The Digital Fugitive

by D. Izmalkov

When Mike Romano catches wind of someone tracking him, the thrill of his exciting double life collapses instantly.

Now a fugitive on the run, he abandons his luxury lifestyle with nothing but a backpack, a stack of cash, and a plan to disappear. He chooses to settle in a remote village in Sicily, where houses are sold for a single euro—but there’s a catch. This village has its own rules, established by the local mafia.

Romance and danger collide when he meets a mysterious woman who could be either his salvation… or his downfall. Mike's genius is testing, and enemies from both sides of the law close in. Soon, he must decide how far he’s willing to go to earn back his freedom. Either he keeps running from the Feds, or he trusts them to save his life.

Catch Me If You Can meets True Romance in this thrilling blend of romance, suspense, and high-stakes crime!

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2025

Reviews

[Matilde]

I received The Digital Fugitive through a Goodreads giveaway, and overall, I found it to be an engaging read. The storyline was solid and gave me Catch Me If You Can vibes, especially with the protagonist on the run from the FBI. What surprised me—and threw me off a bit—was the sudden involvement of the mafia. That plotline felt a little out of place at first, though it did add an extra layer of complexity.

The pacing was a bit jumpy at times, which made it slightly harder to follow in certain parts, but it never lost my interest. I especially enjoyed the twist toward the end involving Luca—it genuinely caught me off guard and added a satisfying surprise.

There were quite a few characters to keep track of, which may be overwhelming for some readers, but it didn’t take too much away from the story for me.

Overall, a good read with unexpected turns. I’d rate it 3.5 stars.

[Janet]

Enjoyed the book. Could definitely believe the dark web scenario. The mafia, I don’t know. Story kept me interested and entertained. Received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Tobe]

I received The Digital Fugitive from a Goodreads giveaway. The book kept me entertained, but it good quite good towards the end when Mike Romano (main character) is really having to negotiate between the Mafia and the FBI. I felt the relationship with his romantic lead was not well developed, but then again, it wasn’t so much about them, as it was about Mike. Things came together very nicely in the end and the race to the end was really engaging. If there were half stars, this would have received a 3.5.
Thank you to Goodreads and D. Izmalkov for the giveaway!

[Yomi Akinode]

Smidge-Touristy
The digital divide and menace continue in this saga as another victim succumbs to bytes and nefarious algorithms. Then comes the rescue in the form of Romano, not that other Romano, but a more serious one with digital sleuthing command. But he’ll meet his match in the Italian Riviera galivanting through Europe, where love blossoms amidst the cyber chaos.

Now going stackers without luxury, he’s prepared to knuckle up with the Mafia. Then, a woman shows up with a very unclear motive. Lookout, Romano!

[Crystal Munoz]

This was a tough book to get through. The story and characters didn’t pull me in and have me excited to read more. I usually finish a book in a few days but it I took me over a month to finish this one just because I wasn’t looking forward to reading it. I would literally fall asleep after reading a few pages.
Mike is on the run, assumes someone’s identity that kind of looks like him then buys a house and tricks the local mafia into making drugs so he can run their digital store and get the FBI off his back. Weird.

[Alicia Lowe]

I received this book on Amazon KU. One year ago, I read another book by this author, "The Imitation Army." I found it engaging at the beginning but tedious at the end. However, "The Digital Fugitive" kept me intrigued with its unexpected twists all along the way. I loved all the characters, and Glasses was very special.