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Treacherous Hack: A thrilling, fast-paced police procedural with complex relationships and an unusual murder twist (Mike Stoneman #7)
From the award-winning Mike Stoneman Thriller series comes Book #7 — a gripping crime thriller set in the heart of a frozen New York City.
When electronics store owner Lou Palazzo is gunned down at a snowy Manhattan intersection, NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson catch a case that’s anything but ordinary. Back at Lou’s shop, two Chinese nationals linked to a powerful Shanghai cybercrime ring are dead. The only clue? A missing laptop computer, possibly containing something Lou was willing to die to protect.
Meanwhile, NYU student Ryan Gelb is panicking. His hacked laptop held the stolen university data — data he quietly gave to his Uncle Lou. Now Lou is dead, and whoever killed him is coming for the file. . . and for Ryan.
Caught between international cybercriminals, New York mobsters, and the police, Ryan is desperate to recover the file and avoid being expelled — or worse, executed.
As Mike and Jason untangle a web of secrets, lies, and digital deception, they're met with stonewalling from all NYU won’t talk, witnesses are hiding the truth, and even their closest allies are keeping dangerous secrets.
With the body count rising and a deadly showdown looming, the race is on to solve the mystery, recover the missing file, and avoid turning Lower Manhattan into a bloodbath.
Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and David Baldacci, this high-stakes police procedural mixes hard-boiled action, cybercrime intrigue, and unforgettable characters in a page-turning thriller you won’t be able to put down.
When electronics store owner Lou Palazzo is gunned down at a snowy Manhattan intersection, NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson catch a case that’s anything but ordinary. Back at Lou’s shop, two Chinese nationals linked to a powerful Shanghai cybercrime ring are dead. The only clue? A missing laptop computer, possibly containing something Lou was willing to die to protect.
Meanwhile, NYU student Ryan Gelb is panicking. His hacked laptop held the stolen university data — data he quietly gave to his Uncle Lou. Now Lou is dead, and whoever killed him is coming for the file. . . and for Ryan.
Caught between international cybercriminals, New York mobsters, and the police, Ryan is desperate to recover the file and avoid being expelled — or worse, executed.
As Mike and Jason untangle a web of secrets, lies, and digital deception, they're met with stonewalling from all NYU won’t talk, witnesses are hiding the truth, and even their closest allies are keeping dangerous secrets.
With the body count rising and a deadly showdown looming, the race is on to solve the mystery, recover the missing file, and avoid turning Lower Manhattan into a bloodbath.
Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and David Baldacci, this high-stakes police procedural mixes hard-boiled action, cybercrime intrigue, and unforgettable characters in a page-turning thriller you won’t be able to put down.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 2, 2026
1 person want to read
About the author
Kevin G. Chapman
22 books242 followersIn 2025, I will be publishing my 10th novel, Treacherous Hack, book #7 in my Mike Stoneman series.
My 2023 stand-alone novel, The Other Murder, won the GRAND PRIZE CLUE award as the best suspense/thriller of 2023 (Chanticleer International Book Awards)! The Other Murder is about a high-profile murder and the media frenzy it creates, and the other murder that nobody cares about. When two journalists team up to investigate the two murders, nothing is as it seems, and the most dangerous thing . . . is the truth.
Be sure to also check out another stand-alone novel titled Dead Winner, where the quest for a $60 million dollar winning lottery ticket turns deadly. Dead Winner was named the BEST POLICE PROCEDURAL OF THE YEAR and Blue Ribbon winner of the CLUE Award.
Also new is a short story titled The Car, the Dog & the Girl, which is available FREE from Kevin's website and from Amazon and other ebook retailers.
And, of course, look for my 7-book Mike Stoneman series has garnered wonderful reviews and critical acclaim, including:
Book #4 -- Fatal Infraction, was the WINNER of the CLUE Award as best police procedural of 2021 and is a Semi-Finalist for the 2022 Kindle Book Award
Book #3, Lethal Voyage, was the WINNER of the 2021 Kindle Book Award (best mystery/thriller) and a Finalist for the CLUE and the 2021 RONE Award (InD'Tale magazine),
Kevin lives in Central New Jersey with his photographer wife. When not in times of global pandemic, they love to travel (on cruise ships, especially) and Kevin loves playing tournament poker and cheering on his beloved New York Mets.
My 2023 stand-alone novel, The Other Murder, won the GRAND PRIZE CLUE award as the best suspense/thriller of 2023 (Chanticleer International Book Awards)! The Other Murder is about a high-profile murder and the media frenzy it creates, and the other murder that nobody cares about. When two journalists team up to investigate the two murders, nothing is as it seems, and the most dangerous thing . . . is the truth.
Be sure to also check out another stand-alone novel titled Dead Winner, where the quest for a $60 million dollar winning lottery ticket turns deadly. Dead Winner was named the BEST POLICE PROCEDURAL OF THE YEAR and Blue Ribbon winner of the CLUE Award.
Also new is a short story titled The Car, the Dog & the Girl, which is available FREE from Kevin's website and from Amazon and other ebook retailers.
And, of course, look for my 7-book Mike Stoneman series has garnered wonderful reviews and critical acclaim, including:
Book #4 -- Fatal Infraction, was the WINNER of the CLUE Award as best police procedural of 2021 and is a Semi-Finalist for the 2022 Kindle Book Award
Book #3, Lethal Voyage, was the WINNER of the 2021 Kindle Book Award (best mystery/thriller) and a Finalist for the CLUE and the 2021 RONE Award (InD'Tale magazine),
Kevin lives in Central New Jersey with his photographer wife. When not in times of global pandemic, they love to travel (on cruise ships, especially) and Kevin loves playing tournament poker and cheering on his beloved New York Mets.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 25, 2025
This is a bit different plot for Mike Stoneman and his partner, Jason Dickson. You learn early in the story who the murderer is, but you are left guessing what was hacked and why? And which group of mobsters will be successful in retrieving the much sought after data? And then of course is Jason’s wife, looking for her big break in headline news versus her usual fluff pieces, chasing the murder story as well. This is a great story that keeps the reader on his or her toes with multi-plot lines woven throughout, a variety of mobster groups all wanting the same data, but it appears all computer illiterate. I enjoyed the story as it kept me engaged throughout the entire book. Definitely, worth the read. I received a complimentary ARC, but I am voluntarily offering my personal opinion.
November 11, 2025
Treacherous Hack: A Mike Stoneman Mystery by Kevin G. Chapman is a gripping story that begins with a code, a killing and a lie that sets off a storm no one can contain.
Lou Palazzo, a whiz at computer hacks since his years as a foot soldier in the Gallata crime organization, is first shown arguing on the phone with Cannon, a current Gallata lieutenant to whom Lou offered to sell a heavily encrypted data file which was hacked by the Chinese Mob. Lou thinks the file could be a gold mine and that its content could be worth much more than the hundred-thousand-dollar fee he had charged. Fast forward to the time the file is open, and Cannon arrives accompanied by two armed men. Lou, however, knows better than to just hand him the file. His plan goes south when the meeting turns chaotic, setting the stage for the murder investigation that drives the plot.
As detectives investigate, the case starts to shift from a simple homicide to a tangled web of mob corruption and cyber-crime. This connection is revealed through how the file initially came into Lou's hands. His nephew Ryan and his friend Will, both students in a cybersecurity course, developed an idea, a class project to show their professor how a hacker on the dark web might try to infiltrate a computer system. All goes as planned, much to their fascination, until they find a hidden file inside the user account created by a Trojan Horse program from the hackers. Unbeknownst to both Ryan and Will, the file is not a harmless digital leftover, but a vault with the potential to trigger a chain of life-threatening events that can follow them if they dare to look into what the file contained.
This story, unlike traditional police procedurals that focus majorly on street-level crime, emerges as unique because of its utilization of modern digital warfare. One cannot resist its careful balance of old-school detective feel and modern cyber intrigue. Each chapter is electrifying and so is every one of its characters, from the steadfast and hawk-eyed detectives to the desperate mobsters. Right from the opening scene, where no clear motive is revealed and where more questions than answers hang in the air, the story hooks the reader, not with sudden twists but with a sense of methodical revelation that comes in slowly. It feels like a cat and mouse game setup that intensifies with every new page, with scenes that end with either a question raised or a threat unresolved.
Treacherous Hack: A Mike Stoneman Mystery by Kevin G. Chapman has a simple setup for readers to follow easily, as well as multiple perspectives through which detectives, journalists, hackers and mobsters allow the reader to see every side of the crime. This is a unique idea that also make the story larger, sharper and more emotionally charged.
Quill says: Of all the thrilling mysteries you've read, this story will grab you the hardest and refuse to let go. Chapman writes with the clarity of a journalist as well as the insight of a story teller, to give his audience a read whose climax feels urgent, not to find out who does what, but to see how all the pieces finally lock in place. Readers who enjoy layered storytelling and cinematic tales should not miss this book!
Lou Palazzo, a whiz at computer hacks since his years as a foot soldier in the Gallata crime organization, is first shown arguing on the phone with Cannon, a current Gallata lieutenant to whom Lou offered to sell a heavily encrypted data file which was hacked by the Chinese Mob. Lou thinks the file could be a gold mine and that its content could be worth much more than the hundred-thousand-dollar fee he had charged. Fast forward to the time the file is open, and Cannon arrives accompanied by two armed men. Lou, however, knows better than to just hand him the file. His plan goes south when the meeting turns chaotic, setting the stage for the murder investigation that drives the plot.
As detectives investigate, the case starts to shift from a simple homicide to a tangled web of mob corruption and cyber-crime. This connection is revealed through how the file initially came into Lou's hands. His nephew Ryan and his friend Will, both students in a cybersecurity course, developed an idea, a class project to show their professor how a hacker on the dark web might try to infiltrate a computer system. All goes as planned, much to their fascination, until they find a hidden file inside the user account created by a Trojan Horse program from the hackers. Unbeknownst to both Ryan and Will, the file is not a harmless digital leftover, but a vault with the potential to trigger a chain of life-threatening events that can follow them if they dare to look into what the file contained.
This story, unlike traditional police procedurals that focus majorly on street-level crime, emerges as unique because of its utilization of modern digital warfare. One cannot resist its careful balance of old-school detective feel and modern cyber intrigue. Each chapter is electrifying and so is every one of its characters, from the steadfast and hawk-eyed detectives to the desperate mobsters. Right from the opening scene, where no clear motive is revealed and where more questions than answers hang in the air, the story hooks the reader, not with sudden twists but with a sense of methodical revelation that comes in slowly. It feels like a cat and mouse game setup that intensifies with every new page, with scenes that end with either a question raised or a threat unresolved.
Treacherous Hack: A Mike Stoneman Mystery by Kevin G. Chapman has a simple setup for readers to follow easily, as well as multiple perspectives through which detectives, journalists, hackers and mobsters allow the reader to see every side of the crime. This is a unique idea that also make the story larger, sharper and more emotionally charged.
Quill says: Of all the thrilling mysteries you've read, this story will grab you the hardest and refuse to let go. Chapman writes with the clarity of a journalist as well as the insight of a story teller, to give his audience a read whose climax feels urgent, not to find out who does what, but to see how all the pieces finally lock in place. Readers who enjoy layered storytelling and cinematic tales should not miss this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I used to read a lot of thrillers and crime novels, but what put me off was how unrealistic they were, especially when it came to the technological side of things. It's the same reason I drifted away from police dramas like NCIS or Criminal Minds. Sure you've managed to hack the suspect's computer and pin down his location within thirty seconds of learning his name. Suuurrreee.
Treacherous Hack, luckily, doesn't play into those stereotypes. The story here is a unique blend of mob crime and cybercrime, so not only do you have the detectives coming up against wall after wall of well-protected suspects and people who know how to eliminate evidence, but you can also factor in the invisible and likely unguessable object providing the motive. The story's finale (no spoilers!) is one that, while realistic and probably the best outcome anyone could've hoped for, leaves a bitter taste in the back of your throat, knowing that justice has not been doled out quite in equal doses.
I've read a few of Chapman's thrillers before (see my reviews for Dead Winner and The Other Murder), and one thing he does well is research. The pacing is excellent for a thriller, a little slower than some others, but in a way that allows this wonderful tension to build between the characters. One of his strengths is presenting the story from all angles; not only do we see Jason and Mike's investigation, but we get Rachel's reporting, Ryan's own investigation, and view the case from the perspective of the criminals as well, which gives the text this great dramatic irony. The one downside to the prose itself for me was its dry tone, a little more focused on the action rather than creating the surrounding environment like in his previous books.
I've mentioned the characters briefly, but I have to emphasise that they are the absolute highlight of this story. The tension between Jason and Rachel, deviating from their usual routines under professional scrutiny and having that internal conflict over prioritising their relationship or their job was masterfully done. I loved the chapters following Ryan and Will, particularly when Star was involved; Ryan's dishonesty and his own personal motivations felt like a refreshing twist on a classic trope, especially with Star and Mike so close to one another.
I have to admit though, I am as bad as the mobsters—I wanted to know what was on the dingus just as much as they did!
Treacherous Hack, luckily, doesn't play into those stereotypes. The story here is a unique blend of mob crime and cybercrime, so not only do you have the detectives coming up against wall after wall of well-protected suspects and people who know how to eliminate evidence, but you can also factor in the invisible and likely unguessable object providing the motive. The story's finale (no spoilers!) is one that, while realistic and probably the best outcome anyone could've hoped for, leaves a bitter taste in the back of your throat, knowing that justice has not been doled out quite in equal doses.
I've read a few of Chapman's thrillers before (see my reviews for Dead Winner and The Other Murder), and one thing he does well is research. The pacing is excellent for a thriller, a little slower than some others, but in a way that allows this wonderful tension to build between the characters. One of his strengths is presenting the story from all angles; not only do we see Jason and Mike's investigation, but we get Rachel's reporting, Ryan's own investigation, and view the case from the perspective of the criminals as well, which gives the text this great dramatic irony. The one downside to the prose itself for me was its dry tone, a little more focused on the action rather than creating the surrounding environment like in his previous books.
I've mentioned the characters briefly, but I have to emphasise that they are the absolute highlight of this story. The tension between Jason and Rachel, deviating from their usual routines under professional scrutiny and having that internal conflict over prioritising their relationship or their job was masterfully done. I loved the chapters following Ryan and Will, particularly when Star was involved; Ryan's dishonesty and his own personal motivations felt like a refreshing twist on a classic trope, especially with Star and Mike so close to one another.
I have to admit though, I am as bad as the mobsters—I wanted to know what was on the dingus just as much as they did!
November 19, 2025
I enjoyed this book. The story is told on several fronts, giving you a full and detailed picture as the investigation unfolds. This works well as it keeps the story entertaining and moving at a fast pace. Of course Mike and Jason as lead detectives are investigating the murders but Jason's wife is also looking for her big break and is reporting on the incident, you also have several parties from the collage students to Chinese hackers to New York mobsters looking for the device. This might sound confusing and complicated but it's not, instead you get a well written thriller with heart that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I liked the characters and with this being book 7 in the series the characters are well established and I like joining them on there investigations, even the home life drama keeps it entertaining. I liked the round up at the end of the book, which tells you what happened to the characters (that you had gotten to know so well) after everything was said and done, a nice way to finish. I can't wait for the next book.
When electronics store owner Lou Palazzo receives a memory stick from his nephew things turn deadly and he ends up dead but not before he is able to hide the programme and leave a clue. His nephew knows he is in trouble with his college but he has no idea the New York mob and a Chinese syndicate is tracking his every move as he tries to find what his uncle left for him. At the same time
Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson are assigned the investigate into the murder and ran sacking of the shop. This proves problematic when Jason's wife is asked to cover the story and she needs a bit scoop. Can Mike and Jason figure out what is going on before the college boys find themselves in trouble they can't get out of.
I like that the author is also the narrator. He already knows the characters and this translates into him bringing the characters to life like no body else can. He also gives them very different voices.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
When electronics store owner Lou Palazzo receives a memory stick from his nephew things turn deadly and he ends up dead but not before he is able to hide the programme and leave a clue. His nephew knows he is in trouble with his college but he has no idea the New York mob and a Chinese syndicate is tracking his every move as he tries to find what his uncle left for him. At the same time
Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson are assigned the investigate into the murder and ran sacking of the shop. This proves problematic when Jason's wife is asked to cover the story and she needs a bit scoop. Can Mike and Jason figure out what is going on before the college boys find themselves in trouble they can't get out of.
I like that the author is also the narrator. He already knows the characters and this translates into him bringing the characters to life like no body else can. He also gives them very different voices.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
December 5, 2025
The center of this story was a murder that was looked at from different angles. There were the cops trying to solve the murder and the TV reporter trying to cover the story. There were also the victim’s loved ones trying to find what he was killed for, and of course there were also the bad guys. The sharing (or more often not sharing) of information was a recurrent issue. This was seen with husband/wife, cop/reporter, suspect/authority, between the 2 teams of villains, etc.
I liked how there were different elements to the story, and how they interconnected. But I wasn’t too invested in it. I found it a little repetitive and I was skimming at times without apparently missing anything of value.
This is my honest review, and I am posting it voluntarily. Thanks to the author & publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I liked how there were different elements to the story, and how they interconnected. But I wasn’t too invested in it. I found it a little repetitive and I was skimming at times without apparently missing anything of value.
This is my honest review, and I am posting it voluntarily. Thanks to the author & publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
November 5, 2025
Audiobook: I enjoyed this book as much as the others in the series. My attention was riveted by the story as NYPD homicide detectives, Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson, worked to unravel the mystery behind the murder of Lou Palazzo. I liked the interactions between the detectives and their families as that added to the realism of the characters. I felt for Ryan and his friends as they were drawn into the murder mystery surrounding Ryan's uncle's death. I was entertained by all the twists. I thought Kevin G. Chapman's narration was great as his performance added emotional depth to his characters. I was given an advanced listener's copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed this well plotted police procedural. The characters, both major and minor, are all well drawn and authentic. The premise of Chinese hacking efforts on academic institutions is believable. Recommended for readers who like mysteries or thrillers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews