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Black Phoenix
Sergeant Malcolm Hobbs and his Atlanta X-Men Homicide Squad attempt to uncover the city’s darkest secrets when an arsonist unveils a shocking Civil Rights Era political conspiracy of race, greed, power, and murder.
The first was a riddle. The second was a mystery. The third was a conspiracy.
In the wee hours of a summer morning, shadows surround a building. In minutes, it’s engulfed in flames. A fire isn’t usually within the scope of a homicide case, so why is Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs called to the scene?
After the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) scours the burned rubble, they find no body, clothing, or identification. But upon further inspection, the firefighters experience shock and awe when they unearth a set of human remains buried in a shallow grave. Soon after, they discover twelve sets of human remains.
Now, Hobbs’ elite X-Men Homicide Squad joins him to solve the case. When the reports come back from the Medical Examiner’s office, the detectives learn the victims' identities and that each was executed with a bullet to the back of the head sometime during the Civil Rights Era.
As they delve into the complex investigation, the X-Men Squad must navigate the danger that encompasses their every move and wonder if it's a better option to let this case stay buried.
Pushed to the brink of their experience and patience, it's all-hands-on-deck when Hobbs and his team enlist the assistance of the Uniformed Patrol Forces, Missing Persons Unit, and the Intelligence Squad to close the gap on the unknown perpetrator more dangerous than anyone could have imagined and who has gone undetected for decades.
The first was a riddle. The second was a mystery. The third was a conspiracy.
In the wee hours of a summer morning, shadows surround a building. In minutes, it’s engulfed in flames. A fire isn’t usually within the scope of a homicide case, so why is Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs called to the scene?
After the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) scours the burned rubble, they find no body, clothing, or identification. But upon further inspection, the firefighters experience shock and awe when they unearth a set of human remains buried in a shallow grave. Soon after, they discover twelve sets of human remains.
Now, Hobbs’ elite X-Men Homicide Squad joins him to solve the case. When the reports come back from the Medical Examiner’s office, the detectives learn the victims' identities and that each was executed with a bullet to the back of the head sometime during the Civil Rights Era.
As they delve into the complex investigation, the X-Men Squad must navigate the danger that encompasses their every move and wonder if it's a better option to let this case stay buried.
Pushed to the brink of their experience and patience, it's all-hands-on-deck when Hobbs and his team enlist the assistance of the Uniformed Patrol Forces, Missing Persons Unit, and the Intelligence Squad to close the gap on the unknown perpetrator more dangerous than anyone could have imagined and who has gone undetected for decades.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 27, 2024
13 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Cortez Law III
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 14, 2024
I loved the combination of Elizabethan English and inner-city patois. Interesting characters, although quite a few to keep track of, and a plot that was confusing and complicated. Definitely worth struggling through.
April 10, 2024
I have had the pleasure of discussing books with Mr. Law. He was kind enough to send me this digital book for my review. I was blown away by this book. The character development was outstanding. It took me a few weeks to read this book as I wanted to take my time and enjoy this story.
Black Phoenix centers araing the Atlanta Homicide Squad solving multiple Church hate arson attacks. The author takes the reader on a wild ride as these horrible crimes are solved. I felt like I was in Atlanta as the author took be on an uber ride through Atlanta. Ialso enjoyed how the author blended music and Bible scriptures to really set the scene. I wrote down the following lines from Black Phoenix: "They drank the quiet of the community." "The Holy Spirit arrested him to settle down, but he was barly listening." Those two lines really resonated with me.
I look forward to the next book by Mr. Law.
Black Phoenix centers araing the Atlanta Homicide Squad solving multiple Church hate arson attacks. The author takes the reader on a wild ride as these horrible crimes are solved. I felt like I was in Atlanta as the author took be on an uber ride through Atlanta. Ialso enjoyed how the author blended music and Bible scriptures to really set the scene. I wrote down the following lines from Black Phoenix: "They drank the quiet of the community." "The Holy Spirit arrested him to settle down, but he was barly listening." Those two lines really resonated with me.
I look forward to the next book by Mr. Law.
September 2, 2024
**I was provided a free copy in exchange for my honest review.**
It took me a long time to read this book as I wasn't getting pulled in. I found it somewhat difficult to follow for a lot of the book. I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary details included that would deter from the story. The dialogue at times also was confusing as in not always sure who was talking to what until several lines went back and forth. There was a particular scene where one of the officers was holding 2 conversations simultaneously with a family member on one phone and a colleague on another phone, I did not enjoy reading that as I did not understand the purpose and it wasn't realistic. I also did not understand the inconsistency in writing some of the story where words ending in 'ing' were sometimes written with the g off in a slang way. It makes sense in dialogue but sometimes it was written this way, not in the dialogue, but in the storyline but it wasn't done consistently throughout the book.
I may not be the target audience for this book. I was wrapped up in so much of the writing style and inconsistencies that I could not enjoy the story nor care about any of the characters. And that was another thing I did not care for, the amount of names in the book was overwhelming. There were already many many characters but then you had a significant amount of victim and bad guy names (past and present).
If you don't mind an abundance of details whether they're important to the storyline or just for visualizing, you may enjoy this police mystery thriller. It wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately.
It took me a long time to read this book as I wasn't getting pulled in. I found it somewhat difficult to follow for a lot of the book. I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary details included that would deter from the story. The dialogue at times also was confusing as in not always sure who was talking to what until several lines went back and forth. There was a particular scene where one of the officers was holding 2 conversations simultaneously with a family member on one phone and a colleague on another phone, I did not enjoy reading that as I did not understand the purpose and it wasn't realistic. I also did not understand the inconsistency in writing some of the story where words ending in 'ing' were sometimes written with the g off in a slang way. It makes sense in dialogue but sometimes it was written this way, not in the dialogue, but in the storyline but it wasn't done consistently throughout the book.
I may not be the target audience for this book. I was wrapped up in so much of the writing style and inconsistencies that I could not enjoy the story nor care about any of the characters. And that was another thing I did not care for, the amount of names in the book was overwhelming. There were already many many characters but then you had a significant amount of victim and bad guy names (past and present).
If you don't mind an abundance of details whether they're important to the storyline or just for visualizing, you may enjoy this police mystery thriller. It wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately.
June 9, 2024
Entering the vibrant world of "Black Phoenix" by Cortez Law III, it was evident that I had arrived at the literary party a tad belatedly. Yet, with his compelling persona and intricate backstory, Sergeant Malcolm Hobbs stood out as the kind of hero whose exploits I yearned to uncover further. The gritty, immersive prose of Law's writing style immediately ensnared my attention, leaving me thirsty for more and igniting a desire to trace back through the series to unearth the origins of Hobbs's journey. This installment captivated my imagination and ignited my curiosity to explore the rich tapestry of characters and events that undoubtedly weave through the preceding narratives.
May 10, 2024
Title: Black Phoenix
Author: Cortez Law III
Publisher: Metro Black & Blue Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
'Blak Phoenix' by Cortez Law III
My Perception:
'Black Phoenix' was a gripping new mystery/thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Cortez Law III crafted an intricate plot of twists and turns that left me guessing until the end. The characters were well-developed, and I fully invested in each of their stories. What I appreciated most about this book was how Law III tackled the sensitive topic of the Civil Rights Era and the atrocities that occurred during that time. He did so with great care and respect while delivering an entertaining and thought-provoking read. I highly recommend 'Black Phoenix' to any fans of the mystery/thriller genre.
May 9, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It's of murder and mystery. Following the continued story of Malcom Hobbs. A fire turns into a murder mystery after bodies are found in a shallow grave. How did they get there and who done it? I always enjoy reading the stories written by author Cortez Law. I look forward to more.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews