What do you think?
Rate this book
Penchant For Vengeance
Charlottesville, Virginia, Police Detective Luke McGinty has a closet filled with demons, along with a few skeletons; a steady job, but no steady partner or girlfriend; and is still married to his wife Sallie, even though she’s been dead for three years. Then his detective work takes a turn for the worse when a body is discovered at the downtown mall. One dead body isn’t enough, though, and another one turns up. When ties to a cold murder case in another county present themselves, Luke realizes that, if he doesn’t tread carefully, he could end up short more than just a few answers…
- GenresMystery
259 pages, Paperback
Published August 19, 2017
61 people are currently reading
828 people want to read
About the author
Robert Downs
11 books438 followersRobert Downs aspired to be a writer before he realized how difficult the writing process was. Fortunately, he'd already fallen in love with the craft, otherwise his tales might never have seen print. Originally from West Virginia, he has lived in Virginia, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and now resides in California. When he’s not writing, Downs can be found reading, reviewing, traveling, or smiling. To find out more about his latest projects, or to reach out to him on the Internet, visit the author’s website: http://www.RobertDowns.net. The Bridal Chase is his seventh book and second novella.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 29, 2024
While I enjoyed some of the random metaphors and explicitly descriptive analogies, I found this book difficult to get into. The main character is cold and callous and (imo) features too much internal dialogue and not enough detective work.
Best of luck to the author in future works!
Best of luck to the author in future works!
February 10, 2018
I will always commend new authors on their dedication and perseverance to the writing process and I am grateful for the opportunity to receive and read new works!
Unfortunately, while the synopsis of this book was intriguing, the actual text falls short. The complete absurdity of the way in which the lead character conducts his "investigation" of the crime almost led me to believe this was actually a comedy narrative. (Spoiler alert: I'm actually shocked the lead character isn't suspended indefinitely by the end of the first quarter of the book.) Strange capitalization and the odd use of abbreviations in certain portions of the text distracted me as I tried to decipher the usage.
At times, it seems as though the author was distracted as he wrote and went off on unrelated tangents using excessively descriptive phrases - that had nothing to do with the plot. Characters are thrown into the mix to fill stereotypical roles with little or no development.
I wish the author the best of luck in developing future works!
Unfortunately, while the synopsis of this book was intriguing, the actual text falls short. The complete absurdity of the way in which the lead character conducts his "investigation" of the crime almost led me to believe this was actually a comedy narrative. (Spoiler alert: I'm actually shocked the lead character isn't suspended indefinitely by the end of the first quarter of the book.) Strange capitalization and the odd use of abbreviations in certain portions of the text distracted me as I tried to decipher the usage.
At times, it seems as though the author was distracted as he wrote and went off on unrelated tangents using excessively descriptive phrases - that had nothing to do with the plot. Characters are thrown into the mix to fill stereotypical roles with little or no development.
I wish the author the best of luck in developing future works!
November 9, 2017
2 stars
This book is written in the first person.
Detective Luke McGinty is called to the scene of a murder in Charlottesville, Virginia. The mutilated man is so far unidentified. McGinty gets the idea to go to church seeking ideas and possible clues to the total mutilation of his victim. He suspects that the murder might have religious aspects.
This book moves very slowly. It mostly consists of Detective McGinty wandering around and bumping into things like a moth on a hot light bulb.
I want to thank NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA), Members Titles for forwarding this book to me to read.
This book is written in the first person.
Detective Luke McGinty is called to the scene of a murder in Charlottesville, Virginia. The mutilated man is so far unidentified. McGinty gets the idea to go to church seeking ideas and possible clues to the total mutilation of his victim. He suspects that the murder might have religious aspects.
This book moves very slowly. It mostly consists of Detective McGinty wandering around and bumping into things like a moth on a hot light bulb.
I want to thank NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA), Members Titles for forwarding this book to me to read.
December 1, 2017
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
Penchant for Vengeance reads like a Scandinavian police drama – the kind that works great on TV, with a slow draw-out of who the killer might be. Well, you get the same effect here, but in book format. Police Detective Luke McGinty has a closet filled with demons. He’s still haunted by the memory of his wife Sallie, although she’s been dead for three years. He lives for his work, even more so when his newest job involves a body that indicates it might be the first of many…
The body is found at the downtown mall, an unidentified male victim. Soon after, a second victim is found, and Luke connects the cases with a cold murder case abroad. As Luke becomes engrossed in the killer’s wicked play, he realizes he might be battling true evil.
The tension had a slow build up, but I like that – the action wasn’t immediate, but rather you get a suspenseful feeling that lingers under your skin for the duration of the book, and you realize you can only relax when you’ve finished reading. A slow-burning thriller that will appeal to fans of the mystery genre.
Penchant for Vengeance reads like a Scandinavian police drama – the kind that works great on TV, with a slow draw-out of who the killer might be. Well, you get the same effect here, but in book format. Police Detective Luke McGinty has a closet filled with demons. He’s still haunted by the memory of his wife Sallie, although she’s been dead for three years. He lives for his work, even more so when his newest job involves a body that indicates it might be the first of many…
The body is found at the downtown mall, an unidentified male victim. Soon after, a second victim is found, and Luke connects the cases with a cold murder case abroad. As Luke becomes engrossed in the killer’s wicked play, he realizes he might be battling true evil.
The tension had a slow build up, but I like that – the action wasn’t immediate, but rather you get a suspenseful feeling that lingers under your skin for the duration of the book, and you realize you can only relax when you’ve finished reading. A slow-burning thriller that will appeal to fans of the mystery genre.
March 15, 2018
I won this book from a Goodreads wins. I tried to get into this book, but found that it just lagged. Spent to much time on the main character who still can't get over the death of his wife-he goes to a strip club and doesn't look because of his dead wife (really?) It didn't hold my interest that is why it took me so long to read it--I had to force my self to finish. It seemed more like a soap opera one that just dragged out--I have no idea what else the author has written, but I am sure that it can only get better.
April 22, 2018
Penchant for Vengeance by Robert Downs is a must read ! This novel features a homicide detective, haunted by his own demons from the past, now trying to solve the death of a body discovered at a downtown mall when another body turns up possibly tying into the first case.In working this case , the detective realizes he is also fighting for his job and perhaps his own life. Filled with a solid plot, fascinating characters Penchant for Vengeance is a book you don't want to put down.
January 28, 2018
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Unfortunately, I think the kindest thing I could do would be to not give a review, but I promised one. Starting from page one the writing is painfully bad. There is a story there, if you can get past the writing.
June 1, 2018
I enjoy a good detective story but Penchant for Vengeance did not impress me.I had a hard time concentrating on the story.I just got bored.Maybe it was me but I couldn't focus on the story.
FRANK Z.
FRANK Z.
October 30, 2017
I didn't take to Police Detective Luke McGinty or his investigation, and so didn't find the story of much interest.
A NetGalley Book
A NetGalley Book
November 14, 2017
I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.
To be flat honest I didn't really like this one all that much. It would make an good tv show perhaps but it fell flat for me as a book, just left me under whelmed.
To be flat honest I didn't really like this one all that much. It would make an good tv show perhaps but it fell flat for me as a book, just left me under whelmed.
November 5, 2017
I did not finish this book. After spending four days attempting to get into it and finishing about a third of it, I admitted to myself that it never grabbed my interest and finally gave up. Thanks to Net Galley and Black Opal for an ARC for an honest review.
December 4, 2017
I won this book on Goodreads. Unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. It reads a bit like an old Dragnet script.
March 2, 2018
Book Review: Penchant for Vengeance by Robert Downs
Review by Dawn Thomas
280 Pages
Publisher: Black Opal Books Publication
General Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Police Procedural
The story stakes place in Charlottesville, Virginia. Luke McGinty is a police detective. He is a solidary man haunted by the death of his wife three years ago. When he gets a call that a body was found in front of the movie theatre, he jumps into his 1974 Camaro and races to the scene. The place is crawling with police offices, forensic technicians and the medical examiner. The killer has staged the crime scene with religious connotations. His investigation takes him to a local church, a strip club, and a high school.
He begins to put the pieces together and realizes the case is bigger than he thought. He looks into a couple of other cases that seem unrelated to each other. He needs to find anything that might link the cases together if he wants to find the killer before he kills again.
The book is written in first person, present tense. The characters are developed but I found the main character a bit too sullen and at times unbelievable. An example is when he goes to a strip club and does not look at any of the women because of the memory of his wife. The story is well written and holds your interest but ends abruptly and leaves you wondering what happens next.
Review by Dawn Thomas
280 Pages
Publisher: Black Opal Books Publication
General Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Police Procedural
The story stakes place in Charlottesville, Virginia. Luke McGinty is a police detective. He is a solidary man haunted by the death of his wife three years ago. When he gets a call that a body was found in front of the movie theatre, he jumps into his 1974 Camaro and races to the scene. The place is crawling with police offices, forensic technicians and the medical examiner. The killer has staged the crime scene with religious connotations. His investigation takes him to a local church, a strip club, and a high school.
He begins to put the pieces together and realizes the case is bigger than he thought. He looks into a couple of other cases that seem unrelated to each other. He needs to find anything that might link the cases together if he wants to find the killer before he kills again.
The book is written in first person, present tense. The characters are developed but I found the main character a bit too sullen and at times unbelievable. An example is when he goes to a strip club and does not look at any of the women because of the memory of his wife. The story is well written and holds your interest but ends abruptly and leaves you wondering what happens next.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews