Laws of Annihilation

Martyr Maker #3

by Eriq La Salle

A war is brewing in New York City, and no one can stop it. With grit, relentless action, and twists you'll never see coming, Laws of Annihilation is the third installment in the highly-acclaimed Martyr Maker series by Eriq La Salle. It's another blistering summer in New York City, and a sweltering heat wave stifles the area. Hostility between the Hasidic and Black communities has been steadily increasing since a tragic incident left a Black teenager dead. When two rabbis are killed in a gruesome attack on their synagogue, it has all the signs of retaliation. The entire city is on edge. Through it all, Agent Janet Maclin's dreams of becoming the FBI's first female director come crashing down when she receives some devastating news. In spite of it all, she's determined to help NYPD detectives Quincy Cavanaugh and Phee Freeman find the rabbis' killer as more hate crimes put the city on the brink of all-out war. As the body count climbs with the temperature and the tensions, time is running out for Maclin in more ways than one. Apart from his critically-acclaimed thriller titles, La Salle is a masterful mystery/crime storyteller. He may be best known for his acting roles in productions such as ER, Coming to America, and Logan, but his background in crime fiction was finely honed as he directed and executive produced countless episodes of popular shows such as Law & Order, Law and Order SVU, Law & Organized Crime, NY, and Chicago PD with Dick Wolf.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Audiobook

412 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2023

About the author

Actor, director, producer, and masterful storyteller Eriq La Salle is best known to worldwide television audiences for his award-winning portrayal of Dr. Peter Benton on the medical drama ER. Educated at Juilliard and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, his credits range from Broadway to film roles, starring alongside Eddie Murphy in Coming to America, Robin Williams in One Hour Photo, and Hugh Jackman in Logan. La Salle has maintained a prolific acting career while also taking the helm as director for HBO, Showtime, Netflix, Amazon Prime, ABC NBC, Fox and CBS productions. His craft as a crime writer was honed over his many seasons as a key member of the Dick Wolf Entertainment team, which include four years as executive producer and director on Chicago PD, in addition to directing episodes of Law & Order, Law and Order SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime. He is also executive producer, director, and one of the lead actors of Dick Wolf's “On Call,” out in 2024 on Amazon Prime Video. As a writer, La Salle is the author of several critically-acclaimed thrillers published by Sourcebooks—Laws of Depravity (2022), Laws of Wrath (2023), and Laws of Annihilation (2023). His episode of The Twilight Zone recently made WGA’s list of 101 Best Written TV Series. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful and evocative crime thriller and police procedural! Laws of Annihilation by Eriq La Salle highlights cultural differences, racial conflicts, and personal challenges in this third book in the Martyr Maker series. New York City is sweltering in high temperatures and someone has decided it’s time for a racial war. FBI Agent Janel Maclin is in New York City to see a specialist. Afterwards, she visits with New York police detectives Quincy Cavanaugh and Phee Freeman. Suddenly, all three get calls to come to a crime scene. Soon, the body count and violence escalate.

Maclin is a meticulous observer, contemplative, proficient, dedicated to justice, and has always wanted to be the FBI’s first female director. However, she isn’t always patient and she has a darker side that many don’t see. Phee can be blunt and has a talent for pushing people’s buttons. Quincy is the voice of reason and assurance, but his character was not quite as well developed as the other two main characters. There are many other characters in the story, but I didn’t have any trouble keeping up with who was who.

The novel starts with heartbreaking news and quickly escalates into a devastating and somewhat graphic crime scene. I was immediately drawn into the story which seemed all too possible. Descriptive, without slowing the pace, this novel focuses on cultural differences, faith, racial conflicts, hatred, preconceived ideas of others, grief, secrets, friendship, ethics, connections, being a part of a collective versus being alone, and family.

I can’t begin to do this novel justice in a review. It’s gritty and graphic in its violence and descriptions, as well as heartbreaking and tough to read at times. However, it also highlights real world tensions that the world faces today. It has a deeply involved plot, extraordinary characters, unpredictable and suspenseful moments, and a realism that is memorable as I was transported into the horrifying world of the victims and the investigators. The Epilogue sets up what should be another fantastic book.

Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, and thought-provoking. If you enjoy well-written crime thrillers and police procedurals with a strong lead character, then this may be the series for you. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as reading the earlier two books.

Poisoned Pen Press and Eriq La Salle provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 24, 2023.
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My 4.52 rounded to 5 star review is coming soon.

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw. Gritty. Explicit in violence and visuals. Tough to read in spots.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ve read a lot of crime novels and police procedurals, even black ops suspense, which is one of my favorites, but this one certainly got my attention.

Written by an actor and producer with two other novels under his belt, this book is part of a series featuring a female FBI agent coworking with local police detectives on major crimes.

The plot of the story is definitely unique. It’s highly descriptive with vivid imagery that just makes you gasp sometimes. I was not expecting the raw, gruesome depiction of the crimes. But with that said, considering who the author is, he works in graphic detail.

This book grabbed me because of the way it was written. There are intense situations and horrific acts. Then we get the working relationships between the main characters. That is balanced with their family and other personal relationships, which is greatly needed to offset the plot.

One of the things I love is a strong, female lead and La Salle definitely gives us that with the main character, Maclin. She is tough outside, but tender inside with secrets and longing that make you feel for her in every way.

Laws of Annihilation is raw. Gritty. Explicit in violence and visuals. Tough to read in spots. Sad and depressing as you recognize many truths in the story. Thankfully, La Salle takes time to balance it all with light and hope at the end.

This is my first book by this author, but not the last!

* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/laws-of-anni...

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the others and I'm not sure why. Its still written in a detailed and gripping way but something just stopped me from enjoying it as much as the first 2 books.

I'm not going to go to deep into the plot because this is book 3 but I will say that the setting was so rich that I could feel the heatwave described in the book despite the temp being well below zero on some days when I was reading it. I could smell the garbage rotting. I just didn't feel particularly close to the characters in this book. Something was off.

If the author continues the series I will definitely be picking it up....and anything else Mr. La Salle plans on writing. I'd still recommend this book because it's still a good read and it covers an important subject matter.

[adoseof.adri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the book 4 immediately. I’m so invested in these characters!! Maclin, Quincy, Phee, & their loved ones are just everything. This story was intense, gritty, and tough!

Also - I really appreciate the level of effort La Salle puts into getting each religion, denomination and belief right.

[Santania · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was such an amazing series!! This needs to be a series ASAP!!

[Rainelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laws of Annihilation. My fellow friends. As I was reading this wonderful book and listening to todays current news, I couldn’t help but notice how what I was reading, and what I was hearing on the news was mirroring one another. This book is a close to home kind of story. The book continues the working relationship that test Maclin, Phee and Quincy beliefs and will to continue to fight for justice.
This is a heart pounding, fast moving, high intensity book and there’s no better character to handle it other than Janet Maclin. With respect to the communities and their cultural beliefs, I thought that the stories sub plot was told very well. I believe that this story gives you a look inside or a glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors. The books plot is crazy, insane good. The writing in parts of the story had me feeling like I was on a roller coaster not wanting to get off.
And guess what? I hate roller coasters. The different twist and turns of who the killer could be, had me up reading into the dead of night trying to connect the dots to who I believe, said person could be. My favorite character in the book is Shaka. When you read the book you will understand why I chose him.
I believe he was Maclin’s brother from another mother. His character brought the calm to all the stress and pressure that Maclin and her team were under. The emotions from the characters was everything and then some. As you read the story you can feel the powerful, raw emotions released from the characters in the most plausible and humanly way. It’s through the outlet of their tears, their frustration, and their anger.
Not only those, but it’s through their beliefs, their courage, and a little thing called hope mixed in with the strong will to never give up. Maclin, Phee, and Quincy who go to work for on a daily basis to protect the people and their communities are the same ones who take on the accountability of annihilating the evil that walks their streets. This book definitely has a fast pace story that’s exciting and a most captivating read. The main characters Maclin, Quincy and Phee are phenomenal in the book. Their sure strength of will and perseverance to keep moving is one of the many best parts of the book.
It’s how these characters were written that brought forward the realism of the cause and effect of a person’s decisions, may it be wrong or right. For me everything seemed so real in this story. I was very pleased that the writer did their research to back up the details and facts to the information provided in the story. You guys I have to say this. Maclins story hit me the hardest the most.
It’s interesting to see how Losher will fit in with this little group and I’m definitely excited to see where things will go in the future with the team. This is the most compelling story that I have read as of to date. The writing is fantastic and a diamond of first water brilliant. I give this story two snaps and a, know your history. Until next time my fellow readers.
Read on! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. #LawsofAnnihilation #EriqLaSalle #Netgally #Goodreads #Bookbub #TheLawSeries

[Sherri Burrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! Yes! Yes! Such a great series!! Such a great plot in this 3rd installment and the stakes couldn't have been higher. Eriq's writing gets better and better with each book. THe cliffhanger was so good! I recommend the audiobook and it felt like a fast paced thriller movie!

[Gabby Ater · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending!!! Ugh I can't wait for the next one

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite some of the gory details I LOVE reading Eriq LaSalle's books. He's such an amazing writer. So detailed and good character development. I can't wait for the next one. Yay Janet has love.

[Kim Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series was so good. I enjoyed the storyline and the author’s attention to detail.

[Nicolette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much going on in this one compared to the last one but I still liked it.

I would love to read another book in this series, but it isn’t currently planned.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Benton, I mean Mr. La Salle has steadily improved through the Martyr Maker series. The trio of Phee, Quincy and Maclin is likable and get-behind-able; the author's plotting and scene setup is gripping; and the social and philosophical themes are thought-provoking. This one could have been a little bit shorter, with fewer heavy handled metaphors, but overall I quite liked "Laws of Annihilation" and would like to revise my initial assessment of this series from "meh" to "next!"

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible roller coaster ride of a thrilling police procedural. While the book can certainly be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone, it stands more perfectly as the third in an incredibly tense action-packed series. This third novel in the Martyr Maker series beautifully explores the character of Agent Macline as most of the book is told from her point of view.

The novel is as tense and suspense-filled as it is emotional and heart-wrenching. It also should come with a trigger warning of some of the absolutely disturbing racist and white supremacist actions and dialogue of the bad guys - because the author does a masterful job of capturing the deep-rooted hatred and outright evil. (Though there are a few scenes where the author offers a most powerful and important glimmer of hope where two of the characters who have lived a life fueled by hatred catch a flicker of seeing one another as human).

I am eagerly anticipating the next book by this author. It can't come soon enough for this reader's liking.

The book is masterfully read by La Salle, with the dialogue of Agent Maclin read by Leslie Cohen. This duet performance reminded me of the similar fantastic presentations of the more recent Harry Bosch and Rene Ballard novels of Michael Connelly.

Speaking of Connelly, La Salle has earned the honor of being on my "instant buy-on-sight" list of thriller authors along with Michael Connelly, Linwood Barclay, and Samantha M. Bailey.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

More like a 4.5 but a definite improvement over the first two books in the series. This time, the team investigates a series of hate crimes that seem to be connected and are starting to escalate. Janet Maclin, the FBI agent, gets to be the lead and I think that helps with the flow and the storytelling. Ends on a cliffhanger for the next book.

[Ahuva Traube · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good book. Tiny quibble? I wish Mr. La Salle would actually ask a member of the Jewish community he is portraying to review his depictions for accuracy.

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eriq La Salle is a talented and busy man. After a long and active career as an actor and director, he has now turned his experience of crime drama to write the Martyr Maker series of novels; the third of which, Laws of Annihilation, has just been published. The previous books in the series are Laws of Depravity (published 2012) and Laws of Wrath (published 2014) – both re-released in the last couple of years. I don’t know why there has been a delay but for one so active, it is understandable. There was also a prequel novella, Laws of Innocence.

I have yet to read the earlier books but any lack of background knowledge did not spoil my enjoyment of Laws of Annihilation.

La Salle has an easy to read writing style and makes this multi-stranded plot understandable to the reader. His action scenes are lively and exciting. I personally found some of the violence gruesome and of an unnecessarily sadistic nature. The book is told in the third person with a great deal of it told through the eyes and mind of the lead character, Janet Maclin. This helps to understand the other characters better but it also led to some long passages of introspection which I found tedious at times.

The investigating team of Janet from the FBI and the NYPD partnership of Quincy and Phee, work well together blending their varied characters and backgrounds. Their investigations are mainly procedural with some inspired hunches. As with all good fictional detectives, they manage to get involved in every part of the investigation.

The epilogue points to a further story to be published sometime in the future so if your appetite has been whetted, I hope that there will not be a further nine year gap between books.

As explained above, my enjoyment of Laws of Annihilation was tempered by the high level of violence and the long sections of inward contemplation by the lead character. This is measured in my moderate star rating of three and a half.

[Jim Traxler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many crime thrillers start slow and gain speed as you read on. This one hits you with tension on the first page and you never want to put it down. We learn right away (perhaps already known if you had read the previous books in this series) that FBI agent Janet Maclin is dying of cancer even as she is in line to become the first female director of the bureau. She comes to New York to tell her NYPD detective friends (Quincy and Phee) this sad news. As a threesome, they had solved several high-profile murder cases; she didn't want them to hear of the news secondhand. But as she arrives in town, the detectives are immersed in solving the brutal murders of two Jews in a synagogue and the mayor asks Janet to get involved and, in fact, lead the investigation. Imagine the emotions and stress of working day and night even as she is in severe pain much of the time. Because they are working together again, she decides not to tell her detective friends, lest their focus on the case would suffer. Her own suffering is palpable and her strength to keep going is amazing.

The story has many cultural aspects to it: antipathy and violence between the Jewish, Black, and Muslim communities; white supremacist hatred of all three communities, with dramatic and brutal results, as well as public distrust of the police and city government. New York City is falling apart and the pressure builds to find the perpetrators of so many violent acts. Without giving any spoilers, the interplay between many of the characters is gripping and there are many twists and surprises. It is truly one of the few books I have read where I could not put it down, often reading far into the night. I look forward to backing up and reading the first two novels in the series by Mr. La Salle, an excellent craftsman with words and stories.

[Eclectic Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow! When I say I devoured this one, I mean I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours!!! 

This is by far the best suspense thriller I've read in a long time. The tension and relentless action kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. Special Agent Janet Maclin is a captivating protagonist who is not only fighting to solve the case but also struggling with personal demons. Her determination and resilience shine through as she joins forces once again with her New York partners, Quincy and Phee, to prevent a plot that could potentially bring down the entire city. It's a high-stakes race against time as they navigate through a web of deception and danger.

The characters are well-developed and complicated with an interesting storyline that keeps the reader on their toes. It's powerful how the stoic and by-the-book Maclin begins to examine and change the trajectory of her life. I can't wait to go back and read the first two books of this series.

Eriq La Salle's masterful storytelling and skillful character development make Laws of Annihilation an absolute must-read for any thriller enthusiast. Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled ride that will leave you breathless until the very last page. 

[Jacquelyn Dohoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that I loathe politics in a book with every fiber of my being. With that being said, I thought La Salle did a fantastic job of presenting the politics and current events in this book while maintaining an almost entirely neutral position. That doesn’t happen often these days, and it’s a testament to his skill as a writer, as well as his humanity. I am a big fan of this series and the politics in it did not detract from the story itself. Character-wise, I’ve always loved Phee, Quincy, and Maclin. But Mayor Rocky is officially added to that list. Her no BS attitude and “Bigger Than Hate” ideology was a perfect middle ground for this story. And speaking of characterizations, excellent job! Of course there were characters I didn’t like. But the characterization was so well-done, every single character had their place in the story and fit it well. Another hit from La Salle and I am hoping this series continues!

Huge thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

[Livey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series just keeps getting better

Eric La Salle is a fantastic actor but he is a superb writer. The characters in this book FBI agent Janet Maclin who the guys worked with on prior cases wants to be the first female FBl's director, when she is diagnosed with stage IV cancer and given two-four months to live. She comes to NY to get a second opinion but gets asked to consult with NYPD detectives Quincy Cavanaugh and Phee Freeman. Now members of certain racial types (Jewish and Black) are brutally murdered and the mayor has asked the 3 to solve the murder. Despite the anxiety of her diagnosis Maclin agrees to stay in town to assist and they are led on a massive race to save the City from imploding from the racial violence. This book was scary, exciting and gritty. It is something that is timely because the US has been dealing with racial unrest for decades. The ebbs and flows of the violence perpetrated against the victims was frightening. I hope there is more in the author like these!

[Cassandra Haywood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone is killing Jewish Rabbis and African American men which is stirring up a racial hatred and riots in the streets of New York. Now Detectives Phee Freeman, Quincy Cavanaugh and FBI agent Janet Maclin team together again to solve these killings before more bloodshed hits the city.
All while trying to work this case Agent Maclin finds out she has cancer and may not have much more time to live.
The author did a great job in writing this storyline as he did in the first two books of the Martyr Maker . My attention was drawn in from the very beginning to the end. Each character and their storyline was well developed especially with some of the personal things that are going on in their lives besides trying to figure out who is behind the murders.
I highly recommend this book to read and the first two books also. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I received an arc from NetGalley and this review is of my own honest opinion and thoughts.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laws of Annihilation follows FBI agent Janet Maclin through a stage IV cancer diagnosis and her attempts to tackle a city ravaged by hate crimes. This is a fast paced, a ction packed novel, but it is not for the faint of heart. It is equal parts dark, gritty, graphic, violent, and heart wrenching. It does a fantastic job painting realistic tension. Overall, the book definitely feels like something that, unfortunately, COULD happen. The characters of Maclin, Phee, and Quincy make for a convincing crime force trio. There are no perfect characters, I loved that everyone had realistic character flaws just like real people. This book is great for those that love gritty crime thrillers and can stomach graphic depictions of violence, otherwise it can be a bit much at points. Still, for those that can stomach the content, i highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

[Kimberly Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me say out the gate, Eriq LaSalle is a great writer. Loved him as an actor, but he appears to be an even better author. I really enjoyed the first two books and read both within several days. Could not put them down and I had time to indulge! I don't really have a favorite genre of books, so my interests are all over the place, but these storylines are disturbing lol. I find myself enjoying the book and getting tired of the human cruelty and despair in the book at the same time. As a result, I'd probably hit pause before considering a book #4 if one is in the making. I will admit I can be a wimp on the gore spectrum, so consider that in my review of this book as well. I took a star away because some of the story felt dragged out and a bit on the spectrum of overkill. I guess all books have their moments where you just roll your eyes and want to say enough already, let's move on. All said - a solid read and I would definitely recommend for the less wimpy reader!

[Emily Malek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

There’s one topic that I haven’t discussed before on this website: celebrities writing fiction. They mainly do it to show people that they are talented in other outlets. It’s a make-it or break-it scenario since there are some that are really good at it like Tom Hanks, and there are others that are not so much like Tyra Banks. I read a book recently that thankfully falls into the former category. "Laws of Annihilation" by Eriq La Salle, who is best known for his role as Dr. Peter Benton on ER, is a great crime fiction story with engaging characters and story.

To read more of this review, click on this link: https://chick-who-reads-everything.co...

[Just · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always the author's brilliance shows in his work. However, the alternating voice actor entirely threw off my attention. The jarring difference in tone, pitch, and quality of voice acting altered my desire to finish the book and I gave up around hour eight (I'll have to buy the book). The baritone voice for all characters was entrancing, but introducing this uninviting new voice at the end of a book series made me question why Macklan's character was so important that she needed her own voice actor. Despite my critique, Eriq you are a masterful storyteller and I would hope that you author more book series, nonfiction books, or even a masterclass. Your mind is priceless, thank you for sharing it!

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

⁹Martyr Makers Series #3

This one like the other two, is very graphic with the descriptions of the torture and death of the characters. This one deals with race relations and is a little frightening considering the political climate and times we are living in.

This one was slower that the first 2 as there was a lot of focused on agent Maclin and I wanted to get to the action. I expected it to pickup where the last one left off, but there was a blurb about Liam and that was it. Once the action got going, I flew through the pages, but it is slower than the first 2. The epilog leads us to believe there will be a 4th one and I'll definitely be reading it.

[Judy Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eriq La Salle's suspenseful, gory-detailed page-turner, The Laws of Annihilation, had me twisting and shifting in just about every jaw-dropping scene, from the beginning of the book to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the many details in the book of police and FBI procedures, as well as Jewish culture and the horrifying methodologies of white supremacy, racism, and class. The research was outstanding. The story is an intelligent look at American politics, religion, hate-speech, and a justice system where sometimes freedom of speech and having lots of money can bond to create a community of monsters. If you enjoy suspense novels, you won't be disappointed with this one.

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Laws of Annihilation” took me on a thrilling and captivating journey full of twists and turns This was the type of book which once you start it’s difficult to stop so before you begin reading clear your schedule.

La Salle's skillful storytelling left me on the edge of my seat, eager to unravel the truth alongside the characters. With each twist and turn, the stakes escalated, and the tension mounted, leaving me gasping for breath and frantically turning the pages. The author's ability to maintain suspense throughout the novel is nothing short of remarkable.

A perfectly executed and entirely satisfying read.

[Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was kind of reluctant about this book at first because I usually have issues with politics in fiction, but the whole premise looked so good that I decided to give this one a chance.
And I’m glad I did!
There is way more to the story. This is not just a crime/detective thriller with a hefty touch of political background, there are also emotions and depth of human connection and human characters, as the story unfolds.
The story is sometimes graphic, but it only adds to the storytelling, and it is really well written.

[Denise Billings · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third installment of the Martyr Maker series. This intense crime/police procedural stands alone. Bruh has a dark imagination! It's bloody, it's good. LaSalle can really describe deep bodily pain, how it feels to be tortured. I mean he can take you there. Had me, OMG'ing and Dayum'ing from page one.

Kept me up deep into the night, because I had to find out what was going to happen next. Eriq writes his woman protagonist's character well, flaws and all.

Of course, there is a cliff hanger.

Now, I've got to go back and read Laws of Depravity and Laws of Wrath!