadina, and a description of Vietnamese coffee to die for. As the suspense builds, Abby is forced to question what she knows about paedophiles, and the closer she gets to Thomas, the more danger she’s in. This is a great read, with an ending that has more than one surprise.”
—Jan Rehner, author of Missing Matisse and Almost True
Renée Knapp –
Road Warrior by Vivian Meyer
reviewed by Jan Rehner, author of Missing Matisse
for The Minerva Reader – December 15, 2019
https://www.theminervareader.com/library-2019
I really enjoy mystery novels that take place in Toronto, and most of the action here occurs in the particularly vibrant communities of Kensington Market and Little Italy. It’s great fun to “eat” your way through Road Warrior: lots of gourmet coffee at a local shop run by Mario (a beguiling character), pizzas at the Café Diplomatica and the Gatto Nero, Pho on Spadina, and a heavenly description of Vietnamese coffee that should be posted on Toronto tourism sites. There’s lots of bike lore too that will satisfy any aficionado, including the joys of the Humber Trail, and the perils of Toronto traffic. This is the third novel in the engaging Abby Faria series, and it won’t disappoint. While Abby, bike courier and amateur detective, hunts for the runaway son of her friend Maria, she must confront what she knows and doesn’t know about paedophilia. Throughout the novel, the italicized sections build suspense, and there’s a terrific twist at the end. Spoiler alert: Don’t read the full description of this book posted on Goodreads—it gives away too much of the ending.
Renée Knapp –
Road Warrior by Vivian Meyer
The Minerva Reader – February 1, 2020
https://www.theminervareader.com/
I really enjoyed hanging out with Abby Faria, feisty heroine, good friend and dedicated amateur sleuth. With fully rounded-out characters, strong social connections and true-to-life family and life dilemmas, the novel takes you through the streets of Toronto and around Kensington Market. Meyer has a real knack for making one feel part of the action, the reader tastes every morsel and breathes every breath with Abby as she pounds to the finish line.