Fragile Brilliance

Ronan McCullough #1

by Eliot Parker

Charleston police sergeant Ronan McCullough is pushed to the limit when a deadly drug ring threatens the very core of the city.

When off-duty Charleston police sergeant Ronan McCullough responds to the assault of a college student outside a downtown sports bar, he is brutally attacked and nearly killed by the assailants. As he struggles with the physical and emotional damage and doggedly pursues the perpetrators, his personal and professional relationships are strained to the limit; and what he uncovers in his investigation takes him to heart of a deadly drug ring threatening the very core of the city.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 27, 2015

Reviews

[LenaRibka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up to 3 stars.


Ronan McCullough against the world.





Well, Fragile Brilliance: A Ronan McCullough Novel is a book that my hubby could pretty enjoy if it were a movie. Because it falls in the category of action thrillers, his favorite genre, where a strong stand-alone hero fights the battle against Evil and wins it at the end. Applause.

Ronan McCullough is our good guy here, even if not all his colleges cops got it.

One night Ronan occurred to be in the wrong place at the wrong time or, quite the opposite - who could save Charleston from this dangerous new synthetic drug krok(a very disgusting thing) instead of?!- and after that night Ronan happened to be ALWAYS at the right place at the right time- because if he wouldn't, then who could save the city from its bad destiny ?!

But not only Ronan occurred to be in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time- depends on- but all other members of his family seemed to have a special talent to be in the r/w place at the r/w time: his life partner Ty, who works as a nurse in the Charlston Area MercyHospital, his nephew Nick who run away from home to join his uncle, his homophobic sister Melissa who came for his son from Miami. They all suddenly occurred to be in the middle of local drugs war, because they continuously crossed the paths of bad guys.

Unfortunately there was a whole baggage of them here. But luckily they had a discrepancy in regard of money and loyalty, it is why they unintentionally made the job of the police easier killing each other. Don't be pleased too early: OF COURSE there were unsympathetic cops that put obstacles in Ronan-our-stand-alone-man's way. *boo!*

Though as it should - our hero and all his family members would survive and all conflicts would be solved.




It was an entertaining read, but I think this book could have been much better if it had been a bit shorter and hadn't been overcrowded with secondary characters and if the author hadn't payed too much attention to unnecessary details. Too many details were annoying, too many secondary characters were distracted, and superfluous descriptions of action scenes, that went pages over pages were rather confusing for my taste.


Fragile Brilliance: A Ronan McCullough Novel is a kind of book that is better to watch than to read. IMO.




***ARC of Fragile Brilliance: A Ronan McCullough Novel provided to Gay Book Reviews by the author, in exchange for an honest review.

[J. Schlenker · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're into fast paced crime story, then this may be your cup of tea, or make that cup of coffee, as there is a heavy dose of caffeine in this one with action around every corner. We are introduced to Sergeant Ronan McCullough of the Charleston, WV police force. He's a rule breaker and a risk taker in both his career and personal life.

Whether this will be a series or not, I don't know, but I see a lot of potential for it. The character of Ronan was developed just enough to want you to know his backstory--his previous relationships, what led him to Ty, when he discovered he was gay, and what his motivations for becoming a cop were. And will Nick, his nephew, follow in his footsteps, perhaps in the technical aspect of law?

And, does he ever get a full night's sleep?

[Sage Nestler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliot Parker is a master of storytelling. Not only did he manage to write a novel that involves a gay couple beautifully, but he managed to write the novel in a way that didn't just focus on the couple and nothing else in the story line. Instead, he painted out for the reader a fast paced mystery and emotionally tearing novel that made a gay relationship as normal as any other relationship. From page one I was engrossed by his lacy way of writing, and that is not something that I can say happens to me very often anymore due to the large amounts of books that I read and review on a daily basis.

Sometimes with books that focus on crime thrillers and involve the police force and emergency rooms, the audience is a very particular target audience; but after reading Fragile Brilliance I found that it would be perfect for any kind of reader. It is a great introductory novel into the genre, and the mystery and intrigue was heavy. I even found that the surprises, twists, and turns in his novel were reminiscent of the great James Patterson. Parker's novel punches you in the gut throughout the entire story, and I haven't felt punches like that since I read James Patterson's Beach Road. I am honestly very surprised that Parker isn't published on a wider scale, as he most definitely deserves the spotlight.

I admire the clever way that Parker laced multiple characters together in such a riveting novel without confusion, and I am absolutely looking forward to reading his other novels. His talent stands out in today's over-crowded literary world, and I strongly urge you to pick up one of his books. They will change you for the better, and I am not the same as I was before reading Fragile Brilliance. Parker's writing changed me in the best possible way, and my literary standards are now even higher than they were before.

[Shrilaxmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author.

I love thrillers and I have high expectations for them too and Fragile Brilliance did not let me down. It had me hooked. It was a very interesting story, not very predictable at all. The author shows you the complexities of each character and you can really understand them. You can also see different kinds of relationships like between Ty and Ronan, and Melissa and Ronan. The story mainly stuck to the plot and didn't wander but there were some unnecessary details and descriptions that kind of spoiled the feel of the mystery. But I loved the ending. There were a lot of twists and it was befitting that the book ended with one. An enjoyable read overall.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sergeant Ronan McCullough has worked twenty years for the Charleston, West Virginia Police Department. Ty Andino, Ronan’s life partner of two years, is an ER nurse. Being in West Virginia, they are still trying to keep their relationship on the down-low. Ty comes from old money, and is younger than Ronan, and at times, Ronan finds himself wondering why Ty is with him.

On his way home, Ronan sees a young man being attacked. He gets involved in the melee and is injured, and loses two days. Ty finally gets to take Ronan home, but Ronan struggles with a nightmare. To add to the chaos, Ronan’s nephew Nick, whom he hasn’t seen in ten years, shows up. His nephew is trying to escape from a bad situation at home. Ty is baffled; he’s been with Ronan all this time, and he’s never mentioned his nephew. Ronan gets a call when the suspects have been spotted; a manhunt pursues, and Ronan leaves Ty alone with Nick.

Drug dealers out to kill him, murder, a deadly drug on the streets, Nick in serious trouble and Ty in danger. Then the chaos goes from bad to worse. Ronan’s homophobe bitchy sister, Melissa, shows up to retrieve Nick.

Apart from keeping their relationship semi-hidden, Ty has a very strong personality in all this. He supports Nick and gives his all against Ronan’s dysfunctional family members, and even helps him with clues to the drug case.

Fragile Brilliance is a first time read for me by Eliot Parker. I really liked this fast paced, action thriller, mystery. There’s plenty of danger and suspense, and it gets a bit gory, too. The plot is centered around a drug called Krokodil, and the narrative describes some strategic police procedures. The multiple characters’ relationships are complex, and as the story progresses, we can see the changes come about. Overall, this was a good mystery and good read.

Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach

[Meredith Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of Eliot Parker's crime novels with the rough-and-tough-cop protagonist Ronan McCullough, who happens to be in a committed gay relationship. Ronan is a dependably determined officer who is willing to cut corners to catch bad guys, sometimes going farther than he should, as when he tortures an admitted-piece-of-crap bad guy in his hospital bed, probably causing his death.
The bad guys in this book have pretty much no socially redeeming characteristics-- a whole raft of drug addict/cartel types of many races and economic strata. Ronan's estranged and homophobic sister also appears, as does her son, Ronan's nephew. The sex scenes are good, and I loved the setting in Charleston, West Virginia!

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like the book. I love the idea of a gay detective/mystery book/series. But unfortunately, Ronan McCullough is a little too gung-ho about going up against the bad guys for my tastes. He comes across as very self-destructive and a lot of the scenes are far too coincidental. It's like he believes he's the only one who can fight crime and is definitely not a team player. He wasn't very nice to his partner Ty, either. It reminded me of a B action movie as did the dialogue which wasn't very realistic.

It's a shame, because like I said, the more gay protagonists in mysteries, the better. This just didn't work for me.

[Cyrene Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uncaged Book Reviews:

A fast paced gritty crime book that features on a new drug that’s hitting the streets hard turning up at football games and frat parties. It’s up to Ronan McCullough a police sergeant to put a stop to this. As he gets deeper involved in the case after saving a boy from death while off duty, only to have that same boy turn up dead at a routine football game.

It’s a deadly game of cat and mouse in this book and also features a lot of everyday social problems. A must read for any crime thriller fans. I really enjoyed this story. Reviewed by Jennifer

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thriller!
Fragile Brilliance: A Ronan Mccullough Novel, a 2016 Finalist for the Lords of Discipline Thriller Prize, is the third published novel by Eliot Parker. As the author introduces the characters, setting, and events it is evident right away why. This novel begins as the older haggard police sergeant, Ronan McCullough, and his devilishly handsome life partner Ty a young ER nurse are getting ready for their shifts. It then follows as the Charleston police sergeant happens upon an assault that is taking place of a young man and is also brutally attacked and nearly killed by the assailants. The author brings to life the events, and I even found myself wincing in pain as he described the physical and emotional toll of the attack and its aftermath. Because he refuses to sit back and let others pursue the perpetrators, both his personal and professional relationships are tested to their limits. Before it's over everyone in his life is in danger. This novel has lots of emotion, danger, and heroism throughout. This cop shows what dedication and perseverance are all about. Thanks to flawless editing, along with the excellent writing and use of language by the author this book grabs your attention and doesn't let go!

[Eliot Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Fragile Brilliance: A Ronan McCullough Novel is a police procedural mystery written by Eliot Parker. Sergeant Ronan McCullough was on his patrol in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, when he saw a large man holding a youth in place while another was savagely beating him. Ronan’s attempt to restore some order was met with deadly force as one of the men shot the youth and the two men then attacked him. Michael Warner, the youth who had been shot, survived the attack, and Ronan was treated for his injuries and released, but he found himself unable to follow the orders of his doctor to recover before he was back at work and on the trail of the assailants. While some may have dismissed the incident as a dispute over drugs, Ronan was convinced that there was a lot more to the story.

Eliot Parker's police procedural mystery, Fragile Brilliance: A Ronan McCullough Novel, is a gripping and suspenseful story that kept me reading and wondering what would happen next until I had finished the last page. Parker's characters are well defined and engaging, and the relationship between Ronan and Ty is marvelous. The author's coverage of their need for secrecy to protect Ronan's career is a sad reminder of the progress that still needs to be made in the public's perception of same-sex relationships, and that disparity is handled with perception and dignity by Parker. Krokodil, the street name for desomorphine, the drug in question during this story, is a truly frightening and deadly drug that is very much an international problem, and Fragile Brilliance admirably addresses this issue. As a reader, my first choice of genre is the police procedural, and this one ranks as one of the best I've read in some time. Fragile Brilliance: A Ronan McCullough Novel is most highly recommended.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ben ran the tip of his tongue around his lips. "This whole operation requires a fragile brilliance. A type of brilliance that allows you to think and feel and do things in ways you didn't know you were capable of doing or feeling. "....

The story takes place in Charleston W.V.. On his way into work, police sergeant Ronan McCullough, helps a college kid being assaulted outside a sports bar. During the attack Ronan is also attacked and left in bad shape.

Suffering stress related and health problems from the attack, Ronan refuses to give up his search for his attackers. By doing so he will put himself in even more danger when he finds himself uncovering a drug ring. His determination will threaten the balance he has with his partner Ty. Can they get through this, or is Ronan so hard headed about retribution that he's willing to lose the things he loves in the process?

The investigation will drag his family into the line of fire. Ronan will have to work with other officers that don't necessarily appreciate him. The drugs are spreading fast. Can they stop its infiltration into Charleston?

Steady pace, action packed. Gruesome drug usage aftermath. I enjoyed this mystery suspense. Even with his injuries Ronan won't give up, even if it means risking his job. It's also a story of family and those we would protect at all costs.

I also got to read this as an actual soft cover book, which I appreciated. I usually read and review with Kindle but it was a nice change to have the actual book for my shelf. I can see a future for "Ronan McCullough" as a series.

Thank you Eliot Parker

[Tyler M · Rating 2 out of 5]

The overall story was your stereotypical “I’m the only cop around here who knows how to get things done”. Nothing wrong with that that at all if that’s your cup of tea. Cop busts up a shakedown, and then finds he’s stumbled into a criminal can of worms. Characters are interesting enough and there’s a decent bit of action throughout.


Now for the bad.

The way everything was structured felt rushed and poorly written. There was no sense of time between scenes. Main character gets gravely injured, and is seemingly back up and working within a day. There were only a couple of times where it was said how much time had passed before the next scene. I was left feeling like this whole story happened over the course of a few days. The POV constantly shifted between characters without any rhyme or reason. There were odd grammar mistakes that took me out of the story a few times that should have been caught by an editor. Within the first chapter or two of the book, our police protagonist is fighting some thugs. The author mentions a name ([Name] rolled out of the way) without ever bringing that name up before only to have the character introduced in another sentence later in the paragraph. Not a huge deal, but confused me as I thought I should know who this was when I first read it. Little things like that kept cropping up. A character is mentioned waving a gun around, but the next line mentions they pick up a gun off the table. All of this just took me out of the story completely.

This read as more of a screenplay for a cop drama, which I would probably watch to be honest.

Overall, a decent story but was hoping for more.

[Debbie Maskus]

Fragile Brilliance stands as a finalist in the Pat Conroy 2016 thriller book prize and after an extensive search, I do not know the guidelines for this prize other than a book Southern in nature and writer by a Southern writer, and written in 2015. Fragile Brilliance fits these categories. The book covers a short period in the life of a West Virginia policeman fighting an overwhelming war against drug traffic at the university level. So many of the trite Southern themes of quirky women, sweet tea and Southern food, and ancestral location do not appear in this story. The story does center on a homosexual couple, and the description of their loving went a little too far for me. I missed the character development and setting description. After completing the novel, no character remains in my memory.

[Jennifer McLean · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was asked by the author to review his book. I must apologize to him that I could not give it a good review. Although the premise of the book was good, the actual execution of the idea and the writing fell short. The situations both medically and procedurally (police) were unbelievable and inaccurate. I have medical personal and police officers in my family and I took the time to ask about several situations written about in this book and was not surprised to find that what was written was inaccurate.

Beyond the research that the author needed to do to improve some of the information used, I also found the writing poor, especially the character interactions. So many of them seemed uncomfortable and stilted. For this reason I had to give this book a negative review.

[John Herrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first chapter of Fragile Brilliance alone reveals several aspects of the characters without a literal rundown. I loved that, and it drew me in immediately. The novel itself takes a main character commonly used in fiction and gives him a significant uncommon characteristic, which sets him apart from his peers. Eliot Parker's novel is filled with twists and turns, complete with a surprise ending ripe for a sequel. Looking forward to the next Ronan McCullough novel!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

FRAGILE BRILLIANCE
ONE MANS FIGHT AGAINST A DEADLY AND ADDICTIVE DRUG
RONAN MCCULLOUGH WAS OFF DUTY WHEN HE TRIED TO SAVE A KID FROM A BEATING BUT WAS INJURED HIMSELF. NOT ABLE TO LET IT GO, HIS MISSION AFFECTS HIS LOVER AND HIS FAMILY AS THEY ARE TARGETED BY THE DRUG DEALERS. I CAN HONESTLY SAY FRAGILE BRILLIANCE WAS A PAGE TURNER FROM START TO FINISH. HE IS A LIKEABLE CHARACTER AND THE PLOT WAS FIRST RATE FOR SUSPENSE. I GIVE THIS 5 STARTS

[Michael Connick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping police procedural set just down the road from where I live. Completely engaging - I couldn't put this book down and read it in just two days.