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Nefarious
Mitch Black is young, handsome and rich. He became a millionaire before the age of thirty by playing the stock market and opening up a nightclub with his cousin, Wesley Hunter. Mitch is also married, but he still enjoys playing the field. However, Mitch's life changes forever when he crosses paths with the beautiful Brea Jones. He falls head over heels in love with her, and his life soon goes on a downward spiral that doesn't stop until he hits rock bottom. He then experiences betrayal, personal loss, and tragedy. Will Mitch pick up the pieces of his fractured existence and turn things around, or will he get caught up in his quest for vengeance?
233 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2018
46 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Mark Stephen O'Neal
17 books4 followersI'm an independent author who currently resides in Chicago and writes urban crime fiction books. I enjoy watching crime dramas, comedy and sports; and I love traveling in my spare time. I'm also a follower of Christ who strives to be a positive influence daily. Look out for various new releases in the near future.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 27, 2019
”Lowlifes come with the territory, college boy.”
Chicago author Mark Stephen O’Neal writes urban crime fiction books. He has published five novels to date and NEFARIOUS is Book 1 of a new series the MITCH BLACK SERIES. Mark makes it a point to inform us he is African American – and his novels focus on African American characters. This is a refreshing advance in equality in literature.
The title NEFARIOUS suggests the direction of the story: nefarious is defined as wicked or criminal – and that describes some of the characters Mark has created. The flavor of Mark’s opening pages sets the tone well for this urban crime novel. ‘Mitch Black’s daily routine was interrupted at the 147th East exit with a lane closure and traffic buildup all the way to Bishop Ford Expressway split and beyond. He lived in the township of Lynwood, Illinois, a southern suburb on the outskirts of Chicago. “Man, this is unbelievable!” Mitch shouted to himself. “Why is there road construction going on in the middle of rush hour?! Do they even care that some of us still have to go to work/ Damn.” …When he was fifteen minutes form downtown, he thought of stopping for a breakfast sandwich and coffee before work. Before the light turned green, he saw his college roommate crossing the street. He turned right on Seventy-First Street and parked his car. “Yo, Max!” Mitch shouted, trying to get his attention. “What’s up, man?” “Black?” Max asked, looking in Mitch’s direction with blood-shot eyes…”
The flavor of Chicago is set and the two principal figures in the story have been introduced. So where does the plot take us? ‘Mitch Black is young, handsome and rich. He became a millionaire before the age of thirty by playing the stock market and opening up a nightclub with his cousin, Wesley Hunter. Mitch is also married, but he still enjoys playing the field. However, Mitch's life changes forever when he crosses paths with the beautiful Brea Jones. He falls head over heels in love with her, and his life soon goes on a downward spiral that doesn't stop until he hits rock bottom. He also experiences betrayal, personal loss, and tragedy. Will Mitch pick up the pieces of his broken life and turn things around, or will he get caught up in his quest for vengeance?’
Mark’s signature is the manner in which he tells his story with almost solid conversation. It works, better than extraneous descriptions. The characters he has created should serve him well as this new series progresses. Mark is a welcome new voice in the crime novel genre.
Chicago author Mark Stephen O’Neal writes urban crime fiction books. He has published five novels to date and NEFARIOUS is Book 1 of a new series the MITCH BLACK SERIES. Mark makes it a point to inform us he is African American – and his novels focus on African American characters. This is a refreshing advance in equality in literature.
The title NEFARIOUS suggests the direction of the story: nefarious is defined as wicked or criminal – and that describes some of the characters Mark has created. The flavor of Mark’s opening pages sets the tone well for this urban crime novel. ‘Mitch Black’s daily routine was interrupted at the 147th East exit with a lane closure and traffic buildup all the way to Bishop Ford Expressway split and beyond. He lived in the township of Lynwood, Illinois, a southern suburb on the outskirts of Chicago. “Man, this is unbelievable!” Mitch shouted to himself. “Why is there road construction going on in the middle of rush hour?! Do they even care that some of us still have to go to work/ Damn.” …When he was fifteen minutes form downtown, he thought of stopping for a breakfast sandwich and coffee before work. Before the light turned green, he saw his college roommate crossing the street. He turned right on Seventy-First Street and parked his car. “Yo, Max!” Mitch shouted, trying to get his attention. “What’s up, man?” “Black?” Max asked, looking in Mitch’s direction with blood-shot eyes…”
The flavor of Chicago is set and the two principal figures in the story have been introduced. So where does the plot take us? ‘Mitch Black is young, handsome and rich. He became a millionaire before the age of thirty by playing the stock market and opening up a nightclub with his cousin, Wesley Hunter. Mitch is also married, but he still enjoys playing the field. However, Mitch's life changes forever when he crosses paths with the beautiful Brea Jones. He falls head over heels in love with her, and his life soon goes on a downward spiral that doesn't stop until he hits rock bottom. He also experiences betrayal, personal loss, and tragedy. Will Mitch pick up the pieces of his broken life and turn things around, or will he get caught up in his quest for vengeance?’
Mark’s signature is the manner in which he tells his story with almost solid conversation. It works, better than extraneous descriptions. The characters he has created should serve him well as this new series progresses. Mark is a welcome new voice in the crime novel genre.
December 24, 2018
Boring
This book was boring and the women are stupid or slow one or the other. I didn’t like the main male character at all and the story just don’t make sense even though I only got to like 11%. I tried to push through but once I got to the club scene where he met Brea, I just had to let it go. So because she was just soooo beautiful to him he just had to get to know her and everything about her? Originally he just wanted to make her another side piece, so what changed? Her conversation was shallow as hell, so it couldn’t be that. He just met her and knew nothing about her so it couldn’t be that. I just don’t get it. Also for him to claim not to wanna be with his wife anymore, I would think that the reason for this would have been explained at the beginning,because there is nothing explaining this at all. Also the main character is just as shallow, he claims he got caught up in her looks and that’s why he married Sandra. Seems to be the same reason he is gonna fall in love with Brea. The author put wayyyy too many details in the story which made it so freakin boring for instance “he took a cigarette lit it and then blew the smoke out his nose” like okay we get it he smoked a cigarette after having sex with his wife. Then those details didn’t lead to anything significant. It was other details like that in the story overall I can’t finish this story.
This book was boring and the women are stupid or slow one or the other. I didn’t like the main male character at all and the story just don’t make sense even though I only got to like 11%. I tried to push through but once I got to the club scene where he met Brea, I just had to let it go. So because she was just soooo beautiful to him he just had to get to know her and everything about her? Originally he just wanted to make her another side piece, so what changed? Her conversation was shallow as hell, so it couldn’t be that. He just met her and knew nothing about her so it couldn’t be that. I just don’t get it. Also for him to claim not to wanna be with his wife anymore, I would think that the reason for this would have been explained at the beginning,because there is nothing explaining this at all. Also the main character is just as shallow, he claims he got caught up in her looks and that’s why he married Sandra. Seems to be the same reason he is gonna fall in love with Brea. The author put wayyyy too many details in the story which made it so freakin boring for instance “he took a cigarette lit it and then blew the smoke out his nose” like okay we get it he smoked a cigarette after having sex with his wife. Then those details didn’t lead to anything significant. It was other details like that in the story overall I can’t finish this story.
February 5, 2019
Full Credit Goes To The Author MARK STEPHEN O’NEAL That Inspite Of So Many Assorted Characters On The Landscape Of His Edge Of The Seat Novel ‘Nefarious ‘All Of Them Have Been Etched Out Simply Beautiful And Thus Each One Of Them Comes Across As Uniquely Different From The Next.
In Spite Of This Suspense Crime Thriller Spread Across 232 Pages In The Kindle Edition Not For A Single Moment Does The Reader Get Even Momentarily Distracted From The Plot That Is Both Gripping & Engrossing In Equal Measure.
The Suspense & The Chilling Action Makes ‘Nefarious’ Worth Reading While The Powerful Female Characters Bring On A Tingling Sensation As They Are Manipulating And Vulnerable In Equal Measure Standing Tall & Apart To The Men Who Maybe Vicious Gangsters But End Up As Putty In The Hands Of These Woman Who Use & Discard Men In A Manner That Is So Real.
So Who Were My Faves You Wonder Well I Would Say Nobody Comes Close To The Jones Twins Bria & Brea Who Really Confuse But Are None The Less Sexciting.
As ‘Nefarious’ Happens To Be Book 1 In The Mitch Black Series And Comes Across So Powerfully It Paves The Way To Engross The Reader So Deftly That One Cannot Wait To Dig Into The Other Books In This Series Penned By Mark Stephen O’Neal.
*I Received An Advanced Review Copy For Free And I Am Leaving This Review Voluntarily!!!
In Spite Of This Suspense Crime Thriller Spread Across 232 Pages In The Kindle Edition Not For A Single Moment Does The Reader Get Even Momentarily Distracted From The Plot That Is Both Gripping & Engrossing In Equal Measure.
The Suspense & The Chilling Action Makes ‘Nefarious’ Worth Reading While The Powerful Female Characters Bring On A Tingling Sensation As They Are Manipulating And Vulnerable In Equal Measure Standing Tall & Apart To The Men Who Maybe Vicious Gangsters But End Up As Putty In The Hands Of These Woman Who Use & Discard Men In A Manner That Is So Real.
So Who Were My Faves You Wonder Well I Would Say Nobody Comes Close To The Jones Twins Bria & Brea Who Really Confuse But Are None The Less Sexciting.
As ‘Nefarious’ Happens To Be Book 1 In The Mitch Black Series And Comes Across So Powerfully It Paves The Way To Engross The Reader So Deftly That One Cannot Wait To Dig Into The Other Books In This Series Penned By Mark Stephen O’Neal.
*I Received An Advanced Review Copy For Free And I Am Leaving This Review Voluntarily!!!
January 30, 2019
Nefarious (Mitch Black Series #1) is written by Mark Stephen O'Neal, a Chicago author who specializes in writing urban crime novels. The focus in his books is on African American characters, and this book follows in that vein. Here we have the main character being Mitch Black, a successful entrepreneur who owns a nightclub, and who also made money in the stock market. He is a self made man, and one who appears to play the field quite well when it comes to women. Though he is married, he has an ongoing affair with Jada. He seems to be happy and content, but then he meets Brea, and his fortune seems to change in more ways than one. Most of the story is delivered through the use of dialogue, there is little in the way of description regarding time and place, however the dialogue itself sets the tone well, and you get a good understanding of the way the story is headed. This is a solid entry into the urban crime genre, and looking forward to reading more from this authentic and rising star author. Highly recommend.
January 4, 2020
Well I gave this book a 2 star rating , & I have to be honest I am being very generous. This novel is rather dull & dry. There is absolutely nothing special about this novel from the characters to the storyline. It is rather poorly written, no imagination, characters are weak. I was waiting for the story to reach a climax , oddly enough it did but at the last page. I don't know how this book even got published. This is the kind of novel a 9th grader rights fir his summer homework. I honestly feel like I wasted my time reading this book.
October 9, 2022
Drama
Drama, lies, deceit..this had a little bit of everything. Mitch lost everything, his cousin, his club, his job, his wife and side chick. He had nothing left but revenge. Title is perfect.
Drama, lies, deceit..this had a little bit of everything. Mitch lost everything, his cousin, his club, his job, his wife and side chick. He had nothing left but revenge. Title is perfect.
August 31, 2020
Good read! Interesting storyline on how everyone was intertwined in someway.👍
September 21, 2022
very good twists
I am a avid reader and I have thoroughly enjoyed this story. Great writing. Looking forward to reading part two.
I am a avid reader and I have thoroughly enjoyed this story. Great writing. Looking forward to reading part two.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews