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Working Stiff: A Frank Leland Mystery
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Readers’ Favorite — K.T. Bowes
“Working Stiff is incredibly well written… filled with twists and turns sharp enough to give you whiplash.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jonathan Payne, award-winning author of CITIZEN ORLOV
"The shady side of Madison Avenue... It's clear Krieger knows this world. Fans of police / PI procedurals will get a kick out of the seedy settings and noir vibes."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bill Walker, Former Manager, Book Clubs, The McGraw-Hill Companies
"What makes it sing isn’t just the plot—it’s the authenticity."
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Michael West, Private Investigator, UCMJ
“Real-world PI action… couldn’t put it down.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazon
“This is a hot fudge sundae of a book — deliciously absorbing.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads
“I promise you’ll be breathless until the last page."
WORKING STIFF is a razor-edged murder mystery set in 1970s New York that strips the genre to the bone — then feeds it something greasy at 2 a.m.
Following his divorce and his resignation from the police force, ex-cop Frank Leland scrapes by as a private investigator, photographing cheating partners and earning just enough to cover the bills for his run-down bedsit. Then a former client offers him big money to hide a body — and Frank is curious enough to take a look.
Soon he’s toe to toe with an advertising mogul harboring secrets worth killing for. To survive, Frank will have to face not just the killer, but the addiction that’s been eating him alive.
Perfect for fans of gritty, character-driven
✔ A PI who can’t mask the addiction that’s ruining his life
✔ A city of broken lights, bad cops, and worse secrets
✔ A hardboiled mystery set in the garbage-strewn streets of 1970s NYC
✔ Written by a native New Yorker who lived through it
Come back to the New York of blackouts, dirty money, and broken dreams — and meet a detective just trying not to break.
WORKING A Frank Leland Mystery
There’s nothing cozy about it.
“Working Stiff is incredibly well written… filled with twists and turns sharp enough to give you whiplash.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jonathan Payne, award-winning author of CITIZEN ORLOV
"The shady side of Madison Avenue... It's clear Krieger knows this world. Fans of police / PI procedurals will get a kick out of the seedy settings and noir vibes."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bill Walker, Former Manager, Book Clubs, The McGraw-Hill Companies
"What makes it sing isn’t just the plot—it’s the authenticity."
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Michael West, Private Investigator, UCMJ
“Real-world PI action… couldn’t put it down.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazon
“This is a hot fudge sundae of a book — deliciously absorbing.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads
“I promise you’ll be breathless until the last page."
WORKING STIFF is a razor-edged murder mystery set in 1970s New York that strips the genre to the bone — then feeds it something greasy at 2 a.m.
Following his divorce and his resignation from the police force, ex-cop Frank Leland scrapes by as a private investigator, photographing cheating partners and earning just enough to cover the bills for his run-down bedsit. Then a former client offers him big money to hide a body — and Frank is curious enough to take a look.
Soon he’s toe to toe with an advertising mogul harboring secrets worth killing for. To survive, Frank will have to face not just the killer, but the addiction that’s been eating him alive.
Perfect for fans of gritty, character-driven
✔ A PI who can’t mask the addiction that’s ruining his life
✔ A city of broken lights, bad cops, and worse secrets
✔ A hardboiled mystery set in the garbage-strewn streets of 1970s NYC
✔ Written by a native New Yorker who lived through it
Come back to the New York of blackouts, dirty money, and broken dreams — and meet a detective just trying not to break.
WORKING A Frank Leland Mystery
There’s nothing cozy about it.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2025
31 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 15, 2025
Bill Krieger’s Working Stiff doesn’t just tell a story—it drags you by the collar straight into New York City’s infernal summer of 1977. The Son of Sam killings are tightening their grip, the blackout looting is still a raw memory, and the city feels ready to boil over. In the middle of it all trudges Frank Leland: overweight, overworked, freshly divorced, haunted by his NYPD past, and stubborn as hell. He’s a private investigator without enough clients but with just enough grit to keep pushing forward.
When a slippery ad agency president and an old client rope him into a murder case, Frank finds himself caught between corruption, desperation, and the city’s suffocating heat. The beauty of Krieger’s writing is in the texture—subways that stink of sweat and metal, battered yellow cabs that lurch through garbage-strewn streets, corner stores where prices climb as fast as tempers. You don’t just read Working Stiff—you inhabit it.
And Frank Leland isn’t your polished, wisecracking gumshoe. He’s weary, imperfect, dragging his past like an anchor—but his sheer persistence makes him magnetic. You root for him not because he’s slick, but because he refuses to give up. He’s as battered and enduring as the city itself.
For me, this was more than a novel. It was a visceral return. I walked those sidewalks, I baked on those subway platforms, I hailed those cabs. Krieger brought it all rushing back in Technicolor heat and grit.
Working Stiff is the kind of debut that makes you slam the book shut and immediately crave the next. Bravo, Bill Krieger—keep them coming. Frank Leland belongs on the shelf with the greats.
When a slippery ad agency president and an old client rope him into a murder case, Frank finds himself caught between corruption, desperation, and the city’s suffocating heat. The beauty of Krieger’s writing is in the texture—subways that stink of sweat and metal, battered yellow cabs that lurch through garbage-strewn streets, corner stores where prices climb as fast as tempers. You don’t just read Working Stiff—you inhabit it.
And Frank Leland isn’t your polished, wisecracking gumshoe. He’s weary, imperfect, dragging his past like an anchor—but his sheer persistence makes him magnetic. You root for him not because he’s slick, but because he refuses to give up. He’s as battered and enduring as the city itself.
For me, this was more than a novel. It was a visceral return. I walked those sidewalks, I baked on those subway platforms, I hailed those cabs. Krieger brought it all rushing back in Technicolor heat and grit.
Working Stiff is the kind of debut that makes you slam the book shut and immediately crave the next. Bravo, Bill Krieger—keep them coming. Frank Leland belongs on the shelf with the greats.
September 25, 2025
I really enjoyed Working Stiff. From the very beginning, it pulled me in with a strong sense of place and a main character who feels unusually human for the mystery genre. Frank Leland is not the polished, too-perfect detective we often see--he’s layered, imperfect, and grappling with real struggles, which makes following his story that much more compelling.
What impressed me most was how well the book blends story, character, and atmosphere without ever dragging. The plot moves quickly, but there’s always depth in the details--whether it’s the way a scene is described or the quiet observations that give insight into Frank himself. The writing style is confident and vivid, and I found myself fully absorbed, losing track of time while reading.
This is the kind of book that feels like the start of a long-running character readers will want to follow. I think it has strong appeal not just for mystery fans but for anyone who loves a character-driven story with grit and heart. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a smart, compelling mystery with a protagonist you’ll want to root for from beginning to end.
What impressed me most was how well the book blends story, character, and atmosphere without ever dragging. The plot moves quickly, but there’s always depth in the details--whether it’s the way a scene is described or the quiet observations that give insight into Frank himself. The writing style is confident and vivid, and I found myself fully absorbed, losing track of time while reading.
This is the kind of book that feels like the start of a long-running character readers will want to follow. I think it has strong appeal not just for mystery fans but for anyone who loves a character-driven story with grit and heart. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a smart, compelling mystery with a protagonist you’ll want to root for from beginning to end.
September 25, 2025
As someone who loves New York City, I was glad to find a mystery set during its grittier days in the late ’70s—when the economy was slumping and crime was on the rise. The novel paints a vivid picture of beautiful people caught in ugly situations, with the city itself as a brooding backdrop.
At the heart of it all is the PI Frank Leland, a man who can’t stop hurting and can’t stop chasing truths that cut deeper the closer he gets. The pacing is brisk, pulling me in from the start and holding me there. The metaphors and descriptions are powerful. What was particularly interesting was the detective’s struggle with an eating addiction—a rarely explored theme in the mystery genre. It added layers of vulnerability and humanity that made him feel real.
Overall, it’s a captivating read about the weight people carry—whether emotional or physical—and the ways those burdens shape who we are and what we uncover.
At the heart of it all is the PI Frank Leland, a man who can’t stop hurting and can’t stop chasing truths that cut deeper the closer he gets. The pacing is brisk, pulling me in from the start and holding me there. The metaphors and descriptions are powerful. What was particularly interesting was the detective’s struggle with an eating addiction—a rarely explored theme in the mystery genre. It added layers of vulnerability and humanity that made him feel real.
Overall, it’s a captivating read about the weight people carry—whether emotional or physical—and the ways those burdens shape who we are and what we uncover.
October 25, 2025
The Perfect Murder Mystery
Bill Kreiger created a fun, gritty hero who weaves his way thru clues of this fantastic read. He sets the stage of 1977 New York and weaves the mystery using the backdrop of the exciting world of Madison Ave Advertising Agencies. The author will skillfully draw you into the story so smoothly that the heros story becomes your story as you travel from clue to clue only to be transported deeper into the story. I promise you will be breathless until the last page. This is a great mystery. I can't wait for the next Frank Leland mystery
Bill Kreiger created a fun, gritty hero who weaves his way thru clues of this fantastic read. He sets the stage of 1977 New York and weaves the mystery using the backdrop of the exciting world of Madison Ave Advertising Agencies. The author will skillfully draw you into the story so smoothly that the heros story becomes your story as you travel from clue to clue only to be transported deeper into the story. I promise you will be breathless until the last page. This is a great mystery. I can't wait for the next Frank Leland mystery
September 2, 2025
I love mysteries and this one did not disappoint. Wonderful story with interesting characters you could really care about, unexpected twists, and a satisfying ending. Made me think I should have known who the killer was but didn't. What really appealed to me was how the author took an old noir detective trope -- man with a drinking problem -- and turned that on its head. A fun read.
November 25, 2025
Madison Avenue in the 70s: wealthy advertising execs, a dead body, a private investigator, and some very shady goings on. It's clear Krieger knows this world. Fans of police / PI procedurals will get a kick out of the seedy settings and noir vibes.
November 12, 2025
I had high hopes after reading the reviews. I couldn’t finish it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews