Crime Writer

by Vinnie Hansen

In the peaceful California coast city of Playa Maria, CRIME WRITER ZOEY KOZINSKI joins a local police officer for a ride-along in hopes of breaking through her writer’s block. But during a routine traffic stop, the cop is shot, the victim of a brutal homicide.

Zoey realizes she is the only witness and the number one target on the killer’s hit list. PTSD kicks in, sending her into a tailspin. It doesn’t help that she lives on an illegal cannabis farm and that her estranged mother has just arrived. Even the police officer’s widow points a finger at the writer, claiming she was a distraction, and the police department knew it.

Lurking on the fringes is a man who stopped briefly at the crime. Good Samaritan or sinister suspect? For her safety, Zoey needs to find out.

Genres: Thriller

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

Two-time Claymore Award Finalist Vinnie Hansen is the author of the Carol Sabala mystery series (misterio press) as well as literary works and over 40 short stories, appearing in such diverse collections as Fault Lines, Fishy Business, Santa Cruz Noir, Catamaran Literary Reader, Destination: Mystery!, Fish or Cut Bait, Lake Region Review, Porter Gulch Review, Mystery Weekly, Transfer Literary Magazine, Mysterical-E, Crime & Suspense, and Web Mystery Magazine. She won the Golden Donut Award from the Writers' Police Academy, and a B.R.A.G. Medallion for her mystery, Black Beans & Venom. Award-winning crime writer Allen Eskens says of Black Beans & Venom: "It is the mark of true talent for a writer to be able to deliver her readers completely and believablyto another world, and in Black Beans and Venom Vinnie Hansen has done just that. Set in the vibrant and gritty back streets of Cuba, this cat-and-mouse hunt for a missing woman is full of intrigue, suspense and authenticity."

Reviews

["Avonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

CRIME WRITER by Vinnie Hansen is an immersive crime thriller where the reader knows who the killer is and what he is doing to cover his tracks, but the interest, twists, and action are all centered around the protagonist, a crime writer and musician named Zoey Kozinski.

The red-headed and feisty Zoey witnesses the murder of the police officer she is doing a ride-along with during a routine traffic stop. The killer knows there is a witness and the drug trafficker he works for tells him he must eliminate her. With PTSD from the incident, the arrival of her estranged mother she has been hiding from, the cop’s widow who blames Zoey and wants revenge, and a man who appeared at the scene of the crime and keeps popping up in her life, Zoey needs to unravel what is happening and who to trust before she ends up dead.

This story starts out appearing to be very straight forward, but the more you learn, the more twisted and anxiety inducing the story becomes. Zoey is interesting and Ms. Hansen’s writing brings her to life with all her problems. The ending was not what I was expecting, but it is satisfying. For me, this was an interesting change in perspective from the usual crime thriller/police procedural mystery.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vinnie Hansen’s Crime Writer is a gritty murder mystery set in a fictional, vibrant coastal California town that follows the murder of a police officer who granted ride-along access to a local author in need of inspiration.

I loved the sense of unease throughout. Author Zoey Kozinkski was the only eyewitness and is now a target for the killer. When a car pulled up minutes after the crime was committed, I was wary and wanted to yell at Zoey to be careful. This was an intriguing plotline with great pacing that kept me engaged.

Readers who enjoy books set in small communities, featuring an author as a character, or who enjoy solving clues for a murder, will find lots to engage with in this upcoming novel.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Stevie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you NG & Vinnie Hansen
-Crime Writer- (Read now book on NG)

*Dusk was settling. Everything was still*

This was a page turner. Gripping, anxiety inducing & brilliant clue chasing.

Loved the main character & her development throughout the book.

[Caroline | dogtailsandcrimetales · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★

Zoey Kozinski is struggling with a bit of writer’s block, and she hopes that tagging along with Officer Stan Austin will spark some inspiration for developing characters in her newest story. What Zoey doesn’t expect, however, is for that night to change everything. When Officer Austin is shot and Zoey becomes the lone witness, she suddenly finds herself next on the killer’s list. Convinced she knows more than she can recall, Zoey tries to reconstruct the night’s events by weaving them into a story—until her name is leaked to the local media, and the killer isn’t the only one after her…

This was my first book by Vinnie Hansen, and it starts with a bang! The action doesn’t let up until the very last pages. Let me tell you, I devoured it in a single day! Though the California town of Playa Maria is fictional, the vivid descriptions and well-drawn local characters made it feel absolutely real and pulled me in right away.

If you’re looking for a quick, action-packed read with an amateur sleuth and several morally gray characters, I highly recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley, Level Best Books, and Vinnie Hansen for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, action-packed murder mystery! Zoey is a great main character and amateur detective navigating so much that is going on in her town. I was always rooting for her as she faces so many ups and downs. Well done! Thanks to the author for the ARC!

[BookWormBecky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

*Thank you to Partners in Crime Tours for including me on this tour!

WIP, distract, PTSD…

Crime writer Zoey Kozinski is in a writing slump. She goes on a ride-along with Officer Austin to hopefully brainstorm some ideas. The officer is shot and killed during a routine traffic stop, leaving Zoey as the only witness.

A white sedan appears “Johnny-on-the-spot at the crime scene.” There is only one problem - is it a Good Samaritan or the shooter returning to the scene???

Crime Writer is a quick, action-packed read. Lots of tension and a sense of danger. Twisty! Chase the clues until the big reveal…

I liked the characters:
IMO :
Zoey- ups & downs
Camille - a diva
Harvey - unconventional
Detective Bowman - determined
Christine- out for REVENGE

Zoey will be targeted as a witness. The suspects will be in a battle of wits with Zoey while in hot pursuit. Will she be tricked into making a mistake?

Chapter 1 should grab your attention and pique your interest! It was very impactful. Descriptive writing makes it possible to see and hear the sights and sounds.

First time reader of this author - I would be willing to read future books by this author!

[Sudeshna Banerjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vinnie Hansen's Crime Writer is a razor-sharp, heart-stopping thriller that dissolves the boundaries of fiction and reality, immersing readers in a world where creativity, culpability, and peril intersect. Against the sun-kissed but treacherous tranquility of California's Playa Maria, the novel tracks Zoey Kozinski, a crime writer with writer's block, whose ride-along research excursion becomes a nightmare when a police officer is assassinated in front of her.

What starts out as a search for inspiration fast becomes a struggle to survive. The writer skillfully documents Zoey's slide into paranoia and terror and presents a compelling picture of trauma and strength. The tension is unrelenting where every other character exists as a threat, and every other page vibrates with foreboding.

In the midst of suspense, the author delves into deeper issues: the weight of guilt, the vulnerability of truth, and the decentered lines of morality between narrator and subject. The addition of Zoey's illicit marijuana grow op and broken family connections lends reality and grime to the account.

Crime Writer is a lean, plot-driven mystery that grabs you in the opening scene and doesn't let go. Readers of psychological thrillers and meta-mysteries will enjoy a haunting, unforgettable experience.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Thrilling, fun, great palette cleanser, not the biggest fan of the plot but still

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for me. Zoey Kozinski is a writer, hoping to get some new material for the book she ride-along with the local cop Austin. During traffic stop, the cop is shot and Zoey is the only witness.

Being accused of distracting officer Austin by his widow, suspect by local police and fearing for her life,Zoey is on killer’s list.

Will Zoey find who shot Austin?
Will Austin widow get her revenge?
Who you can trust?

Full of action and mysterious behavior in small town crime, this book was engaging read.

Thank you netgalley ,publisher and author for arc.

[Deborah (debbishdotcom) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen is not a whodunnit. Readers know from early in the book 'who' is responsible for the cop's murder. We quickly realise that pulling a gun to shoot a cop on what was (essentially) a traffic-stop was not the finest moment in a young burgeoning criminal's career. I seriously did not get why his boss didn't have him killed instead of ordering him to kill the witness (writer Zoey).

So any suspense here is more about the 'when' rather than the 'if'. Hansen throws in some complicating factors... another potential killer / love interest, as well as Zoey's eccentric mother. We also learn there's a connection between the killer's boss and Zoey's landlord Harvey... who owns the cannabis farm on which she parks her van.

Zoey is likeable but somewhat judgemental so not entirely engaging. I would have liked a bit more backstory in terms of her relationship with her mother. Harvey was probably the most interesting player here as Hansen shades his character with a little more complexity than others.

This was an enjoyable read though I didn't really connect with the characters enough to become invested in the outcome.

[Stray Starling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea behind this book really intrigued me. Unlike most crime novels, we know early on who killed the cop, so the suspense is more about the cat and mouse game between characters.

That said, it ended up feeling a bit predictable, and I wanted more depth from the characters. Still, it was a fun and entertaining read overall.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vinnie Hansen’s new thriller, Crime Writer, opens with a jolt. The protagonist, Zoe, is an author doing research for her next book on a police ride-along when the officer she's with is suddenly, brutally killed. Zoe is the sole witness. Just as she’s trying to process what happened, a man in another white car shows up. Could he be the killer coming back, or is he a "good Samaritan" who wants to help?

From the start, things get messy for Zoe. Instead of being treated as a witness, she’s eyed suspiciously by the police—especially after they find a few pages of her novel-in-progress, which features a remarkably similar crime. The detectives start to think Zoe and the mysterious man, Jimmy, might be working together. To make matters worse, the fallen officer’s widow is out for blood, suing the department and claiming Zoe distracted her husband, leading to his death.

The narrative shifts between Zoe and several other characters, including the killer and his boss, which really ramps up the tension. Seeing the bad guys put clues together and get closer to Zoe makes for a great read.

Zoe herself is an interesting character. She’s not your typical protagonist—she's a keyboardist in a girl band and lives off-grid in a tiny home on a friend’s property. Her friend, Harvey, is an aging hippie who grows marijuana, a subject she knows well from a previous book. Just when she's trying to deal with the trauma, her wealthy socialite mother drops in, adding even more chaos to her life.

Thanks to her agent, the press gets ahold of Zoe’s story, and a local article gives the killer exactly what he needs to start hunting her down. This is where the book really becomes a page-turner. You’re on the edge of your seat as Zoe narrowly avoids danger without even realizing how close she is to being found.

There's even a twist with her friend Harvey, who has a connection to the shooter’s employer. This all adds up to a story where you're never sure who to trust. While it doesn't end perfectly for everyone, the conclusion is mostly satisfying and a little bittersweet. The writing is excellent and the setting feels totally real. I definitely recommend it!

I received the book yesterday and I didn't put it down until I read it!

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A twisty plot with an atmospheric feel, I felt as though I was being watched.

Crime Writer is a thrilling new novel by author Vinnie Hansen, and the more I read, the more I could sense the emotions of the main character, and I almost felt as though I was being watched. When a patrol officer is gunned down while making a routine traffic stop, the ride-along in his car, a local mystery writer, becomes the only witness and a loose end for the killer.

Author Zoey Kozinski has hit an inspirational snag in her latest novel. She is on a ride-along with the local police to help get her creative juices flowing again and develop her fictional main character, a cop she’s tentatively named Stan. In her notes, Stan sees his partner shot down before he, too, is hit. Those notes, left in the car when her escort, Officer Stan Austin, was murdered, naturally caught the attention of investigators. Suddenly, she’s under the scrutiny of the police while being hunted by the murderer.

Set in a small coastal California town, Zoey quickly begins to feel like a sitting duck, especially in her off-the-beaten-path tiny home, perched on the edge of a friend’s possibly-illegal marijuana fields. The story gets dark and down to business immediately, with the murder of the officer occurring early in the story. The action unfolds from multiple points of view, keeping the suspense building and the tension high. Zoey slowly succumbs to the stress, which is exacerbated by the arrival of her mother, and you could feel the pressure radiating off the page. As the police question her role in the shooting, there is also the presence of Jimmy Patak to consider. Was he just a Good Samaritan who stopped at the scene that night, or something much more sinister? A difficult aspect of the story was the reaction of Officer Austin’s widow, who claimed that Zoey’s presence in the car as a ride-along had presented a distraction that led to her husband’s death. It falls to Zoey herself to investigate and clear her name, while still trying to stay out of the sight of the real killer.

I recommend CRIME WRITER to readers of thrillers, suspense, and mysteries.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hansen's skill at creating engaging descriptions makes for an interesting murder mystery. She has the uncanny ability to make me feel what Zoey is experiencing, especially disorientation. This is a novel that deeply immerses the reader in those feelings. In that sense, the novel is almost a detailed character study. Unlike some novels, that was not boring but rather engaging. There is a good deal of action happening too so the plot moves along consistently. There is a little bit of romance and, since the young man committing the initial murder is rather inept, some dark humor.

It was interesting to learn a bit about the marijuana business in California and to travel the remote hills with Hansen's good setting establishment. This is a good mystery for readers who like plenty of twists in the plot direction, intense action at the beginning and end, and a satisfying emphasis on the female protagonist's experiences.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Jody Reads Smut · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chilling blend of suspense, character drama, and small-town secrets.

In Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen, the reader is immersed into the airy California coast town of Playa Maria, where crime novelist Zoey Kozinski has far bigger issues than writer block. What is initially just a simple ride-along with a police officer based in the area soon turns into a nightmare when the cop is shot in the middle of a highway traffic stop. Within seconds, Zoey becomes an interested spectator and the sole witness - and the next victim of the murder.

This book is an engaging page-turner that crime thriller enthusiasts will love because of its spirited and intricate lead characters. Lots of people love to read stories where the boundary between safety and suspicion is crossed, so you will not stop reading this one before midnight.

Thank you to Partners In Crime Book Tours and the author for allowing me to read and review this book.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen (publish date 9/9/25):

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.

Crime Writer pulled me in right away with its mix of crime, danger, and exploration of the marijuana underworld. I especially liked the contrast between good-guy Harvey and slimy Ray—it gave the story additional tension. The mystery itself wasn’t the most original I’ve ever read, but it was such a fast, engaging read that I didn’t mind.

Zoey was a great main character—smart, grounded, and aware of the risks she was facing. I do wish her backstory had been developed more, and I wasn’t crazy about the Jimmy storyline. Still, I enjoyed Hansen’s writing style and would definitely pick up more of her books in the future.

[BookByBook karenreadslotsofbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen hooked me from the start! FMC Zoey"s pulse-pounding, terror-filled night witnessing the fatal shooting of the police officer she is riding along with as part of research for her latest novel, is just the beginning of the chaotic and frenzied turn her life takes as she resiliently vies to prove she is not the shooter, figure out who she can trust and rise above the paranoia. This novel is a fast-paced, edge-of- your- seat thriller that has the reader rooting for Zoey to prove her innocence and outwit those out for her demise as the only witness to this senseless, high profile murder! Crime Writer is a must read thriller! Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for the privilege of reading this novel.

[G.P. Gottlieb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t stop reading this story about how crime writer Zoey Kozinski’s ride-along with a Playa Maria cop ends when the police officer is shot and killed. I was drawn into descriptions of Zoey’s shock, her thoughts about the man who stops to help, her interactions with the police who suspect her of being involved, her worries about the notes for a new novel that the police have kept as evidence, her harried, pot-growing landlord, and her overbearing mother. Crime Writer is more suspense than mystery – we learn who might be the murderer, but don’t know if he’ll be stopped before he silences Zoey Kozinski, the only witness. I loved the characters, the forward motion, and being in the hands of a master storyteller!

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen is a great mystery where we get to meet a well written character named Zoey, who is a writer doing a ride along with a local police officer when something horrible and tragic happens. Zoey then finds herself fighting against the killer, the cops, and the surviving family members of the killed person. She is the killer's number one target to wrap up the crime that they committed. The story is engaging from the first pages as Zoey is along on the ride-along, to what happens, and as she meets Jimmy who is her love interest:) You can not help but want to find out what happens with Zoey and if she will ever figure out the killer and why they did what they did. I highly recommend this one to fans of murders, solving a crime, and fast paced reads!

[Melanie Ollila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I feel like I just finished a race, a race to the end to see how it would be wrapped up!

So unexpected! The blurb sounded intriguing but I had no idea what a wild read this would be! It started with a bang, literally the ride along resulting in Officer Austin killed occurs in Chapter 1 and then buckle up for a week of bad guys, conspiracy and mayhem to ensue.

Zoey is a crime writer, that is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And her world is falling apart from witnessing the killing of her ride along officer. The side characters are great, colorful in their own right. And you end up this tender spot for Harvey, her landlord.

I will be looking ip the other books from Vinnie Hansen after this!

[Victoria Kazarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The crime writer of the book’s title is Zoey “Perfect” Kozinski, a novelist on a ride-along with a police officer who is shot dead during a traffic stop.
When Zoey’s publicly named as a witness to his murder, she ends up running for her life, not only from the murderer but from the officer’s grieving wife, who blames Zoey for distracting her husband and causing his murder.
The characters here are a cast of offbeat, messed-up people: members of Zoey’s band, the She Cats; her illegal-pot-growing landlord; and the record store owner, Jimmy, whom she falls for, even though she’s not sure he’s safe. And Zoey’s manipulative, cougar mother.
Crime Writer is a great, gritty read with flashes of dark humor and tension that ratchets up to an action-packed conclusion.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the ARC copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. The thoughts and opinions are all my own.

I was intrigued by this novel. Ms. Hansen has a gift for writing that awakens all of your senses. You can envision the lush crops of the red hills, feel the cool mountain air, savor the rich flavor of the coffee, and sense the gripping tension of the crimes in Playa Maria County.

Overall it was a very interesting story that held my attention from the first page to the end.

[Kristie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced, tense, and deeply human, Crime Writer follows Zoey Kozinski, a novelist whose research ride-along with a cop turns deadly—leaving her the only witness to a shooting and the next target. Hansen delivers sharp suspense grounded in emotional realism, with a protagonist whose trauma feels raw and authentic.

A gripping mix of mystery, danger, and self-discovery set against the foggy California coast. Perfect for readers who like their thrillers smart, character-driven, and hard to put down.

[Robbin Stull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep sorrow, twisted fate in a small coastal town

Vinnie Hansen uses her well crafted skills and talent in her newest novel, Crime Writer. I could see the winding, redwood forrested mountain roads. I could smell the ocean scented fog rolling in, along with intense pot grow field, and the blood. The characters come alive, and die, with clarity and well crafted descriptions. All these together create a smooth story along a shocking journey for the Crime Writer.

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the author for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was great! The story had me hooked from the first chapter. I read it super quickly, as it felt easy and digestible! Definitely a great read for these fall months if you’re a thriller person!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hooked me IMMEDIATELY and I devoured it in one day. Chose this one mostly for the cover and I really lucked out and loved it. Excited to read more by Vinnie Hansen. Many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[T.G. Wolff · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRIME WRITER is a suspense. Writer Zoey Kozinski is looking for inspiration for her next crime fiction novel and she’s hoping to find it in a ride along with Playa Maria PD Officer Stan Austin. She gets more than she bargained for when Austin pulls over a sedan for a broken tail light and ends up the victim of a shooting. Zoey is a witness to the violent crime. The police want to hear what she knows … while the shooter wants to silence her. Permanently.

Bottom line: CRIME WRITER is for you if you like cat-and-mouse suspense in a small-town setting

Zoey Kozinski is a young writer who is finding success with her non-fiction book on the California cannabis trade and her first fiction novel. Now her publisher is asking for book 2 and all Zoey has is a blank page. After the violence during the ride along, she is afraid and distrusting of everyone and everything. The cops are treating her like a suspect and holding her notes hostage. The “good Samaritan” that stopped to help may be stalking her. Someone else may be following her. The Officer’s wife holds Zoey personally responsible. Her cannabis growing landlord might be getting into an explosive business. And Zoey is overdue on the first chapter of her new book.

Zoey Kozinski is an “average Jane” protagonist. She has no special training or skills that equip her for witnessing the shooting or dealing with the fall out. While she is the star, her story is about half the book as she works to process the trauma and regain control of her life. Overall, I found her likeable, especially when interacting with peers. She does have issues with authority figures—her mother, her editor, the police detective—which often doesn’t show her in the best light.

The bad guys take the lead in the other half of the chapters, so we as readers know who they are, what they did and what they’re planning to do. While their work and goals are at odds with Zoey, they too have no special training or skills, making the two sides of the story pretty evenly matched.

The storytelling is style is a take on a cat-and-mouse story. While Zoey is the protagonist, the witness, and psychologically a victim. She isn’t the detective trying to resolve what happened. The bad guys are trying to clean up the mess before the cops come knocking on their door. Zoey has only her own resources to use as the hunters draw near.

The tension builds nicely as Zoey remembers details of the shooting and becomes aware of the dangers around her. Standing at the end and looking to the front, the logic stands up well in this linear story. All characters are reacting to the single, spontaneous decision by the shooter. All are consistent with their nature as we know them. If there is anything to pick on in CRIME WRITER, for me its that with this small cast of about ten characters there is some amount of coincidence at play.

This was one that I read in a single sitting in the center seat of an airplane. The pages turned easily with the tension and action keeping my focus on Zoey and everything happening in Playa Maria. Suspense lovers will find a lot to sink their teeth into as will fans of “how they gonna catch’em” mysteries and cozy thrillers.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crime Writer, the new thriller by Vinnie Hansen, set in a fictitious California coastal town, starts with a bang. Literally. The protagonist, Zoe Kozinski, is an author doing research for her next book by riding along with a local police officer. When the cop pulls over a white sedan with a broken taillight in what should be a routine traffic stop, the driver opens fire and shoots him in the head. Zoe is the only witness. While she scrambles to call in the emergency, a “good Samaritan” stops to help—also driving a white sedan. Is this attractive, seemingly good-hearted man a potential friend and ally? Or is he the killer returning to clean up loose ends?
Instead of welcoming Zoe’s cooperation as a witness, the police look at her suspiciously. It doesn’t help that she left a few pages of her novel in progress in the squad car; her plot features a character on a ride-along where the police officer is shot. The detectives grill both her and Jimmy, the good Samaritan, suggesting the two might be in cahoots. And the fallen policeman’s widow is out for revenge. She files a lawsuit against the department’s ride-along program, claiming that Zoe distracted her husband from focusing fully on his job, which ultimately led to his death.
The story is told in close third person, alternating between Zoe and several other characters, including the shooter and his boss, who encourages him to “clean up the mess.” The shooter is a trigger-happy juvenile delinquent who panicked because he was driving his mother’s car, with stolen plates and a trunk loaded with contraband. Having the other viewpoints added to the suspense as the bad guys thwart the investigation and get closer to identifying and locating the witness they aim to eliminate.
Besides writing books, Zoe plays keyboards for a girl band and lives pretty much off the grid. She owns a tiny house/trailer parked rent-free on the property of an aging hippie friend, Harvey, who grows illegal marijuana in the mountains outside of town. (She met him when she was researching a nonfiction book about cannabis.) She’s an only child whose life is occasionally disrupted when her wealthy socialite mother comes to town—as she does shortly after Zoe’s traumatic experience witnessing the cop’s murder.
Thanks to Zoe’s agent/publicist, who is a friend of her mother, the press learns the identity of the infamous ride-along witness to the cop-killing. After an article featuring Zoe and her books appears in the local newspaper, the killer has his first breakthrough. The story quickly becomes a page-turner as the reader watches the killer put clues together and get closer and closer to his target. Zoe dodges several brushes with death without realizing it.
Another complication is that Harvey has a connection with the shooter’s employer. Zoe’s never quite sure who she can trust or where she can feel safe. No one comes through completely unscathed, but the ending is mostly satisfying, although bittersweet.
The writing is excellent, and the setting felt very real. Highly recommended!

[Beatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoey Kozinski has written one well received novel, and a book about marijuana in the run up to legalization. She now lives in a trailer home on the land of one of her interview subjects, the mostly benign Harvey. The book opens with Zoey doing a ride along with local Officer Stan Austin of the Playa Maria Park police department. He is a reluctant subject but as night falls, he spots a white car with a burned-out taillight and attempts to get the driver to pull over so that Zoey can see something remotely interesting before the end of the so far quiet shift.

The driver doesn't stop and they begin to pursue, with lights flashing and siren blaring until the white car finally pulls over. Officer Austin exits the cruiser and approaches the white car, only for the window to go down and for shots to be fired, killing him instantly. The white car speeds off, leaving a stunned Zoey trying to process in the glow of blue and red lights. Suddenly another car approaches, is it the killer coming back for her? It's a white car! But the man that climbs out and races towards the body, cellphone in hand, is wearing an eye patch and seems shocked. Zoey takes a chance that he wasn't the shooter and shows herself. She radios for help and soon nothing about her life will ever be the same.

Her book agent/publicist Helga, sends a local reporter her way, letting the world know that there was a witness to the cop killing. Austin's wife, is furious and thinks Zoey's presence distracted her husband, causing him to lose his life. Jimmy of the eyepatch was at the scene of the crime too quickly and why did he post video of her on the internet? Zoey is overwhelmed and suffering from writer's block. On top of this her gruff pot growing landlord, may be getting into something even more dangerous which would mean Zoey would no longer have a safe place to live.

There is an artificial ticking time clock in the shape of chapter headings reading Day 1, Day 2 etc with no real corresponding countdown in the story itself. We do learn that the shooting was an impulsive choice and that this same wildcard is dispatched to get rid of the witness.

Zoey is a weirdly messy character, who baths in at least two places other than her home, is frequently naked or barely dressed when dealing with people because she's a grown woman who is a complete mess, down to hating her mommy. She sleeps during the day, falls in poison oak, dresses like a stubborn teenager to piss off her mother, plays keyboards in a band and drives while stoned out of her mind from eating pot laced baked goods from Harvey.

There are terrible consequences but in the end Zoey and Jimmy are together and she isn't going to write a book about the ordeal. So...yeah, not sure what was the point. It feels like a really weird slice of life story where no one really learns anything or changes in any way.

[Kevintipple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any police officer will tell you there is no such thing as a routine traffic stop. Things can go bad in a second. That is exactly what happened to Officer Austin, and his ride along, Zoey Kozinski, in the new novel, Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen.

Zoey is a writer and in the police car this September evening because she is working on her project. The novel is pretty much stalled and she is hoping that the ride along might provide some real-world inspirational details that will help get it going. Her agent certainly would like to see some progress too.

It is the night shift for those on the job in Playa Maria County in the central coast of California and the ride along isn’t doing much at all for her. Officer Austin isn’t sharing much with her at all despite her best efforts.

After several unremarkable situations, Officer Austin decides to pull over a random car. It takes a considerable distance for the driver to stop as the person seems oblivious to the lights and siren. Once it does stop, the officer approaches the vehicle. Within seconds he is dead on the roadway.

The shooter immediately speeds off and then, within a couple of minutes, as Zoey tries to comprehend what she saw and get help, comes back and passes the scene. There is no way the shooter did not see her as the car came by. That means the shooter knows she is a witness.

A witness that needs to be eliminated.

A witness that the police believe is actually the suspect.

A witness the devastated widow firmly believes needlessly distracted her husband and father of their children and thereby got him killed.

What follows is Zoey trying to come to grips with what she saw and the aftermath of the tragedy. At the same time, she has to deal with suspicious members of law enforcement who treat here as a suspect as well as killer who is trying to find her and silence her. Things are complicated in her life before the shooting. All that gets way worse afterwards and gets even more complicated before long.

Don’t forget Mom. She is sure she knows best on all things and Zoey isn’t having it.

Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen is an entertaining fast moving read. It starts with a compelling idea about an officer killed during a ride along (a thankfully rare event) and builds out from there in a myriad of ways. Zoey is smart, funny, emotional, and a fiery redhead bundle of energy and contradictions.

It all makes Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen a solidly good read.


My ARC digital reading copy came from the publisher, Level Best Books, through NetGalley where I was already preapproved. There was no expectation of a review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025