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Deadly Grief
How do you catch a killer when you are grieving?
Connor Phelan had his dream job as a prosecutor. He was on top of the world until the sudden and tragic death of his wife and unborn child brought it crashing down.
He resigns almost immediately after the funeral and returns home, where he opens a small office of his own.
Soon, Connor is back in the thick of things and finds himself as special prosecutor of Bob Clancy, an infamous local man, who is accused of strangling a high school cheerleader.
After reviewing the case, Connor concludes that Clancy did break into the young girl’s house, but he is not her killer. Connor believes the actual murderer was a serial killer from twenty years earlier dubbed The Rockfield Strangler. And it doesn’t take long for DNA testing to confirm that the Rockfield Strangler is indeed back and has his eyes on his next victim.
But how do you catch a monster who has eluded the police for so long, especially when you are still grieving and trying to rebuild your life?
"Deadly Grief is a fast read. It's a page-turner and you will be captivated by the memorable characters in this latest novel by Richard Cahill." - John Ferak - award-winning investigative journalist
Deadly Grief a truly gripping psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of authors like James Patterson, Alex Michaelides and Mark Edwards.
Connor Phelan had his dream job as a prosecutor. He was on top of the world until the sudden and tragic death of his wife and unborn child brought it crashing down.
He resigns almost immediately after the funeral and returns home, where he opens a small office of his own.
Soon, Connor is back in the thick of things and finds himself as special prosecutor of Bob Clancy, an infamous local man, who is accused of strangling a high school cheerleader.
After reviewing the case, Connor concludes that Clancy did break into the young girl’s house, but he is not her killer. Connor believes the actual murderer was a serial killer from twenty years earlier dubbed The Rockfield Strangler. And it doesn’t take long for DNA testing to confirm that the Rockfield Strangler is indeed back and has his eyes on his next victim.
But how do you catch a monster who has eluded the police for so long, especially when you are still grieving and trying to rebuild your life?
"Deadly Grief is a fast read. It's a page-turner and you will be captivated by the memorable characters in this latest novel by Richard Cahill." - John Ferak - award-winning investigative journalist
Deadly Grief a truly gripping psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of authors like James Patterson, Alex Michaelides and Mark Edwards.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2021
About the author
Richard T. Cahill Jr.
6 books11 followersRichard T. Cahill Jr. received a B.A. in history and political science from Mount Saint Mary College and a J.D. from Albany Law School. His professional experience includes clerking for a criminal court judge, serving as both an assistant district attorney and a criminal defense attorney, and practicing civil law.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 28, 2020
Connor Phelan was once a prosecutor with many wins under his belt. When his wife and unborn child were killed in an auto accident, he decisively changed the course of his life.
It's been 10 years and he has a fairly successful law practice, only this time around as a defense attorney. However, as a favor to a judge he takes on one more prosecution case.
Bob Clancy is accused of strangling to death a high school student. He was seen jumping out of the window of her home and running down the street. Investigation revealed the victim and the identity of Clancy. Phelan thinks this is going to be an open and shut case .. the best he'll be able to do is keep him from a death penalty.
After reviewing the case, Phelan concludes that Clancy did not murder the girl. Yes, he broke in and robbed, but did not murder. Comparing some DNA under the girl's fingernails, the results come back proving that Clancy is innocent in the killing.
But the kicker .... the DNA belongs to a man dubbed The Rockfield Strangler. He was a serial killer 20 years earlier, and was never caught.
So what would bring him back now? And who is going to be his next target?
This is a well-written crime fiction featuring a new face in the genre ... Connor Phelan. He's smart, he likes the law, and even though he's still grieving his personal loss, he gets up every morning to do his job. He is well-known and well-liked in his community. His friends are loyal. His assistant is a young woman with a huge send of humor .. the sarcastic kind that makes you laugh just as long as she's not going after you. I really enjoyed how all the characters relate to each other.
It's non-stop action from start to finish leading to a very satisfying conclusion. This is one of those books that would make a great series.
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
It's been 10 years and he has a fairly successful law practice, only this time around as a defense attorney. However, as a favor to a judge he takes on one more prosecution case.
Bob Clancy is accused of strangling to death a high school student. He was seen jumping out of the window of her home and running down the street. Investigation revealed the victim and the identity of Clancy. Phelan thinks this is going to be an open and shut case .. the best he'll be able to do is keep him from a death penalty.
After reviewing the case, Phelan concludes that Clancy did not murder the girl. Yes, he broke in and robbed, but did not murder. Comparing some DNA under the girl's fingernails, the results come back proving that Clancy is innocent in the killing.
But the kicker .... the DNA belongs to a man dubbed The Rockfield Strangler. He was a serial killer 20 years earlier, and was never caught.
So what would bring him back now? And who is going to be his next target?
This is a well-written crime fiction featuring a new face in the genre ... Connor Phelan. He's smart, he likes the law, and even though he's still grieving his personal loss, he gets up every morning to do his job. He is well-known and well-liked in his community. His friends are loyal. His assistant is a young woman with a huge send of humor .. the sarcastic kind that makes you laugh just as long as she's not going after you. I really enjoyed how all the characters relate to each other.
It's non-stop action from start to finish leading to a very satisfying conclusion. This is one of those books that would make a great series.
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 28, 2020
The Aftermath features a very likeable central character Connor Phelan. He is a man who is used to heartache and loneliness having lost his wife and unborn child in a car accident 10 years ago.
Connor is a man who threw himself into work, refusing to prosecute any more but acting as a defence lawyer for compensation claims within a big fim in New York City.
However in The Aftermath Connor has been living back home running his own office, once again defending civil claims of the local people.
That is until Judge Hardy asks for a favour. All of a sudden Connor is thrust into prominence prosecuting Clancy, a local small time criminal accused of murder.
Although I find the American police and justice system slightly bewildering, this was a highly enjoyable, easy to read, procedural story/crime thriller where you just know the good guy will always win.
I loved the way in which Connor could stand up to bullies without losing his integrity and in doing so demonstrate how his desire for justice is genuine.
Very quickly Connor's task to prosecute Clancy turns into something far more troubling.Whilst Clancy is undoubtedly guilty of burglary there is someone out there who killed the high school cheerleader, and he has killed before. Connor is looking for a serial killer.
With the help of his old friend, a private investigator and his office manager Casey, investigations proceed and put everyone in danger.The well used device of giving the reader a glimpse of the workings of the killer's mind is employed but in this novel it is there to highlight the choices we make having experienced similar things. What makes one person choose the constructive path and another the path of self destruction?
Along the way there is romance for Connor in the form of high school crush Becky, and the banter between Casey and Dom (the private investigator) provides lighthearted interludes.
Whilst some of the plot is predictable, The Aftermath remains an engaging read for all fans of this genre and I liked Connor Phelan enough to want to follow more of his cases.
Connor is a man who threw himself into work, refusing to prosecute any more but acting as a defence lawyer for compensation claims within a big fim in New York City.
However in The Aftermath Connor has been living back home running his own office, once again defending civil claims of the local people.
That is until Judge Hardy asks for a favour. All of a sudden Connor is thrust into prominence prosecuting Clancy, a local small time criminal accused of murder.
Although I find the American police and justice system slightly bewildering, this was a highly enjoyable, easy to read, procedural story/crime thriller where you just know the good guy will always win.
I loved the way in which Connor could stand up to bullies without losing his integrity and in doing so demonstrate how his desire for justice is genuine.
Very quickly Connor's task to prosecute Clancy turns into something far more troubling.Whilst Clancy is undoubtedly guilty of burglary there is someone out there who killed the high school cheerleader, and he has killed before. Connor is looking for a serial killer.
With the help of his old friend, a private investigator and his office manager Casey, investigations proceed and put everyone in danger.The well used device of giving the reader a glimpse of the workings of the killer's mind is employed but in this novel it is there to highlight the choices we make having experienced similar things. What makes one person choose the constructive path and another the path of self destruction?
Along the way there is romance for Connor in the form of high school crush Becky, and the banter between Casey and Dom (the private investigator) provides lighthearted interludes.
Whilst some of the plot is predictable, The Aftermath remains an engaging read for all fans of this genre and I liked Connor Phelan enough to want to follow more of his cases.
August 8, 2020
This author was new to me so I wasn't sure if I would like his work or not. I was hooked at chapter one and didn't want to put it down once I got started. Connor Phelan had once had a wife and child and a successful career as an attorney. Then, in one short moment in time, everything changed. Everything was suddenly taken from him when an unexpected horrible accident occurred. It's taken him years to recover but he's finally started living again and practicing law. So when a judge he's known for a long time asks for a favor, he can't say no. What starts out as an open and shut case quickly becomes so much more. It looks like The Rockfield Strangler, a notorious serial killer, has returned. And this time he's gunning for Connor as well.
This story had plenty of suspense and kept me eagerly turning pages to find out just where the author was taking me. I enjoyed meeting Connor and look forward to reading more about him in future books. At least I hope the author will keep Connor up and alive. Really liked his character and while not perfect, of course, he was intriguing given his past and the tragedy he'd faced and been forced to overcome to make him who he is today. I also loved his brash investigator, Dom, and Connor's sort of girlfriend that he's just recently connected with. Looking forward to learning more about them in the future.
This story had plenty of suspense and kept me eagerly turning pages to find out just where the author was taking me. I enjoyed meeting Connor and look forward to reading more about him in future books. At least I hope the author will keep Connor up and alive. Really liked his character and while not perfect, of course, he was intriguing given his past and the tragedy he'd faced and been forced to overcome to make him who he is today. I also loved his brash investigator, Dom, and Connor's sort of girlfriend that he's just recently connected with. Looking forward to learning more about them in the future.
July 27, 2020
Connor Phelan is a Prosecutor in the small town of Rockfield. For ten years, since the death of his wife and son, he has stuck to dealing with small-time work, compensation claims and petty crimes, assisted by his secretary Casey and occasionally aided by investigator and close friend Dom. But now he is asked – or rather pretty much ordered – to prosecute in a murder case that, at first glance, appears to be a vary straightforward open and shut case with the suspect already in custody.
The suspect, Bob Clancy, is well known to Connor who feels that for him to turn from petty crime to murder is completely out of character, and assisted by Dom, Connor becomes convinced that this is the work of a serial killer who has been lying dormant for some years.
The resulting investigation is intriguing and exciting. The reader learns who the real killer is and what his motivation is long before the investigating team find any clues to his identity, so we find ourselves cheering Connor on from the sidelines of the book.
The story is packed with quirky and interesting characters and interactions between them that have left me wanting to read more books featuring the same team. I did, however, feel that the title wasn’t quite strong enough for the book; neither the title nor the cover gave me any real idea what to expect from it and if I’d been browsing in a shop looking for a great new thriller to read I may well have not even bothered to pick this book up for a closer look.
Apart from being a great read, this book showed me a lot about the way the American legal system differs from the British one that is more familiar to me. It puzzled me at first to see that the detective work was being done by the Special Prosecutor, here in the UK I would have expected all the footslogging to be done by Police detectives, with the legal professionals interpreting and presenting the evidence in court. Connor Phelan, however, seems to handle the whole process, everything bar the arrest itself.
The suspect, Bob Clancy, is well known to Connor who feels that for him to turn from petty crime to murder is completely out of character, and assisted by Dom, Connor becomes convinced that this is the work of a serial killer who has been lying dormant for some years.
The resulting investigation is intriguing and exciting. The reader learns who the real killer is and what his motivation is long before the investigating team find any clues to his identity, so we find ourselves cheering Connor on from the sidelines of the book.
The story is packed with quirky and interesting characters and interactions between them that have left me wanting to read more books featuring the same team. I did, however, feel that the title wasn’t quite strong enough for the book; neither the title nor the cover gave me any real idea what to expect from it and if I’d been browsing in a shop looking for a great new thriller to read I may well have not even bothered to pick this book up for a closer look.
Apart from being a great read, this book showed me a lot about the way the American legal system differs from the British one that is more familiar to me. It puzzled me at first to see that the detective work was being done by the Special Prosecutor, here in the UK I would have expected all the footslogging to be done by Police detectives, with the legal professionals interpreting and presenting the evidence in court. Connor Phelan, however, seems to handle the whole process, everything bar the arrest itself.
October 9, 2020
This was a steady easy read, there’re was something happening all the time and the storyline was good, it flowed well and was enough to hold my interest to find out what would happen next. I really liked the relationship between Connor, Casey and Dom and the interactions they had. I won’t go too much in to the storyline as that is what the blurb is for but overall it was a good read.
April 6, 2021
Deadly grief
He left his job of prosecutor after family tragedy broke him. Now he’s come back home and has opened his own law office to help people. That’s before the judge asks a favor of him to prosecute a case. They told him it was cut snd dry thru had the guy. Good thing he had the case because it’s far from being the right killer
He left his job of prosecutor after family tragedy broke him. Now he’s come back home and has opened his own law office to help people. That’s before the judge asks a favor of him to prosecute a case. They told him it was cut snd dry thru had the guy. Good thing he had the case because it’s far from being the right killer
August 19, 2020
Lost afternoon
Yep, I was so hooked on this story that I accomplished exactly nothing from the time I started reading. Great believable characters. Interesting premise. Can definitely see a continuing series about to emerge with Connor and Dom as headliners.
Yep, I was so hooked on this story that I accomplished exactly nothing from the time I started reading. Great believable characters. Interesting premise. Can definitely see a continuing series about to emerge with Connor and Dom as headliners.
August 31, 2020
Fast read
👍👍👍👍👍this book I really enjoyed ! Connor was a hero as well a victim of losing his wife and unborn child all the characters were well thought out. It was just a great story now to read his next book I will definitely have this author on my list
👍👍👍👍👍this book I really enjoyed ! Connor was a hero as well a victim of losing his wife and unborn child all the characters were well thought out. It was just a great story now to read his next book I will definitely have this author on my list
October 6, 2020
No to this one
Sophomoric , choppy writing style, primarily one simple sentence after another. Some of these sentences are filled with descriptive minutia regarding dress or decor, which I intensely dislike. The writing is so off -putting that I have no interest in the story.
Sophomoric , choppy writing style, primarily one simple sentence after another. Some of these sentences are filled with descriptive minutia regarding dress or decor, which I intensely dislike. The writing is so off -putting that I have no interest in the story.
October 11, 2020
Great Story
This is the first book that I have read by this author and it will not be the last. Great story line that keeps you gripped from start to finish with plenty of twists and turns and great characters.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and it will not be the last. Great story line that keeps you gripped from start to finish with plenty of twists and turns and great characters.
August 30, 2020
Very good
Plot is first rate. Characters are all ,interesting and well drawn. Nicely written and enjoyabkle. Looking forward to reading others.
Plot is first rate. Characters are all ,interesting and well drawn. Nicely written and enjoyabkle. Looking forward to reading others.
October 30, 2020
Very good.
Woul like to see more, possibly the same lawyer. Easy to read in one day, smooth reading. Loved the plot.
Woul like to see more, possibly the same lawyer. Easy to read in one day, smooth reading. Loved the plot.
May 1, 2021
Brilliant book only took a day to read , couldnt put it down .
June 24, 2024
Good! But could have added more to the story line…kinda like a year later type of thing
August 4, 2020
This is a new author for me and I enjoyed my first book, I look forward to reading more from this author. I enjoyed this book. It is a fast paced page turner that is shorter and I read it in one sitting. This is a story that has characters that made me feel as if I was right there with them. They are well developed and made the story easy to read. This is a suspenseful story that has twists and turns that kept me sitting on the edge of my seat. It was a great afternoon read and I highly recommend it.
July 26, 2020
Ten years ago Conner Phelan was a rising star in the judicial courts ..He was not long married when his beautiful wife died of a brain aneurysm..along with their unborn child .Phelan , completely broken leaves his job within a month and moves to New York ..On his return to Rockfield ten years later he sets up a small practice, employing Casey who is young ,bright and quick witted, making her his office manager.When Phelan is summoned to Judge John H.Hardy's chambers he is asked a favour , an offer he can't refuse...to prosecute Bob Clancy , a man who allegedly strangled and stabbed 17 year old Michelle Coleman , a cheerleader who was home alone at the time of the murder.Don Bryce is a top notch Investigator..when he offers his services to Phelan ...Phelan knows his back is covered ...but when Phelan takes on the case he knows there is something wrong at the beginning...Twenty years ago a killer struck fear into the community of Rockfield ...Could this be the same killer ? As Phelan digs deeper , little by little we find exactly what lengths the killer will go to ...to stop Phelan ...but will what Phelan has be enough to stop someone on the edge of madness? A Fast Paced Gripping Read..with some wicked and colourful characters ...I look forward to more from this author ..
July 29, 2020
A great, gripping, psychological thriller. Fast paced, full of action but a little light on length at around 225 pages. A good read which has the potential to become a good series. I'm not sure if that is the plan but I would certainly read a follow on book featuring Connor Phelan, prosecutor.
July 26, 2020
This was an interesting read.
I enjoyed the story and how the tale was written. It was exciting and jam-packed full of fist fights and action!
I did find the characters to be a bit unbelievable and not very likeable, which is the reason I’m only giving this three stars.
Worth a read though...
I enjoyed the story and how the tale was written. It was exciting and jam-packed full of fist fights and action!
I did find the characters to be a bit unbelievable and not very likeable, which is the reason I’m only giving this three stars.
Worth a read though...
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews