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Sin & Sanctum
In the lakefront hamlet of Okoboji in northwestern Iowa, Bart Farley’s best shot at ousting his competition for a casino license is murder and bribery. As the owner of a night club and the oversized excursion boat Maximillian, Farley is backed by a deadly criminal organization and friends who tend to crawl out of the darkest holes. But he only believes he’s untouchable…
When a vacationing FBI agent turns up dead and a young woman reports she has escaped a local human trafficking ring, players on both sides of the law start asking questions, threatening to unravel Farley’s clandestine operation. And when the cost of doing business is prison, Farley may stop at nothing to keep the doors open and the truth behind his night club buried six feet under.
When a vacationing FBI agent turns up dead and a young woman reports she has escaped a local human trafficking ring, players on both sides of the law start asking questions, threatening to unravel Farley’s clandestine operation. And when the cost of doing business is prison, Farley may stop at nothing to keep the doors open and the truth behind his night club buried six feet under.
304 pages, Paperback
Published June 10, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 8, 2026
Bart Farley is a ruthless businessman who owns the Ridge Top Nightclub. He’ll do whatever it takes to achieve his dream of having a casino on Lake Okoboji or even better, aboard his oversized excursion boat, Maximilian the Magnificent. This includes bribery, blackmail, extortion, and even murder. One of his clients, whom he calls Big Man, is on the Racing and Gaming Commission, and his ticket to the coveted casino license.
Bonita works at the Sports Shop next to The Lodge on Okoboji, and while making a routine delivery, she accidentally hits someone with her car. That person turns out to be Carla Rodriguez, a woman fleeing from her captors and a victim of human trafficking. Putting her own life at risk, Bonita offers her medical attention and sanctuary.
Michael Cain used to be a federal prosecutor until a case spiraled out of control. After surviving an attempt on his life by drug dealers, he settles into his family’s lakeside home on Lake Okoboji. He spends his days working on his mother’s boat and volunteering for community events like the Okoboji Triathlon and Regatta. When body parts start resurfacing on the lake that might belong to a missing retired FBI agent, the governor asks him to investigate.
Sin & Sanctum is the second book from Gene Gross featuring Michael Cain and set in Okoboji in Iowa’s Great Lakes region. It’s the height of the tourist season in the idyllic city, and the criminal underworld is running at full steam. In the center of it all is Bart Farley. Believing himself to be a criminal mastermind, he feels invincible and has an answer to every hurdle he faces. He loves that he has spies everywhere, but only because they are indebted to him. People are merely chess pieces to be moved around to fit his needs. Lucia Sandoval, the owner of The Lodge, is his biggest obstacle, and he’s not going down without a fight.
The idea of a missing retired FBI Agent, Howard Smith, drew me to this novel, but it was the intersecting storylines that kept me interested. When the authorities realize that the recovered body parts might belong to Howard, it’s all hands on deck to find him and a missing Chinese woman, and stop the human trafficking operation. The investigation unveils layers of political influence, greed, and moral rot that threaten the city’s stability. I was hooked from the beginning because when Bart is proud of how he dealt with his current ‘problem,’ he proves to be a formidable opponent. He has his fixers to cover up his crimes and people he can manipulate to get his way, making him hard to bring down.
This thrilling Midwestern crime thriller proves you don’t need a big coastal city for corruption to run deep. It feels plausible because Bart’s ruthless crimes can happen anywhere. He uses blackmail, trafficking, and intimidation, all hidden behind the respectable façade of a nightclub and excursion boat. Once Carla escapes, his plans start to unravel before his eyes, making him increasingly dangerous.
Cain’s character is the moral counterpart to Bart’s. He’s principled and determined and puts his life in danger even as Farley’s obsession spirals into violence. The no-nonsense Lawery sisters, Faethe and Hoepe, also return, this time to protect Carla, and heaven help anyone who tries to cross them. The non-stop action and creative prose make it a must- read: “The silence hung heavy like a body from a noose.”
Sin & Sanctum by Gene Gross is an exciting continuation of the Michael Cain crime novels. It utilizes the themes of corruption, justice, and survival to explore how thin the line between sanctum and sin is and the dangers of unhinged ambition. Crime never sleeps, and judging by the ending, Michael will be there to confront it. Fans of suspenseful murder mysteries with good vs evil vibes won’t be disappointed with this one.
“Okoboji, the source of so much joy and many happy memories of his past, provided a renewal, a second baptism, by its waters. He was at peace for the first time in many years.”
Bonita works at the Sports Shop next to The Lodge on Okoboji, and while making a routine delivery, she accidentally hits someone with her car. That person turns out to be Carla Rodriguez, a woman fleeing from her captors and a victim of human trafficking. Putting her own life at risk, Bonita offers her medical attention and sanctuary.
Michael Cain used to be a federal prosecutor until a case spiraled out of control. After surviving an attempt on his life by drug dealers, he settles into his family’s lakeside home on Lake Okoboji. He spends his days working on his mother’s boat and volunteering for community events like the Okoboji Triathlon and Regatta. When body parts start resurfacing on the lake that might belong to a missing retired FBI agent, the governor asks him to investigate.
Sin & Sanctum is the second book from Gene Gross featuring Michael Cain and set in Okoboji in Iowa’s Great Lakes region. It’s the height of the tourist season in the idyllic city, and the criminal underworld is running at full steam. In the center of it all is Bart Farley. Believing himself to be a criminal mastermind, he feels invincible and has an answer to every hurdle he faces. He loves that he has spies everywhere, but only because they are indebted to him. People are merely chess pieces to be moved around to fit his needs. Lucia Sandoval, the owner of The Lodge, is his biggest obstacle, and he’s not going down without a fight.
The idea of a missing retired FBI Agent, Howard Smith, drew me to this novel, but it was the intersecting storylines that kept me interested. When the authorities realize that the recovered body parts might belong to Howard, it’s all hands on deck to find him and a missing Chinese woman, and stop the human trafficking operation. The investigation unveils layers of political influence, greed, and moral rot that threaten the city’s stability. I was hooked from the beginning because when Bart is proud of how he dealt with his current ‘problem,’ he proves to be a formidable opponent. He has his fixers to cover up his crimes and people he can manipulate to get his way, making him hard to bring down.
This thrilling Midwestern crime thriller proves you don’t need a big coastal city for corruption to run deep. It feels plausible because Bart’s ruthless crimes can happen anywhere. He uses blackmail, trafficking, and intimidation, all hidden behind the respectable façade of a nightclub and excursion boat. Once Carla escapes, his plans start to unravel before his eyes, making him increasingly dangerous.
Cain’s character is the moral counterpart to Bart’s. He’s principled and determined and puts his life in danger even as Farley’s obsession spirals into violence. The no-nonsense Lawery sisters, Faethe and Hoepe, also return, this time to protect Carla, and heaven help anyone who tries to cross them. The non-stop action and creative prose make it a must- read: “The silence hung heavy like a body from a noose.”
Sin & Sanctum by Gene Gross is an exciting continuation of the Michael Cain crime novels. It utilizes the themes of corruption, justice, and survival to explore how thin the line between sanctum and sin is and the dangers of unhinged ambition. Crime never sleeps, and judging by the ending, Michael will be there to confront it. Fans of suspenseful murder mysteries with good vs evil vibes won’t be disappointed with this one.
“Okoboji, the source of so much joy and many happy memories of his past, provided a renewal, a second baptism, by its waters. He was at peace for the first time in many years.”
November 15, 2025
DNF. I have a very hard time reading about human trafficking so I did not finish the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews