The Down Side:

John Keegan #4

by John Misak, Virtual Voice (Narrator)

A killer leaves a masterpiece at every murder scene—and Detective John Keegan must decipher the art before it claims more lives.

Hollywood superstar Patrick Dillons is found brutally murdered, his crime scene transformed into a macabre tribute to his most famous films. At first glance, Dillons seemed adored by audiences, hounded by paparazzi, and envied by rivals. But as Keegan peels back the layers of this manufactured persona, he’s forced to confront the truth—Dillons cultivated an immaculate image while keeping dangerous secrets under wraps.

Now working with his new partner and longtime friend Karl Lavin, Keegan chases down leads that spiral outward from Tinseltown’s glitz into the corridors of Washington power. The killer isn’t just brilliant and tech-savvy; they seem driven by a mission to reshape the city’s future. Every clue at the scene could be the key—or a misdirection—forcing Keegan to choose his steps carefully as he navigates a labyrinth of hidden agendas.

For Keegan, life has changed since his earlier cases. He’s no longer a lone detective with nothing to lose; he has a family and a future to protect. While he unravels the twisted motives behind Dillons’ death, Keegan wrestles with confidential information that threatens to fracture his career and his personal life. He must balance justice and secrecy, home and duty, all while a cunning adversary watches every move.

The Down Side, the fourth John Keegan Mystery, immerses readers in a high-profile killing that exposes the raw nerves of entertainment, politics, and crime. This gripping entry—part one of an exciting two-part arc—welcomes newcomers and rewards devoted fans, plunging them deeper into a cityscape where power and deception paint over every truth. Will Keegan decode the killer’s masterpiece before the city’s dark side swallows him whole? Dive in and find out.

Audible Audio

Published March 21, 2025

Reviews

[Chuck Barksdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

”You don’t understand. That guy, the killer, he created a work of art in there. I’ve never seen anything like it. There are angles and edges and placements. The first guy from CSI said there could be over 100 clues just around the body, the way things are arranged,” the big uniform said. “You can go in, but don’t disturb a thing.”

After nearly 9 years of waiting, John Misak’s fourth book about New York City homicide police detective John Keegan has finally been published. I was fortunate to get a chance to read and review Death Knell, the third book in the series for Mostlyfiction in 2007 and I’m happy the author provided me a complimentary copy of The Down Side to read and review it.

Although the book took 9 years to be published, the story is not as far in the future, although it does take place after Keegan has taken some time off from working for the police recovering from the activities of his last case. Two key characters from the prior book, Rick Cahill and Karl Lavin play key parts. Rick Cahill is now dead and Keegan is caring for Cahill’s two daughters. Karl Lavin is no longer a vice detective and has replaced Cahill as Keegan’s partner. Pauline McCrory, a potential love interest of Keegan in Death Knell, is now his wife and expecting their first child. She still works in the police Records Department.

Keegan and Lavin are sent to investigate the murder of famous actor Patrick Dillons. His penthouse apartment is found to be a certain way as described to them before they enter in the excerpt above.

No surprise that with a famous person that they get pressure from above to do well in the investigation. Keegan works the investigation with and without his partner and gets help from some places that may or may not be all that helpful. He also has to deal with some pressure in some issues at home and at work with his pregnant wife. Misak adds some unexpected twists along the way as Keegan and Lavin try to find Dillons’ killer.

Misak as in the prior book, uses the first person to provide a full appreciation of Keegan’s thoughts and to understand why he acts the way he does. I enjoy this first person perspective but all these inner thoughts may be too much for some readers. The following is right after the quotation at the top as Keegan and his partner are visiting the crime scene for the first time:

“Not exactly the way you want to start off a case. The big guy let us in and I stated in a state of tension, waiting for the moment when I would encounter the body. My mind went all over the place trying to figure out just how bad this would be. I had images of the guy’s skin ripped off or his eyes yanked out of his head. I know that makes for great television or movies but it just doesn’t happen that often. Most murders are simple point and shoot affairs and the killer usually has clear motive and we normally find them pretty quick.”

Of course the potential problem with this type of writing is that the author goes too far and spends too much time at it. Generally, I prefer crisper work – think Ed McBain, the best at the police procedural. However, The Down Side, is not just a police procedural and I really enjoyed learning from Keegan/Misak – not just about solving crimes, but about Keegan as a person – his personal relationships and struggles and his detective abilities.

Although I now own Soft Case and All in a Row, the first John Keegan books by Misak, I still haven’t read them. That along with the over 8 years since I last read the prior book in the series, did provide some difficulty in understanding the references and history among the characters. However, this is not critical and Misak does provide the key back story along the way.

As in Death Knell, Misak creates very realistic and likeable characters. He also adds in the humor among the various characters that helps to break up the tension and make the book more enjoyable.

The Down Side did not have the typos that I found annoying at times in Death Knell. The grammatical errors were minimal and I’m leaving them as character and not author errors. They still annoy me but they are common grammatical mistakes that I hear almost every day. Overall, The Down Side was another enjoyable book by John Misak and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.