Among the Dead

Alex Greco ADA #1

by Roger A. Canaff

When a beautiful and profoundly autistic boy named Hector is found hideously throat-cut in a Bronx row house, it’s his father, a callous and deceitful widower with gang ties, who emerges as the prime suspect. Reluctantly catching the case is A.D.A. Alex Greco, himself the wounded father of an autistic son who died at age three. A relative newcomer to the challenging and often brutal world of New York’s toughest borough, Alex has been excelling in this environment for two years, rebuilding his shattered personal life and finding love again with a brilliant forensic psychologist, Dr. Nikki Jaynes. But Alex guards a horrific secret from his own past, and prosecuting Hector’s case will do more than re-open old wounds—it may tear apart his present life as well.

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 13, 2020

About the author

The official version is below, but I'm a hybrid (indie and traditionally published) author of legal and psychological thrillers, informed by a career in special victims prosecution.

Roger Canaff is a well-known child protection and anti-violence against women advocate, legal expert, author and public speaker. A former Special Victims prosecutor, he has devoted his legal career to the eradication of violence against women and children. He has worked as a prosecutor in Alexandria, Virginia, the Bronx, New York, and as an Assistant Attorney General with the state of New York as well as a Senior Attorney with the National District Attorneys Association, Child Abuse Unit. He has also trained U.S. Army prosecutors on Special Victims cases as a Highly Qualified Expert. He is currently a partner and consultant with Justice3D.org.

Amazon: amazon.com/author/www.rogercanaff.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rogercanaff
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rogercanaffau...

“An engaging and talented writer, Roger Canaff pens crime thrillers with an authenticity born of years of work in the field. He knows his subject and delivers with sincerity and truth.”
Edward Conlon, New York Times Bestselling Author of Blue Blood

“Roger Canaff is a master storyteller with a gift for crafting chilling, riveting story lines and complex characters. His life, career and passion for justice add rich authenticity to his craft.”
Jennifer Jaynes, USA Today Bestselling Author of Malice

Reviews

[Tina]

Brilliant crime thriller and a must read for fans of the genre.
Book hooked me from the very start and the pace didn't let up. Kept me thinking, changed my mind at least 3 times of who the perpetrator was. I love books that don't give it away too early and keep you guessing. This book does it with finesse!
Book given free from author via voraciousreadersonly.

[Shelley Amazon ca reviews as Purrrplehaze]

Follow along in this who-done-it...A Fast-paced roller coaster ride of action and suspicion. I loved this one and hope to see it become a series. Please note that I received a free copy from the author through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for my honest review.
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[Buttercupp77]

This is the introductory installment in a series about ADA Alex Greco, who, following a personal tragedy, leaves his home state of Virginia to work in the Bronx. The case he takes on involves the brutal murder of a low-functioning child with autism.

The novel moves along at a quick pace, making it very engaging to read. Overall, the characters are well-developed and interesting to follow. There are a couple of minor characters that I would have liked to have seen more from, but I hope at least one will become a bigger player in future installments (I think the potential is there).

The author does an excellent job of revealing enough of Alex's backstory that we understand the role this case plays for him personally, but I have the strong sense that his past connections leave a lot to be mined in the future. (There are some questions I have about a certain powerful connection he retains).

The who-dunnit element was well handled, although I suspect fans of the genre will settle on the culprit fairly quickly. I wish there had been more of a surprise there.

Overall, the novel hits all the areas I would have expected, it was a good read, and I would definitely be interested in continuing on with the series.

I received a copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only.

[Stephanie Chase]

I thought this book was such a great surprise! This is not my typical genre however I was encouraged by the other book I had read by this author. The attention to detail and the twists and turns made this book a fast read but it also peaked my curiosity. Similar to how a television series builds its characters, I could see how this could easily lead into the next book/case. Although the subject matter is tough, you quickly forget about that and focus on finding the killer. The characters were all well defined and interesting and I found myself rereading certain parts because of the depth related to people’s actions and their personalities. Those subtleties created layers which I can appreciate; I find people’s behaviors fascinating. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and colleagues.

[Kristi Vannatter]

If you enjoy crime thrillers, look no further than Among the Dead. In this first novel in the Alex Greco series, Canaff introduces us to the usual characters in the Bronx DA’s office as they solve the crime of a murdered child. Told through the eyes of Alex Greco, an Assistant District Attorney who is strong and likeable, but deeply flawed, Canaff has crafted an intriguing and original story with incredibly authentic characters that draws you in from the very first page.

I found myself trying to solve the crime, with the clues I was receiving…..the book moves fast with lots of twists and turns. Contemporary and a bit graphic – but never gratuitous.

I can see why this will be published as a series! I will be anxiously awaiting the next!

[Tamara Rickman]

credible and gripping

Reading this, I had a sense that the author knew exactly what these characters were like- made men and some upstanding lawyers and when I got to the end where the about the author appears, it turns out Mr. Canaff was an ADA in New York before taking up the pen. Many of my lawyer colleagues were looking for a new career outside the law firm grind and I think Mr. Canaff found his true calling with this effort. Looking forward to book 2 and hoping for many more thrills with Alex Greco aka Roger Canaff.

[Katherine]

Among the Dead

I enjoyed this novel, however, I'm disheartened that so many young people with disabilities are targeted by sexual predators. Unfortunate that we live with that much evil. It was eye opening for me. I look forward to book 2 in this series to see what Alex gets involved in next.

[Abby Guiver]

After enjoying my second read from this author I am surprised he has not gotten more attention. I find his plots well written and have a clear insight as to who each character is. His storyline takes the thriller in new directions.

[April Cenciose]

Great book

Well written, engaging and absorbing. Great 0ace,not a lot of extra words just to fill space. Definitely would recommend this read

[Sam Harper]

Received a complimentary copy of this novel through Voracious Readers in exchange for an honest review.
Read another of this authors books earlier in the year and so eagerly grabbed the chance to read another by him. It didn’t disappoint! Loved this rollercoaster of an adventure with ADA Greco and his dark mysterious past. What starts as the murder of an innocent autistic boy soon becomes something much darker as you speed through to the very last page.
The depth of knowledge that the author portrays in the description of the court room proceedings gives a good insight into the American justice system.
Eagerly look forward to the second in the series.

[Larry Cunningham]

Terrific book! As a former Bronx prosecutor, I found the descriptions and plot to be very lifelike. A fun read. I look forward to the next installment!

[Sam Hager]

Disturbing but engaging story. At times the plot moved suddenly with all the beats to add up to the place it moved toward.