Dirty Deeds

by Deborah Shlian, Linda Reid

DIGGING UP DIRTY DEEDS CAN BE DEADLY…

Outspoken radio talk show host Sammy Greene returned to New York City to join the liberal Radio USA national network and continue to fight for social justice. Sammy's investigative partner, ex-cop Gus Pappajohn, is now a cyber-consultant living in Greece. Gus's daughter, Ana Pappajohn, has turned her life around and is studying to become a Nurse Practitioner. Ana comes to New York to intern at a public hospital in Jackson Heights, a NY neighborhood in the borough of Queens which hosts a diverse immigrant community.

After a Tibetan baby arrives in the ER showing symptoms of what Nurse Ana suspects is arsenic poisoning, the infant’s mother is arrested for attempted murder. Determined to prove the mother’s innocence, Ana launches her own investigation and turns to her father Gus and her friend Sammy for assistance. Gus flies in to help Sammy and Ana unravel a tangled web of corruption and criminal activity linked to two seemingly unrelated murders. With danger on their trail, the trio put their lives on the line to try to prove the mother’s innocence and safeguard the residents of Queens, NY.


“What happens when immigrant dreams collide with deadly schemes in New York City? Well, you get a story that’s so prescient, so prophetic, it feels like it could be ripped from tomorrow’s headlines. Sammy Greene is back in a huge way, and she’s diving headfirst into the crossfire of ideology. From the ER to the airwaves, Sammy finds herself fighting a lethal cocktail of arsenic and ambition. Racing against time to expose the corrupt and protect the innocent. The stakes here have never been higher. I loved this cracking mystery. Dirty Deeds is totally propulsive. Urgently gripping. Shockingly relevant. This is the perfect tale of heroism for our morally grey times.
-John Ling, USA Bestselling Author

“Shlian and Reid’s latest Sammy Greene mystery is a delightful page turner, keeping you engrossed from start to finish. Highly recommend.”
– R. Barri Flowers, criminologist and bestselling author of Murder in the Blue Ridge Mountains

"A clever combination of mystery, murder, and medicine with a remarkable cast of multicultural characters."
--Paula Bernstein, Author of the best-selling Hannah Kline MD Mystery Series and Past President of Sisters in Crime, Los Angeles.

Radio talk show host and amateur sleuth Sammy Greene is at it again. Crime and corruption underlie NYC’s real estate development as poison, politics, and profiteering are on full display. Sammy champions the plight of innocent immigrant victims as she works to expose a coverup. Filled with fun, facts, food, and a feisty redhead, this page-turning murder mystery will keep you guessing.
–Victor Acquista, award-winning thriller author

“Enter the world of Ana Pappajohn and Sammy Greene and be prepared for a fast-paced thriller, taking you inside the hospital rooms and radio booth. Faced with protecting the lives of children, Ana stops at nothing to dig for the truth until everything is uncovered in this well-plotted thriller that you will not be able to put down until the last page of Dirty Deeds”.
- Mel Taylor, author of The Booker Johnson thriller series

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2025

About the author

Deborah Shlian a physician, medical consultant, and author of non-fiction and fiction (medical mystery/thrillers). She practices medicine and often co-writes with her husband Joel Shlian.

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pulled in right from the start to keep reading to find out more about this gripping mystery.
Multiple threads join to keep the reader guessing One learns about immigrants in Astoria Queens, including Greeks and Tibetans and the interesting way Tibetans are named.
Also the book reveals the political machinations of 2007 , political corruption and the source of NYC water.
Sammy Greene appears in Deborah Shlian and Linda Reid’s fourth Sammy Greene mystery novel
Sammy has moved from California to a liberal radio station in Astoria and joins with a Greek American nurse practitioner student to find out why children in Queens are suffering from high arsenic levels after the mother of a Tibetan infant is arrested and charged with poisoning her child
After reading this book I have decided to go back to read the first three Sammy Greene mysteries

[Rowan Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping tale that combines a thrilling mystery with compelling characters, Dirty Deeds keeps you hooked from start to finish. The authors’ ability to weave social issues like corruption and immigrant struggles into the plot adds depth and urgency to the story. Sammy Greene's bold and relentless pursuit of justice makes her a protagonist to root for!

[Nicholas Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shlian and Reid deliver another edge-of-your-seat mystery with Dirty Deeds. The vivid descriptions of New York City, paired with the high-stakes drama of corruption and intrigue, make for an unputdownable read. Sammy Greene is as sharp and fearless as ever, bringing her unique charm to this complex, thought-provoking tale

[Abbey McLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dirty Deeds is a masterclass in suspense, seamlessly blending themes of politics, crime, and personal courage. Sammy Greene’s latest adventure takes readers deep into the heart of NYC’s murky underbelly, where secrets abound and danger lurks around every corner. A thrilling and unforgettable read!

[Carol Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific Sammy Greene thriller. Once again, Sammy Greene, radio talk show host and relentless social justice advocate uncovers explosive dirty deeds. I have read all the Sammy Greene novels, and this one does not disappoint.

[Jo Loveday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amateur sleuth, Sammy Greene exposes some of the dirty deeds being done to new immigrants. Social justice and medical CYA are some of the themes addressed in this fast-paced, thrilling novel.