Counterfeit Road

DI Ben Raveneau #2

by Kirk Russell

Twenty-two years to the day, a videotape of an unsolved 1989 murder arrives at the San Francisco Homicide Detail. So starts Counterfeit Road, second of the series and San Francisco homicide inspector Ben Raveneau’s toughest cold case. The victim, Alan Krueger, a former Secret Service agent, carried in his coat sixty-one hundred dollar bills. In 1989 the Secret Service inspected the bills and called them legitimate. They take another look now and say, counterfeit. But there’s more. There’s a link to the present they don’t want to talk much about. Raveneau studies the videotape. He pores over the old case files. He hunts for the couple who reported Krueger’s body and enlists the help of a retired homicide inspector. When a young man steps forward with yellowed photos the investigation moves to Hawaii. What made little sense, makes more as Raveneau turns misaligned pieces and realizes something darker is rapidly evolving. But who can he convince? If no one listens, can he, his partner, and one FBI agent stop the attack from happening?    

Genres: Mystery

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

I aimed at writing long ago but that turned out to more romance than reality. Looking back, I was lucky to learn something about the world first. Never gave up on writing though. It just took longer. I've written five novels with an undercover California Fish and Game warden, John Marquez, three with a San Francisco homicide inspector, and now Signature Wounds and FBI special agent bomb tech, Paul Grale. Grale is living in the world we're in and dealing with the challenges of our times. I'm very hooked into him and working on a new story.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love San Francisco fiction. I also love police procedurals. This filled both likes.

It was a bit choppy at times as there is a cold case front and center, and also a recent killing that Ben helps investigate. Yes, they do both come together at one point and I enjoyed finding out about counterfeit investigations and all of the other details that put this mystery together.

I have selected Kirk Russell as our author for April, so now I have read and enjoyed the first two in this series.

I borrowed a copy from the public library.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While his plots are pretty good, Mr. Russell’s books remain a bit flat for me. I’m not sure why but, in the first two in this series, there was also a certain lack of continuity in his storylines as he wove in the different elements. I thought the series might improve as I got to know his characters but I don’t see any real progress to date. So far, I want to like these books more than I do.

[Brucie · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting plot but characters remain distant from reader

[Don W Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing read

Fast paced with a plot that holds the mystery and your attention. The author is a skilled story teller who builds believable characters.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done. Good paced.

[Crissy Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read

A little hard to follow at times, but kept me reading trying to put it all together. Could have done without the author’s bias toward conservatism and FoxNews.

[Chip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable ride

A real fun trip that wasn't too bloody. I hope to read more soon.
A real page turner. 😎😎 hell yeah

[Cybercrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of action, twists and turns. First I've read in this series so not quite sure of the 2 main characters yet.

[Steve Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

well done. a good page turner, great cast of charactors, very enjoyable.

[Julie Vaughn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very poorly written, the dialogue is stilted and devoid of any emotion.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book! The dialogue is eerily authentic. I enjoyed this story of a cold case being solved by Ben Raveneau, the tireless police detective who relies on his intuition and ability to read people as he steps through the investigation into a decades old murder, complicated by counterfeit bills found on the scene. The writing is notable in its ability to draw you in--not that its perfect, but the relationships and characters are depicted so completely that you can't help but get caught up in the story. There's also a nice weaving of subtext, allowing a bird's eye into what the protagonist is thinking in response to events, even if he isn't giving anything away to the other characters. Another great strength in the book is the realistic and generous depiction of the female characters, both Raveneau's girlfriend, partner, and other women integral to the story. Bravo and I'm reading the other one in the series as soon as I can get my hands on it.

[Jim A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Raveneau moves from active homicides to cold cases in this novel. I didn't see anything abnormal about this. His partner, la Rosa, on the other hand was a hard charger on a fast track in the previous novel, A Killing In China Basin. For her to be moved to cold cases as well really didn't make much sense. Russell should have provided some sort of back story on her move, but didn't.

Also, several loose ends, case wise, from the first Raveneau novel were just left hanging. One of them would have made a perfect segue into the cold case assignment, but it wasn't addressed.

[Allison A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takes you to the heart of the investigation, twisting plots like the turns on the roads in Hawaii. San Francisco plays its own character and the clues unfurl like wisps of fog. It moves quickly but you also feel the true methodical police work. Raveneau and La Rosa have developed their own relationship as partners, working together in each area of their strength. The ending gets your heart going.

[Johnvano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took a chance on a new-to-me thriller author (thanks to the cover endorsement from Michael Connelly) and I was glad for the pick. It was a good story, not great. The author is relatively new to the scene and I think the clarity of his narrative will only improve.

[Loy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
A good mystery with good characters.

This is the second one in the series.

The only complaint is I will Ben the main character.s partner had a bigger roll. The books is about him though.

[Jeri Strickland · Rating 2 out of 5]

I took a chance on the cover recommendation. I just couldn't get into the book and took it back to the library unread.

[Bender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laboriosam beatae consequatur quo. Eveniet in eius quas assumenda. Dolore ut pariatur ex qui unde fugiat. Animi autem qui et alias in.

[Paul Vance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, complicated, well told.

[Alicia Hall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very slow and uninteresting. It didn't grab me so I gave up after chapter 5.

[Kimberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, thoroughly enjoyed the book.

[Greg Banta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking

The writer makes you feel like all this could really take place. probably could. The story is great. Love the interaction between the inspector and his FBI cohort. Lots of greedy criminals being tied into the story.