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Mike Stoneman #1
Righteous Assassin
Kindle Book Award Semi-Finalist (Mystery/Thriller)
CLUE Award Semi-Finalist (Chanticleer Book Review)
A MOB BOSS IS EATEN ALIVE BY TIGERS AT THE BRONX ZOO. . . .
That was the fourth unsolved murder in four months – each on the last Saturday.
The other three were even more unusual . . . .
Could they be related? The victims share no similar traits and have no connections. Why would a single killer choose such strange and disparate methods? Why spread your victims across all of New York?
Each new murder adds a piece to the killer’s jigsaw puzzle, but unraveling the clues and finding the killer’s pattern may not be enough to catch him
NYPD homicide Detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson have to stop the elusive killer before he completes his decathlon of death. And, they have to deal with an FBI profiler, who has been called in to help. Mike must also avoid being distracted by Medical Examiner Michelle McNeill, who seems to be on his mind a lot lately. She’s an asset to the investigation, but is this any time to be starting a romance?
The task force is racing against the calendar. Only one thing is certain – on the last Saturday of the month, there will be blood.
CLUE Award Semi-Finalist (Chanticleer Book Review)
A MOB BOSS IS EATEN ALIVE BY TIGERS AT THE BRONX ZOO. . . .
That was the fourth unsolved murder in four months – each on the last Saturday.
The other three were even more unusual . . . .
Could they be related? The victims share no similar traits and have no connections. Why would a single killer choose such strange and disparate methods? Why spread your victims across all of New York?
Each new murder adds a piece to the killer’s jigsaw puzzle, but unraveling the clues and finding the killer’s pattern may not be enough to catch him
NYPD homicide Detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson have to stop the elusive killer before he completes his decathlon of death. And, they have to deal with an FBI profiler, who has been called in to help. Mike must also avoid being distracted by Medical Examiner Michelle McNeill, who seems to be on his mind a lot lately. She’s an asset to the investigation, but is this any time to be starting a romance?
The task force is racing against the calendar. Only one thing is certain – on the last Saturday of the month, there will be blood.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 18, 2018
593 people are currently reading
793 people 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 - 30 of 159 reviews
May 23, 2022
I want to thank the writer, Kevin, & Blackthorn Book Tours for accepting me as a part of this book tour. As much as I appreciated reading this book, I was equally happy being a part of the tour.
A serial assassin is out open, taunting the authorities by slipping clues regarding his future kills & even providing an in-depth version of his past ones. Ain't that truly psychotic?!
My first encounter with this author & I can't describe my joy in holding this bone-chilling horror tale. His narrative is so gripping & precise (from the slayings to the officer processes) that I couldn't discontinue reading it. I had goosebumps in multiple circumstances & I was on edge in the remaining; I'm confident I wouldn't have relished it any different way. I wish it fetches Netflix's visions & is transformed into a mini-series.
If you love reading serial crime nail-biters, give this fast-paced, action-thriller a good look.
A serial assassin is out open, taunting the authorities by slipping clues regarding his future kills & even providing an in-depth version of his past ones. Ain't that truly psychotic?!
My first encounter with this author & I can't describe my joy in holding this bone-chilling horror tale. His narrative is so gripping & precise (from the slayings to the officer processes) that I couldn't discontinue reading it. I had goosebumps in multiple circumstances & I was on edge in the remaining; I'm confident I wouldn't have relished it any different way. I wish it fetches Netflix's visions & is transformed into a mini-series.
If you love reading serial crime nail-biters, give this fast-paced, action-thriller a good look.
February 1, 2019
I received a free copy of this very enjoyable police thriller from the author after he posted on the Crime Fiction Addicts Facebook page that he was looking for reviewers. It appears to be the start of a new police series, set in New York.
Mike Stoneman is a senior detective with the NYPD, somewhat old-fashioned in his approach and proud of his reputation as a hard-a**. His new partner, Jason Dickson, suspects that a series of bizarre murders, with no apparent links, but all occurring on the last Saturday of the month, are the work of a serial killer. Stoneman is initially sceptical, but when they discover that each death relates to the ten biblical plagues, and is posting reports on his project as the Angel of Death online, the team, assisted by an FBI profiler, must work together to track the murderer as his kills become ever more gruesome.
This was a well written police procedural, the author is a lawyer who obviously has extensive knowledge of the system. I liked the gradually evolving relationship between Mike and Jason: their initial antagonism, based on the junior detective’s irritation at always being disrespected and called kid or rookie, and the senior’s resentment that his colleague appears to have been promoted because of affirmative action rather than merit, gives way to better understanding and warmth. Mike’s bumbling romance with the sexy medical examiner was also quite sweet. We got a lot of insight into the killer’s mind through his blog, as he justifies his actions by only killing scumbags - and many of the police secretly, or even openly, agree with him.
There were no great twists or surprises in the plot, which followed a fairly standard serial killer arc, but there was plenty of tension as the hunt for the perpetrator escalates. The recurrent references to menstruation, due to the cyclical pattern of the murders, as an insight into juvenile police humour, were rather crass and unnecessary, but the author seems to realise this eventually himself when the hero declines to use it out of respect for his female colleague - this should have happened a lot earlier.
Overall I would recommend this to fans of the Harry Bosch series, and will be looking forward to the next instalment. There is a short story at the end which serves as a nice introduction to Stoneman’s personality, and reinforces that the good cop is not squeaky clean, which makes him far more interesting in my opinion. My thanks to Kevin Chapman for the opportunity to review his book.
Mike Stoneman is a senior detective with the NYPD, somewhat old-fashioned in his approach and proud of his reputation as a hard-a**. His new partner, Jason Dickson, suspects that a series of bizarre murders, with no apparent links, but all occurring on the last Saturday of the month, are the work of a serial killer. Stoneman is initially sceptical, but when they discover that each death relates to the ten biblical plagues, and is posting reports on his project as the Angel of Death online, the team, assisted by an FBI profiler, must work together to track the murderer as his kills become ever more gruesome.
This was a well written police procedural, the author is a lawyer who obviously has extensive knowledge of the system. I liked the gradually evolving relationship between Mike and Jason: their initial antagonism, based on the junior detective’s irritation at always being disrespected and called kid or rookie, and the senior’s resentment that his colleague appears to have been promoted because of affirmative action rather than merit, gives way to better understanding and warmth. Mike’s bumbling romance with the sexy medical examiner was also quite sweet. We got a lot of insight into the killer’s mind through his blog, as he justifies his actions by only killing scumbags - and many of the police secretly, or even openly, agree with him.
There were no great twists or surprises in the plot, which followed a fairly standard serial killer arc, but there was plenty of tension as the hunt for the perpetrator escalates. The recurrent references to menstruation, due to the cyclical pattern of the murders, as an insight into juvenile police humour, were rather crass and unnecessary, but the author seems to realise this eventually himself when the hero declines to use it out of respect for his female colleague - this should have happened a lot earlier.
Overall I would recommend this to fans of the Harry Bosch series, and will be looking forward to the next instalment. There is a short story at the end which serves as a nice introduction to Stoneman’s personality, and reinforces that the good cop is not squeaky clean, which makes him far more interesting in my opinion. My thanks to Kevin Chapman for the opportunity to review his book.
January 24, 2022
Righteous Assassin drops you straight into the hunt for a serial killer who believes that he is the Angel of Death. A warped man who kills the worst of the worst among the New York population. You can expect a gruelling hunt filled with frustration as the police and FBI chase around town in search of this creative clever, killer.
This was my first encounter with Kevin G. Chapman. He writes a gripping, extremely detailed story filled with police procedures and a gruelling hunt for a killer. The story is written at different pacing, at times you are on the edge of your seat convinced the police finally have something only to be dropped back to square one with very little happening. This keeps you feeling as if you are part of the chase as you flip the pages, never sure what the next page will bring.
When rookie detective Dickson notices an unusual link between various brutal murders in New York, his experienced partner, Detective Mike Stoneman is not immediately convinced. However, Mike agrees to have a closer look at the various cases. With the help of ME Dr Michelle McNeill, they discover a link and soon they are on the hunt for a serial killer. This clever individual covers his track well and the detectives enlist the help of the FBI. However, even with the additional manpower, the killer is elusive. Can Detective Stoneman find this killer before he strikes again?
This book was a tiring read. You experience all the ups and downs of the investigation, sharing the disappointment as each new lead get the police no closer to identifying the man they are hunting. The author did a great job in allowing the reader to share the emotion.
Detective Mike Stoneman is an old school cop partnered with a rookie he needs to train. While Detective Dickson is good at what he does, Mike fears that he only received the promotion to Detective because he is not white. This adds pressure to the partnership and shows Mike not having full faith in his partner. As the story intensifies you are drawn into this tension as the emotions start running high. These two characters manage to put their differences aside and end up succeeding while building trust in each other. The author added in a mild love interest for Detective Stoneman which added the occasional smile and lighten this heavy tale just enough.
This was a hard read, and the “religious-nut” serial killer has been done before, but the author managed to keep it fresh and interesting while he drops you into the police hunt. That made it a gripping, emotional ride which I have to say I enjoyed immensely.
If you are a fan of a police procedural, hunting for a serial killer and keen on experiencing the emotional rollercoaster ride of the hunt, then this is the book for you. Be warned there are a few gruesome murders covered in this story, and while they are not excessively graphic, if you are not keen on gory details you might find yourself slightly uncomfortable with some scenes.
This was my first encounter with Kevin G. Chapman. He writes a gripping, extremely detailed story filled with police procedures and a gruelling hunt for a killer. The story is written at different pacing, at times you are on the edge of your seat convinced the police finally have something only to be dropped back to square one with very little happening. This keeps you feeling as if you are part of the chase as you flip the pages, never sure what the next page will bring.
When rookie detective Dickson notices an unusual link between various brutal murders in New York, his experienced partner, Detective Mike Stoneman is not immediately convinced. However, Mike agrees to have a closer look at the various cases. With the help of ME Dr Michelle McNeill, they discover a link and soon they are on the hunt for a serial killer. This clever individual covers his track well and the detectives enlist the help of the FBI. However, even with the additional manpower, the killer is elusive. Can Detective Stoneman find this killer before he strikes again?
This book was a tiring read. You experience all the ups and downs of the investigation, sharing the disappointment as each new lead get the police no closer to identifying the man they are hunting. The author did a great job in allowing the reader to share the emotion.
Detective Mike Stoneman is an old school cop partnered with a rookie he needs to train. While Detective Dickson is good at what he does, Mike fears that he only received the promotion to Detective because he is not white. This adds pressure to the partnership and shows Mike not having full faith in his partner. As the story intensifies you are drawn into this tension as the emotions start running high. These two characters manage to put their differences aside and end up succeeding while building trust in each other. The author added in a mild love interest for Detective Stoneman which added the occasional smile and lighten this heavy tale just enough.
This was a hard read, and the “religious-nut” serial killer has been done before, but the author managed to keep it fresh and interesting while he drops you into the police hunt. That made it a gripping, emotional ride which I have to say I enjoyed immensely.
If you are a fan of a police procedural, hunting for a serial killer and keen on experiencing the emotional rollercoaster ride of the hunt, then this is the book for you. Be warned there are a few gruesome murders covered in this story, and while they are not excessively graphic, if you are not keen on gory details you might find yourself slightly uncomfortable with some scenes.
December 31, 2018
Like Instinct? You'll love this book. Mike Stoneman is an NYC detective hunting a serial killer on the loose who strikes once a month. The book has so many authentic details, you'll feel like you're in the NYPD yourself trying to crack the case. Really enjoyed this book -- so much so that I nearly missed a subway stop because I was so caught up in the plot.
February 11, 2019
A Familiar Crime-Thriller Plot Implemented with Some Gruesome Action
Righteous Assassin features a dinosaur of a police detective (Detective Mike Stoneman) who has seen it all. He’s partnered with a young, ambitious rookie. Over the course of the story, he develops a romantic interest in an intelligent, attractive woman. And of course, he has a brilliant, psychotic, serial killer to chase. Sound familiar? If you’re a reader of crime thrillers, these threads should be. And so, the question becomes, how effectively are they implemented by the specifics of this book? For the most part, I’m happy to say, quite well with one ‘it depends’ on the list. That last factor is the author’s use of violence to provide much of the tension. You only need look at the first three sentences of the book’s synopsis to know that rather bizarre deaths play an important role in the story. The descriptions of those assassinations are often explicit, which may make the violence over-the-top for some readers. Be forewarned.
There are many factors, however, where I don’t need to equivocate. The writing is excellent, with a good mix of believable dialog and descriptive storytelling. The main characters – Stoneman, Detective Jason Dickson (the partner), and Dr. Michelle McNeill (the love interest and Medical Examiner) – are well developed, although the times Dr. McNeill ‘giggled’ seemed a bit out of place. The pacing was excellent. As the killer planned his murders for the last Saturday of the month, there was always a countdown to make the detectives sweat and to keep our stomachs in a knot. And there was even some humor that I enjoyed, such as Dickson trying to help Stoneman with his budding relationship with McNeill. But other quips, particularly some of the stationhouse humor, seemed a bit juvenile and crass.
Of the factors that could have used attention, a lack of realism in police procedure would be the top of my list. For example, knowing the killer had planned three escape routes from one assassination site, the four detectives and two building security officers covered exactly one entrance … and then, let the door slam. Of course, the killer escaped. Or in another place, the detectives knew the killer had been in the Army and they had a sample of his blood and yet, they never checked the military’s DNA database. Many of the leads they pursued, on the other hand, seemed destined to failure from the start – like tracing a name that was surely an alias. And finally, some of their breakthroughs seemed a bit too convenient, the connection to the Plagues of Egypt being an example. Even so, these limitations didn’t outweigh a very dynamic, gut-wrenching story.
Overall, Righteous Assassin is a somewhat prototypical, crime thriller that sets itself apart with excellent writing, good character development, edge-of-your-seat pacing, and significant, sometimes explicit violence. With greater attention to police procedure, its appeal could have been increased even further.
Righteous Assassin features a dinosaur of a police detective (Detective Mike Stoneman) who has seen it all. He’s partnered with a young, ambitious rookie. Over the course of the story, he develops a romantic interest in an intelligent, attractive woman. And of course, he has a brilliant, psychotic, serial killer to chase. Sound familiar? If you’re a reader of crime thrillers, these threads should be. And so, the question becomes, how effectively are they implemented by the specifics of this book? For the most part, I’m happy to say, quite well with one ‘it depends’ on the list. That last factor is the author’s use of violence to provide much of the tension. You only need look at the first three sentences of the book’s synopsis to know that rather bizarre deaths play an important role in the story. The descriptions of those assassinations are often explicit, which may make the violence over-the-top for some readers. Be forewarned.
There are many factors, however, where I don’t need to equivocate. The writing is excellent, with a good mix of believable dialog and descriptive storytelling. The main characters – Stoneman, Detective Jason Dickson (the partner), and Dr. Michelle McNeill (the love interest and Medical Examiner) – are well developed, although the times Dr. McNeill ‘giggled’ seemed a bit out of place. The pacing was excellent. As the killer planned his murders for the last Saturday of the month, there was always a countdown to make the detectives sweat and to keep our stomachs in a knot. And there was even some humor that I enjoyed, such as Dickson trying to help Stoneman with his budding relationship with McNeill. But other quips, particularly some of the stationhouse humor, seemed a bit juvenile and crass.
Of the factors that could have used attention, a lack of realism in police procedure would be the top of my list. For example, knowing the killer had planned three escape routes from one assassination site, the four detectives and two building security officers covered exactly one entrance … and then, let the door slam. Of course, the killer escaped. Or in another place, the detectives knew the killer had been in the Army and they had a sample of his blood and yet, they never checked the military’s DNA database. Many of the leads they pursued, on the other hand, seemed destined to failure from the start – like tracing a name that was surely an alias. And finally, some of their breakthroughs seemed a bit too convenient, the connection to the Plagues of Egypt being an example. Even so, these limitations didn’t outweigh a very dynamic, gut-wrenching story.
Overall, Righteous Assassin is a somewhat prototypical, crime thriller that sets itself apart with excellent writing, good character development, edge-of-your-seat pacing, and significant, sometimes explicit violence. With greater attention to police procedure, its appeal could have been increased even further.
January 22, 2022
This one gives me all the feels of the TV crime dramas I know and love. Enter Jason, the new blood, who fights against, Mike, the old, tired and seen-it-all blood, and you have what soon becomes a close working partnership that cops develop.
While they work out the kinks in their partnership, murders are happening that seem to have a religious undertone. The killer keeps a blog so we, the readers, get to experience the twisted and violent thinking behind the "why".
There is also interaction with the ME who gets involved in assisting with the case, and with Mike personally. I enjoyed what this added to the overall story.
This is a great start to the series and I found there are already 3 other books for me to snag and read. Righteous Assassin is one I recommend for those looking for a well-done captivating read.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
While they work out the kinks in their partnership, murders are happening that seem to have a religious undertone. The killer keeps a blog so we, the readers, get to experience the twisted and violent thinking behind the "why".
There is also interaction with the ME who gets involved in assisting with the case, and with Mike personally. I enjoyed what this added to the overall story.
This is a great start to the series and I found there are already 3 other books for me to snag and read. Righteous Assassin is one I recommend for those looking for a well-done captivating read.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
February 1, 2022
‘A MOB BOSS IS EATEN ALIVE BY TIGERS AT THE BRONX ZOO. . . .That was the fourth unsolved murder in four months - each on the last Saturday. The other three were even more unusual . . . Could they be related?’
RIGHTEOUS ASSASSIN, A Mike Stoneman Thriller by Kevin G. Chapman, was a fun ride that gave some serious DEXTER-esk vibes with a Biblical bent—SEVEN also comes to mind.
I love the intense scenes Chapman created centered around the serial killer. I’m a massive fan of FBI and police procedural novels, so I’ve been looking forward to reading RIGHTEOUS ASSASSIN for a while now.
Though this one didn’t hit all the marks, overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the remaining four books in the series.
Thank you, Blackthorn Book Tours, for providing me with an eBook of RIGHTEOUS ASSASSIN at the request of an honest review. My sincere apology to the Author for the delay in my review.
May 5, 2020
Goodreads dates will say I read this in a week, but I really read it over the last two days once I had time to read and subsequently couldn't put it down.
I really enjoyed "meeting" Stoneman, Jason, Angela Manning and the rest of the Righteous Assassin / Menstrual Killer task force. I liked the dynamics between members of the task force as Chapman fleshed out the characters and we got to know them more. The race and experience dynamics between Jason and Mike were interesting to follow as the former grew in the months this book covered. I also liked what the ME added - for both the case and for Stoneman's personal life as we got to know him outside the police force. I appreciated that he was worth the cheerleader outfit.
A good introduction to this series and I look forward to reading more
I really enjoyed "meeting" Stoneman, Jason, Angela Manning and the rest of the Righteous Assassin / Menstrual Killer task force. I liked the dynamics between members of the task force as Chapman fleshed out the characters and we got to know them more. The race and experience dynamics between Jason and Mike were interesting to follow as the former grew in the months this book covered. I also liked what the ME added - for both the case and for Stoneman's personal life as we got to know him outside the police force. I appreciated that he was worth the cheerleader outfit.
A good introduction to this series and I look forward to reading more
July 1, 2019
3.5 stars
I won a Kindle version of this book via a Goodreads giveaway, for which I thank the publisher and the author.
This book began in a rather exciting way and somewhere in the middle got a bit mired down and then toward the end became interesting again. I found the section about the police department's workings interesting. I liked the back-story about the killer and that the author made an obvious effort to fill in as much past and present information as he could to satisfy the reader's curiosity.
On technical issues, I had a problem with a few typos, the killer's thoughts being presented all in italic (I understand it was a stylist choice but it was difficult to read over long passages) and two spaces after periods throughout the book. Some of this could be due to the Kindle's processing of the text, but I don't believe that was the case with the italic text.
I won a Kindle version of this book via a Goodreads giveaway, for which I thank the publisher and the author.
This book began in a rather exciting way and somewhere in the middle got a bit mired down and then toward the end became interesting again. I found the section about the police department's workings interesting. I liked the back-story about the killer and that the author made an obvious effort to fill in as much past and present information as he could to satisfy the reader's curiosity.
On technical issues, I had a problem with a few typos, the killer's thoughts being presented all in italic (I understand it was a stylist choice but it was difficult to read over long passages) and two spaces after periods throughout the book. Some of this could be due to the Kindle's processing of the text, but I don't believe that was the case with the italic text.
September 7, 2019
If you are looking for an edge of your seat crime thriller this is the book for you. Righteous Assassin, will keep you turning the pages, as Mike Stoneman and his partner Jason Dickson race the calendar to stop the next murder. The killer has a secret blog where we get to see into his mind, and let me tell you it is not a mind you want to linger in. It is these pages that caused me to give only 4 stars, the violence was to explicit for me and at times I had to put the book down. If you like that sort of stuff you will love the killers blog post. The story was intense, the characters likable, minus the killer of course, and an overall great read.
July 5, 2019
3.5 stars. I liked this book, but I thought it was a little too detailed for my liking. I figured out the little twist at the end, which was fine. I liked the characters. I thought the religious aspect of the serial killer was a neat twist to the story. A good read, just not one of my favorites.
June 4, 2020
Whoo...what a ride this was. I never wanted to get off the ride. I loved the authors mind that thought up these awful murders. Brilliant. And the ending.....oh my god......just too good. No, not good, GREAT! I guess you know by my review, I’m a huge fan. More, more, more.
December 16, 2018
Man, I LOVED this book! What a crazy ride. Great characters, awesome plot. GREAT read!!
April 11, 2019
I want to see more of Mike Stoneman as this was such a fast paced book I could not put it done till the last page so pleaseeeeee start on #2
June 19, 2019
Kept my attention from the first page to the last
August 17, 2019
This was a fun police procedural thriller. Stoneman and Dickson are interesting characters, though sometimes their dialogue with each other feels a little unnatural (though it's Chapman's first book- I expect that will improve) I would definitely read more about him.
There wasn't a lot of character development of the villain... the usual psychopathic Evil McEvilson with a religious symbolism angle. Not exactly new ground. Also, when we finally hear the villain speak, he talks just like his overwrought writing. No one talks like that.
I did like the ending. I felt like it was well paced and the ending remained in character for the villain. (I hate how sometimes an author struggles to wrap up the book and the ending feels out of sync with the rest of the book or is a let down.)
A Good summer read.
I got this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
There wasn't a lot of character development of the villain... the usual psychopathic Evil McEvilson with a religious symbolism angle. Not exactly new ground. Also, when we finally hear the villain speak, he talks just like his overwrought writing. No one talks like that.
I did like the ending. I felt like it was well paced and the ending remained in character for the villain. (I hate how sometimes an author struggles to wrap up the book and the ending feels out of sync with the rest of the book or is a let down.)
A Good summer read.
I got this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
January 22, 2022
Righteous Assassin is the first book in the Mike Stoneman series and was the perfect introduction. Four months, four unsolved murders - each on the last Saturday of the month. Are they connected? Is this the work of a serial killer? Homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson are scrambling to piece together the puzzle pieces before someone else dies.
This was a solid and well written thriller/police procedural. Great characters with a fast moving plot really moved this story along. Throw in a bit of graphic violence and killings and I’m a happy girl 😉. Will definitely continue on with the rest in this series.
This was a solid and well written thriller/police procedural. Great characters with a fast moving plot really moved this story along. Throw in a bit of graphic violence and killings and I’m a happy girl 😉. Will definitely continue on with the rest in this series.
November 30, 2020
Loving this series already. Stoneman & Dickson are on the hunt for a serial killer who thinks he is doing Gods work.
June 3, 2019
A veteran police detective and his new side-kick hunt a serial killer who is acting as an ‘avenging angel’.
I liked the style of this police thriller, alternating between the thoughts of the killer and the actions of the police chasing him, which worked well. The interaction of the characters, their developing relationships and the ‘serial killer who is doing society a favour’ views were all believable – the bumbling interactions between the pretty ME and the main detective made him seem more real / human.
The gruesome / inventive nature of the killings (related to biblical deaths) was a nice touch and will appeal those who are bored with ‘standard deaths’. The plot followed pretty much a standard police procedural / serial killer arc, but it was still an entertaining read.
If you enjoy gruesome crime stories this book is definitely worth a look.
Reading time was approximately five hours.
I liked the style of this police thriller, alternating between the thoughts of the killer and the actions of the police chasing him, which worked well. The interaction of the characters, their developing relationships and the ‘serial killer who is doing society a favour’ views were all believable – the bumbling interactions between the pretty ME and the main detective made him seem more real / human.
The gruesome / inventive nature of the killings (related to biblical deaths) was a nice touch and will appeal those who are bored with ‘standard deaths’. The plot followed pretty much a standard police procedural / serial killer arc, but it was still an entertaining read.
If you enjoy gruesome crime stories this book is definitely worth a look.
Reading time was approximately five hours.
April 15, 2019
Detective Mike Stoneman is is a New York City Detective who solves crimes with his partner Jason Dickson. They make a great couple, have biting dialogue, and they know how to catch a killer.
A recent crime wave has got their attention - they are assassinations, and at face value do not look connected. But they link them together, and with the help of an FBI agent, Angela Manning, they start to put the puzzle together. Are these serial killings or is someone plain crazy killing people in the strangest ways. These killings are time specific, and time is running out - can they catch a killer(s) or will they just continue on while someone watches on...
Good series. Crime and police procedural fans will really like this book.
A recent crime wave has got their attention - they are assassinations, and at face value do not look connected. But they link them together, and with the help of an FBI agent, Angela Manning, they start to put the puzzle together. Are these serial killings or is someone plain crazy killing people in the strangest ways. These killings are time specific, and time is running out - can they catch a killer(s) or will they just continue on while someone watches on...
Good series. Crime and police procedural fans will really like this book.
April 6, 2019
Left Nothing Out
This great book crossed every T dotted every I for the thriller that it is. Written well and the plot grew well. I would not want to spoil by telling what happens. It’s a great read for you to find out.
This great book crossed every T dotted every I for the thriller that it is. Written well and the plot grew well. I would not want to spoil by telling what happens. It’s a great read for you to find out.
October 7, 2021
This is a well-written book about a serial killer and the cops that are hunting him, it can be graphic so some people may dislike it. The killer chooses horrible people and kills them in the name of god. Interesting to read and I always enjoy a slasher novel. Some facts were not so factual but that is fine in a fiction story. It keeps you engaged and I like the changes of perception and perspective between killer and chasers. I recommend reading this if you like a good crime story and enjoy a bit of gore. I reviewed this on my blog Simply honest reviews
January 20, 2022
Book 1 in the Mike Stoneman thrillers and a good introduction to Detective Mike Stoneman and his partner Detective Jason Dickson. Stoneman is an old school cop and is initially sceptical of the new boy, Dickinson’s, serial killer theory. Written from the POV of the killer and the detectives chasing him, this is a good police procedural.
Briefly, when a mob boss is found eaten alive in New York Zoo this is the fourth strange and unusual murder, and all the victims are unsavoury characters. It also seems that each killing has a connection with the biblical plagues of Egypt. The FBI are called in to help and the detectives are joined by Special Agent Angela Manning.
So begins a race against time between the forces of good and evil as it is clear that unless stopped further killings will take place. Meanwhile the killer is determined to lay out his thoughts and plans on a blog as they want everyone to believe that the killings are justified and righteous.
A very clever edge of the seat thriller and the methods of execution brilliant although I felt it was a bit longer than necessary, the middle section was a bit slow. Not a lot of twists and turns, pretty much straightforward procedural, however, an excellent conclusion and I’m looking forward to the sequel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Briefly, when a mob boss is found eaten alive in New York Zoo this is the fourth strange and unusual murder, and all the victims are unsavoury characters. It also seems that each killing has a connection with the biblical plagues of Egypt. The FBI are called in to help and the detectives are joined by Special Agent Angela Manning.
So begins a race against time between the forces of good and evil as it is clear that unless stopped further killings will take place. Meanwhile the killer is determined to lay out his thoughts and plans on a blog as they want everyone to believe that the killings are justified and righteous.
A very clever edge of the seat thriller and the methods of execution brilliant although I felt it was a bit longer than necessary, the middle section was a bit slow. Not a lot of twists and turns, pretty much straightforward procedural, however, an excellent conclusion and I’m looking forward to the sequel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 8, 2019
A vigilante serial killer believes he is on a mission from God. He murders a variety of unsavory categories in inventive ways but gets distracted when the police lead by Mike Stoneman, his partner and an FBI profiler get too close too soon.
this is a pretty good book. Initially, I wasn't sure I would finish it. I didn't like Stoneman and his treatment and attitude towards his partner, a young black detective. I also didn't like the police nickname for the killer. It was believable but offensive. The killer is a worthy adversary. Heis brilliant, computer savvy, fanatical and creative. The police, even at their best, are not a match for him. I found it odd that they would have a task force and still take weekends off to get their rest. It was, frankly, hard to believe that anyone would make a connection between seemingly related murders or that the FBI would be so accommodating. they are not known for taking a second seat to an investigation. but as the novel progresses and the chase intensifies it becomes more enjoyable and suspenseful. It's not perfect but it is good entertainment.
this is a pretty good book. Initially, I wasn't sure I would finish it. I didn't like Stoneman and his treatment and attitude towards his partner, a young black detective. I also didn't like the police nickname for the killer. It was believable but offensive. The killer is a worthy adversary. Heis brilliant, computer savvy, fanatical and creative. The police, even at their best, are not a match for him. I found it odd that they would have a task force and still take weekends off to get their rest. It was, frankly, hard to believe that anyone would make a connection between seemingly related murders or that the FBI would be so accommodating. they are not known for taking a second seat to an investigation. but as the novel progresses and the chase intensifies it becomes more enjoyable and suspenseful. It's not perfect but it is good entertainment.
September 28, 2021
I am an audiobook reviewer and read both the original and the revised copy. The revised copy is much better. The audio quality is very clear and the voice overs superb. The plot is super intriging following NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson as they try to solve a serial killer's murder sequence before the next hit occurs. This book is a super thrilling ride similar to caliber of John Grisham's style. A must read!
Righteous Assassin
Righteous Assassin
December 19, 2018
Pardon the delay, but things get a little hectic this time of year.
I am very pleased that I won this book and have discovered a new author whose future novels I can look forward to.
The NYPD, an FBI profiler, and a serial killer with a fanatical compulsion. All are believable and likable....well, except for that last one. That is, he's believable but not at all likable. In fact, you would think the author has had quite a bit of experience in the police department and is drawing from personal history. Because of that, I became thoroughly engrossed in the investigation and with the personalities involved. Not something I can say happens very often, or with this kind of depth.
So, I say, bring on more Mike Stoneman, Kevin G. Chapman!
I am very pleased that I won this book and have discovered a new author whose future novels I can look forward to.
The NYPD, an FBI profiler, and a serial killer with a fanatical compulsion. All are believable and likable....well, except for that last one. That is, he's believable but not at all likable. In fact, you would think the author has had quite a bit of experience in the police department and is drawing from personal history. Because of that, I became thoroughly engrossed in the investigation and with the personalities involved. Not something I can say happens very often, or with this kind of depth.
So, I say, bring on more Mike Stoneman, Kevin G. Chapman!
July 28, 2022
I loved the idea of this story! It really drew me in the more I listened. I slowly became invested in the characters. At times it did seem overly long and I found my mind wondering. It does pick up speeds and become hard to stop listening to towards the end of the story. I did like how the relationship blossomed between Mike and his partner.
The narration was slow going. There are too long of spaces between one chapter and another. A couple times lines were repeated. The narrator did an okay job.
Overall its a good story. I looked forward to listening to this. Its my first book by this author and in this series. It is very police procedural but at the end it really amps up and becomes more personable.
The narration was slow going. There are too long of spaces between one chapter and another. A couple times lines were repeated. The narrator did an okay job.
Overall its a good story. I looked forward to listening to this. Its my first book by this author and in this series. It is very police procedural but at the end it really amps up and becomes more personable.
January 24, 2022
One of the challenges and joys of genre writing is employing a plethora of tried-and-true tropes while bringing in something original and ultimately unexpected. This is hard enough to do with larger genres like the crime thriller, never mind drilling down into smaller loops of the spiral, into the police procedural and, in the case of Righteous Assassin, into the serial killer police procedural.
Within a few pages of Righteous Assassin, I felt deeply at home—not only because I teach about and have written numerous thrillers for the stage, page, screen, and Escape Rooms—but because Chapman was employing all of the genre’s prevalent tropes. His lead character, Mike Stoneman, is a hard-nosed Manhattan police detective who is single, impatient, and given to holding everyone around him to the high standards to which he holds himself. Consider his last name, Stoneman, which is like Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. I used a similar device for my 1940s gumshoe Dirk Manzman. Mike’s partner, Jason, is a Black man who, although educated, experienced, and sharp, rose in the ranks to detective unusually fast, which Mike attributes to affirmative action. Having a new partner at the onset of a difficult case is another police procedural trope. There is a female FBI agent brought in to help with the case. Both she and her tech specialist are also tropes. Rounding out the cast of good guys, there’s a beautiful, shapely medical examiner and pushy crime reporter from the New York Times.
Before I proceed, I want to be clear—tropes are appropriate and largely expected in genre writing, and this is a sub-sub-genre, where we look forward to meeting specific characters and witnessing certain events. Remember: at the level of the sub-sub-genre, the story itself only has a limited number of iterations, which aligns with the real-life elements from which the genre takes its cues. These limited iterations allowed John Douglas and his FBI colleagues to develop the tenets of criminal profiling, giving rise to the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (which gave us Hannibal Lecter) and its film adaptation, Manhunter. There have been myriad TV procedurals, and the recent Netflix series Mindhunter, all of which use Douglas’s nonfiction books as their primary source material.
If you have studied serial killers, you know modus operandi and signatures define them. There are definite patterns they follow, and they are tracked using very specific methods. Chapman honors all of this, bringing it to page-turning life in Righteous Assassin.
So, how about the serial killer? Similar to real life cases and small and big screen stories, the serial killer here (as you probably guessed from the title) is a religious zealot convinced they are doing God’s good work. Because this is a vigilante-style serial killer, we’re in an even deeper loop in the genre spiral.
By this point, you might be reading this and asking, Why should I bother with this book?
Believe me: The reasons abound. First, Chapman’s voice is strong. Second, the book’s structure (bouncing back and forth between the killer’s online blog; their planning and committing of the crimes; and the police, FBI, and support staff working the case), the dialogue, and the painstaking work the good guys do to track down the killer’s identity are all fresh enough to add plenty of new to the familiar. Third, although the entry points of the various relationships feel familiar, because the characters are, where they ultimately go is not where veteran readers of this sub-sub-genre might expect.
The book also brings up several moral dilemmas because of the serial killer’s vigilante approach and their specific background and experiences. There are several dominant theories about why one becomes a serial killer, and Chapman’s take is refreshing in several aspects.
I also found the stories of the serial killer’s targets and their lovers, partners, and associates to be fearlessly honest—as are Stoneman’s reasons for not trusting his new partner. The overarching themes here are both topical and something we should all be discussing.
I have to note Chapman’s clear focus on research. The information technology aspects, as well as the depth of detail in how the good guys chase clues, interview, and rely on inspiration, are all spot on, giving the novel more than a little believability. I have put down plenty of serial killer novels over the years because all they delivered was surface-area tropes and severely damaged good guys in lieu of subtle backstories and at times conflicting moral actions.
Another reason to read this book is that it is the first in a series, which gives Chapman an opportunity to take the trope of Detective Mike Stoneman and develop him into the kind of nuanced, complex character that rises above genre while enhancing it and raising the bar for authors to come. Doyle did this with Sherlock Holmes, and F. Paul Wilson with Repairman Jack. After all, genres aren’t fixed in their constitution; they grow with new inspirations and, over time, what was once a single author’s new idea becomes another trope.
The other novels are Deadly Enterprise (Mike Stoneman #2), Lethal Voyage (Mike Stoneman #3), Fatal Infraction (Mike Stoneman #4) and, due out in December 2021, was Perilous Gambit (Mike Stonemen #5).
With five books in the series already, there’s no time better time than now to get to know Detective Mike Stoneman, his cast of supporting characters, and their talented creator.
Within a few pages of Righteous Assassin, I felt deeply at home—not only because I teach about and have written numerous thrillers for the stage, page, screen, and Escape Rooms—but because Chapman was employing all of the genre’s prevalent tropes. His lead character, Mike Stoneman, is a hard-nosed Manhattan police detective who is single, impatient, and given to holding everyone around him to the high standards to which he holds himself. Consider his last name, Stoneman, which is like Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. I used a similar device for my 1940s gumshoe Dirk Manzman. Mike’s partner, Jason, is a Black man who, although educated, experienced, and sharp, rose in the ranks to detective unusually fast, which Mike attributes to affirmative action. Having a new partner at the onset of a difficult case is another police procedural trope. There is a female FBI agent brought in to help with the case. Both she and her tech specialist are also tropes. Rounding out the cast of good guys, there’s a beautiful, shapely medical examiner and pushy crime reporter from the New York Times.
Before I proceed, I want to be clear—tropes are appropriate and largely expected in genre writing, and this is a sub-sub-genre, where we look forward to meeting specific characters and witnessing certain events. Remember: at the level of the sub-sub-genre, the story itself only has a limited number of iterations, which aligns with the real-life elements from which the genre takes its cues. These limited iterations allowed John Douglas and his FBI colleagues to develop the tenets of criminal profiling, giving rise to the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (which gave us Hannibal Lecter) and its film adaptation, Manhunter. There have been myriad TV procedurals, and the recent Netflix series Mindhunter, all of which use Douglas’s nonfiction books as their primary source material.
If you have studied serial killers, you know modus operandi and signatures define them. There are definite patterns they follow, and they are tracked using very specific methods. Chapman honors all of this, bringing it to page-turning life in Righteous Assassin.
So, how about the serial killer? Similar to real life cases and small and big screen stories, the serial killer here (as you probably guessed from the title) is a religious zealot convinced they are doing God’s good work. Because this is a vigilante-style serial killer, we’re in an even deeper loop in the genre spiral.
By this point, you might be reading this and asking, Why should I bother with this book?
Believe me: The reasons abound. First, Chapman’s voice is strong. Second, the book’s structure (bouncing back and forth between the killer’s online blog; their planning and committing of the crimes; and the police, FBI, and support staff working the case), the dialogue, and the painstaking work the good guys do to track down the killer’s identity are all fresh enough to add plenty of new to the familiar. Third, although the entry points of the various relationships feel familiar, because the characters are, where they ultimately go is not where veteran readers of this sub-sub-genre might expect.
The book also brings up several moral dilemmas because of the serial killer’s vigilante approach and their specific background and experiences. There are several dominant theories about why one becomes a serial killer, and Chapman’s take is refreshing in several aspects.
I also found the stories of the serial killer’s targets and their lovers, partners, and associates to be fearlessly honest—as are Stoneman’s reasons for not trusting his new partner. The overarching themes here are both topical and something we should all be discussing.
I have to note Chapman’s clear focus on research. The information technology aspects, as well as the depth of detail in how the good guys chase clues, interview, and rely on inspiration, are all spot on, giving the novel more than a little believability. I have put down plenty of serial killer novels over the years because all they delivered was surface-area tropes and severely damaged good guys in lieu of subtle backstories and at times conflicting moral actions.
Another reason to read this book is that it is the first in a series, which gives Chapman an opportunity to take the trope of Detective Mike Stoneman and develop him into the kind of nuanced, complex character that rises above genre while enhancing it and raising the bar for authors to come. Doyle did this with Sherlock Holmes, and F. Paul Wilson with Repairman Jack. After all, genres aren’t fixed in their constitution; they grow with new inspirations and, over time, what was once a single author’s new idea becomes another trope.
The other novels are Deadly Enterprise (Mike Stoneman #2), Lethal Voyage (Mike Stoneman #3), Fatal Infraction (Mike Stoneman #4) and, due out in December 2021, was Perilous Gambit (Mike Stonemen #5).
With five books in the series already, there’s no time better time than now to get to know Detective Mike Stoneman, his cast of supporting characters, and their talented creator.
May 30, 2019
Goodreads Kindle Copy Win
Homicide NY detective Mike Stoneman and his partner Jason Dickson must stop an elusive killer as he her performs his decathlon of deadly deaths. Deciphering each clue in these deaths may not just be enough as time becomes the essential in these crimes.
A riveting read as these various murders take shape as the pieces form together as a jigsaw puzzle compelling the audience.
Homicide NY detective Mike Stoneman and his partner Jason Dickson must stop an elusive killer as he her performs his decathlon of deadly deaths. Deciphering each clue in these deaths may not just be enough as time becomes the essential in these crimes.
A riveting read as these various murders take shape as the pieces form together as a jigsaw puzzle compelling the audience.
July 5, 2019
I will admit up front that I am not often a fan of crime novels. I was, however, immediately drawn into this book because of the set-up, where the inner thoughts of a killer, who is convinced that he's on a mission from God to rid the world of evil-doers, explains why he plans to kill his prey, and why he plans each murder carefully and precisely.
The elusive killer goes by many different names, one of which is Charles Gordon (CG), so that's the one I'll use in this review. He was discharged from the military after having been wounded during a tour in Afghanistan and having suffered from psychological as well as physiological injuries. He watched a number of his fellow soldiers and Marines lose their lives or suffer other life-changing injuries, which seem to have contributed significantly to his psychological troubles. He turned to religion to help him cope, it seems, and he deeply believes that God has not only given him permission to kill evil people, but has indeed chosen him to do so.
As part of his mission, CG devises devious and painful ways to bring his victims to the end of their lives, and hence their evil deeds.
Enter Detective Mike Stoneman, an experienced New York City homicide detective, and his recently promoted partner, Detective Jason Dickson. Stoneman's convinced Dickson's promotion is not completely due to his abilities as a detective, but rather, due to an "affirmative action" decision, so Stoneman rides Dickson time and time again about the promotion. The first case they confront is discovered in the Bronx Zoo, and there's not much left of the body. Seems the only thing left after the tigers in the zoo ate the victim--a local guy with mob ties--were his shoes
As the murders increase, Dickson detects a pattern: the murders take place on the final Saturday of each month. The FBI is called in on the case. The female medical examiner and Stoneman begin "seeing" each other. More evil people die in strange, painful ways.
The author is skillful in keeping the plot rolling, bringing in different approaches to murder, torture, and ways for CG to elude law enforcement at many levels. Some of the gory details are not for the faint of heart, so if the intricacy of the author's descriptions, which is the rule rather than the exception, is something that might bother a reader, this is not the book for you. If, however, you are fond of this type of specific detail, you will indeed enjoy the depths into which this author goes to elaborate the carnage and torture.
The plot follows what I would consider interesting approaches to a serial killer theme, bringing together psychological obsession with religion resulting from the extreme stress being in the military in Afghanistan, injured, losing friends and then coming home to so-called "normal" life, and becoming convinced that evil in the world must be eliminated. The way the police react to having a serial killer in their midst seems like what one might see on "Law & Order," although the author goes into far more detail than one gets in a tv show.
What I didn't like about this book, however, are some of the other minor details. For example, the dialogue is sometimes stilted and way too formal for the way the police talk in New York City (I worked in law enforcement in New York until my retirement in 2014 in New York). Example: "Dr. McNeill, can we possibly pull you away from your work for a few minutes on a matter of some urgency?" The flirtatious dialogue scenes between Stoneman and Dr. McNeill are also stilted and don't come off as romantic, in my opinion.
As someone who did public relations and media relations for a government law enforcement agency, I also found it quite difficult to believe when Stoneman and Dickson met with a reporter from the New York Times. The way that was handled would have gotten anyone who was involved in an investigation in my agency fired in a New York minute.
When referring to the medical examiner, often in the same paragraph, the author calls her Dr. McNeill, Michelle, McNeill, Doctor McNeill, the M.E., or the doctor. Sometimes he refers to detectives by their last name, sometimes by their first names. Sometimes he capitalizes the word "detective," sometimes not. There are some random typos, but I have come to expect this in every book I read these days, even those from major publishing houses.
Those the reasons why I didn't give this book five stars. I enjoyed the writing and the plot and would read something else from this author in the future.
The elusive killer goes by many different names, one of which is Charles Gordon (CG), so that's the one I'll use in this review. He was discharged from the military after having been wounded during a tour in Afghanistan and having suffered from psychological as well as physiological injuries. He watched a number of his fellow soldiers and Marines lose their lives or suffer other life-changing injuries, which seem to have contributed significantly to his psychological troubles. He turned to religion to help him cope, it seems, and he deeply believes that God has not only given him permission to kill evil people, but has indeed chosen him to do so.
As part of his mission, CG devises devious and painful ways to bring his victims to the end of their lives, and hence their evil deeds.
Enter Detective Mike Stoneman, an experienced New York City homicide detective, and his recently promoted partner, Detective Jason Dickson. Stoneman's convinced Dickson's promotion is not completely due to his abilities as a detective, but rather, due to an "affirmative action" decision, so Stoneman rides Dickson time and time again about the promotion. The first case they confront is discovered in the Bronx Zoo, and there's not much left of the body. Seems the only thing left after the tigers in the zoo ate the victim--a local guy with mob ties--were his shoes
As the murders increase, Dickson detects a pattern: the murders take place on the final Saturday of each month. The FBI is called in on the case. The female medical examiner and Stoneman begin "seeing" each other. More evil people die in strange, painful ways.
The author is skillful in keeping the plot rolling, bringing in different approaches to murder, torture, and ways for CG to elude law enforcement at many levels. Some of the gory details are not for the faint of heart, so if the intricacy of the author's descriptions, which is the rule rather than the exception, is something that might bother a reader, this is not the book for you. If, however, you are fond of this type of specific detail, you will indeed enjoy the depths into which this author goes to elaborate the carnage and torture.
The plot follows what I would consider interesting approaches to a serial killer theme, bringing together psychological obsession with religion resulting from the extreme stress being in the military in Afghanistan, injured, losing friends and then coming home to so-called "normal" life, and becoming convinced that evil in the world must be eliminated. The way the police react to having a serial killer in their midst seems like what one might see on "Law & Order," although the author goes into far more detail than one gets in a tv show.
What I didn't like about this book, however, are some of the other minor details. For example, the dialogue is sometimes stilted and way too formal for the way the police talk in New York City (I worked in law enforcement in New York until my retirement in 2014 in New York). Example: "Dr. McNeill, can we possibly pull you away from your work for a few minutes on a matter of some urgency?" The flirtatious dialogue scenes between Stoneman and Dr. McNeill are also stilted and don't come off as romantic, in my opinion.
As someone who did public relations and media relations for a government law enforcement agency, I also found it quite difficult to believe when Stoneman and Dickson met with a reporter from the New York Times. The way that was handled would have gotten anyone who was involved in an investigation in my agency fired in a New York minute.
When referring to the medical examiner, often in the same paragraph, the author calls her Dr. McNeill, Michelle, McNeill, Doctor McNeill, the M.E., or the doctor. Sometimes he refers to detectives by their last name, sometimes by their first names. Sometimes he capitalizes the word "detective," sometimes not. There are some random typos, but I have come to expect this in every book I read these days, even those from major publishing houses.
Those the reasons why I didn't give this book five stars. I enjoyed the writing and the plot and would read something else from this author in the future.
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