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Rivera and Gutierrez Action Thrillers #2
Vice Versa
A vice operative. A mob-boss intent on revenge. Can they take down a hardened criminal, or will they destroy each other first?
Vice detective Ruby Rivera is one piece of evidence away from taking down notorious drug dealer, Mookie Spinks. But when her cover is blown, she reaches out to the only man who can piece it back together.
LA kingpin Alejandro Gutierrez needs an exterminator—one who’ll take care of the rats in his buildings and the rat putting them there. When Rivera calls in a favor, he offers his expertise on one condition: she must provide information leading him to an old enemy. Trouble is, the detective knows Gutierrez only serves revenge one way—bloody.
When bullets start flying, Gutierrez is torn between saving himself and helping Rivera get her mark. Will their twisted alliance survive, or will Rivera cross a line she can’t uncross?
Vice Versa is the second nail-biting thriller in the Rivera and Gutierrez action fiction novellas. If you like renegade heroines and anti-hero partners who may or may not have a heart of gold, then you'll love this story with its twists and turns!
A dual POV, it’s perfect for fans of Bosch, Ballard, Reacher, and other action fiction thrillers.
Vice detective Ruby Rivera is one piece of evidence away from taking down notorious drug dealer, Mookie Spinks. But when her cover is blown, she reaches out to the only man who can piece it back together.
LA kingpin Alejandro Gutierrez needs an exterminator—one who’ll take care of the rats in his buildings and the rat putting them there. When Rivera calls in a favor, he offers his expertise on one condition: she must provide information leading him to an old enemy. Trouble is, the detective knows Gutierrez only serves revenge one way—bloody.
When bullets start flying, Gutierrez is torn between saving himself and helping Rivera get her mark. Will their twisted alliance survive, or will Rivera cross a line she can’t uncross?
Vice Versa is the second nail-biting thriller in the Rivera and Gutierrez action fiction novellas. If you like renegade heroines and anti-hero partners who may or may not have a heart of gold, then you'll love this story with its twists and turns!
A dual POV, it’s perfect for fans of Bosch, Ballard, Reacher, and other action fiction thrillers.
155 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2022
2 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Lape
25 books558 followersWhere crime and comedy collide…
A.J. Lape writes stories where danger lurks around every corner and laughter is never in short supply. From thrilling teen mysteries to heart-pounding crime thrillers, her wickedly clever pen crafts tales with unstoppable she-roes and anti-heroes flirting with the road to redemption.
She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, two daughters who pop in for cash, and a spoiled Boston Terrier. A graduate of Morehead State University with an MA in Communications, she’s a freelance writer and PI wannabe with an addiction to cold brew.
You can spot her online engaging with fans, double-tapping animal reels, or binge-watching food videos that she sometimes successfully recreates in the kitchen.
Sign up for A.J.'s newsletter by visiting her homepage and filling out the pop-up form.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.ajlape.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajlapewrites/
X: http://twitter.com/ajlape
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorajlape
Fan Club & Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ajlap...
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ajlape/
Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Email: aj(at)ajlape(dot)com
A.J. Lape writes stories where danger lurks around every corner and laughter is never in short supply. From thrilling teen mysteries to heart-pounding crime thrillers, her wickedly clever pen crafts tales with unstoppable she-roes and anti-heroes flirting with the road to redemption.
She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, two daughters who pop in for cash, and a spoiled Boston Terrier. A graduate of Morehead State University with an MA in Communications, she’s a freelance writer and PI wannabe with an addiction to cold brew.
You can spot her online engaging with fans, double-tapping animal reels, or binge-watching food videos that she sometimes successfully recreates in the kitchen.
Sign up for A.J.'s newsletter by visiting her homepage and filling out the pop-up form.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.ajlape.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajlapewrites/
X: http://twitter.com/ajlape
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorajlape
Fan Club & Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ajlap...
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ajlape/
Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Email: aj(at)ajlape(dot)com
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 7, 2022
I love myself a good spin-off, and this spin-off from the Darcy Walker series is definitely a hit for me!
Drugs. Crime. Mob bosses. Familiar characters. I am all in!
Lape has such an uncanny ability to create intersting and well-developed characters and plopping them right in the middle of a fun, page-turning plot that readers never want to end. I wanted this book to go on forever, but alas, it had to end some time, right?
I enjoyed the cameos these characters had with Darcy Walker. I got a nice taste in the first book in this series. I got so much more in this book. I got to get down and personal with some great characters who are moving up and up my list of characters I don't want to ever go away. (And that's a big compliment. There are only a small handful that I am always itching for new books of.)
I seem to keep saying over and over that everyone needs to pick up this author's books. Pretty soon, she is going to have so many, it will be hard to catch up. So, stop waiting.
Drugs. Crime. Mob bosses. Familiar characters. I am all in!
Lape has such an uncanny ability to create intersting and well-developed characters and plopping them right in the middle of a fun, page-turning plot that readers never want to end. I wanted this book to go on forever, but alas, it had to end some time, right?
I enjoyed the cameos these characters had with Darcy Walker. I got a nice taste in the first book in this series. I got so much more in this book. I got to get down and personal with some great characters who are moving up and up my list of characters I don't want to ever go away. (And that's a big compliment. There are only a small handful that I am always itching for new books of.)
I seem to keep saying over and over that everyone needs to pick up this author's books. Pretty soon, she is going to have so many, it will be hard to catch up. So, stop waiting.
July 30, 2022
AJ Lape is a storyteller from page one. She writes murder mysteries, with a hint of romance. This Rivera and Gutierrez series is grittier, and a bit harsh, but entangled so deeply in the reality that it is tougher to finish than it is to start. I never want to move on to another story.
Vice Versa left me in a fog for a day or two. Everything I tried to read brought me back to this story and these characters. There is some crazy stuff going on in this one and I can feel the heat for Gutierrez. I feel like I have watched him grow up, and soften up, with the Darcy Walker series, now I need to know if he is going to be OK. This is a sure sign of a well written novel.
Vice Versa left me in a fog for a day or two. Everything I tried to read brought me back to this story and these characters. There is some crazy stuff going on in this one and I can feel the heat for Gutierrez. I feel like I have watched him grow up, and soften up, with the Darcy Walker series, now I need to know if he is going to be OK. This is a sure sign of a well written novel.
May 25, 2022
Vice Versa is the second installment of the Rivera & Gutierrez series. Ruby is intent on taking down a drug dealer. Even if she needs a little help from the wrong side of the law. I’ve come to love Ruby and Gutierrez’s relationship. AJ Lape has the knack of making you see the good (and praying for redemption) in the baddest of characters. And I LOVE that about her! You’ll be on the edge of your seat in this action packed installment. Be prepared to be up all night cause you won’t be putting it down!
May 25, 2022
Ruby and Gutierrez are back with another unputdownable escapade and you wouldn’t believe the secrets that are being unleashed!
June 6, 2022
I'll admit that I'm a sucker for books that feature characters who were mere secondary characters in the previous books, especially when there was just that spark of something that had me wondering what went on with them when you don't see them on the page. A.J. Lape has taken what was a smaller appearance in to the Darcy Walker series by mob boss Alejandro Gutierrez and show us how much depth, feeling, and emotions this fierce man has. But cross him and you'll be dealing with the cold-blooded hitman, and you don't want to see that side of him.
Detective Ruby Rivera has gone undercover so many times she can slip into each of her underworld characters flawlessly. When she sets her sights on a drug dealer named Mookie Spinks (who is no stranger to the reader from the Darcy books), she thinks she can just slink in and get the take down easy peasy. But things go from bad to worse and she must turn to the only person she knows who can get her into the inner circle of these crooks, and Gutierrez is there to be by her side every step of the dangerous way.
So much more is revealed in this novella about Ruby and Gutierrez, especially since you get both of their points of view to get an intimate look. Ruby's upbringing and events in her life--both personal and professional--have made her the tough, closed off individual that she is, but she's having doubts about the status of her personal relationships. Gutierrez has a rat in his organization-both figuratively and literally--so there's some tough decisions to be made and actions to take. I really enjoyed seeing him by himself with his people since we never get a peak behind the curtain like this in the Darcy books.
I give Vice Versa a five out of five. I really want to spend more time in this world, and these novellas never seem long enough to satisfy me. The danger is amped up in this one, and the amount of shooting happening makes for one suspenseful read. As usual, the writing is so great and I can just step into their world and feel right at home from page one. I love that there are comedic sides to lighten up all the danger and darkness. With Ruby and Gutierrez questioning everything in their lives, what can happen next? I'm eager to find out.
(Also on Bewitched Bookworms. Book received for free in exchange for honest review)
Detective Ruby Rivera has gone undercover so many times she can slip into each of her underworld characters flawlessly. When she sets her sights on a drug dealer named Mookie Spinks (who is no stranger to the reader from the Darcy books), she thinks she can just slink in and get the take down easy peasy. But things go from bad to worse and she must turn to the only person she knows who can get her into the inner circle of these crooks, and Gutierrez is there to be by her side every step of the dangerous way.
So much more is revealed in this novella about Ruby and Gutierrez, especially since you get both of their points of view to get an intimate look. Ruby's upbringing and events in her life--both personal and professional--have made her the tough, closed off individual that she is, but she's having doubts about the status of her personal relationships. Gutierrez has a rat in his organization-both figuratively and literally--so there's some tough decisions to be made and actions to take. I really enjoyed seeing him by himself with his people since we never get a peak behind the curtain like this in the Darcy books.
I give Vice Versa a five out of five. I really want to spend more time in this world, and these novellas never seem long enough to satisfy me. The danger is amped up in this one, and the amount of shooting happening makes for one suspenseful read. As usual, the writing is so great and I can just step into their world and feel right at home from page one. I love that there are comedic sides to lighten up all the danger and darkness. With Ruby and Gutierrez questioning everything in their lives, what can happen next? I'm eager to find out.
(Also on Bewitched Bookworms. Book received for free in exchange for honest review)
August 24, 2023
Lape never ever disappoints. ALL of her books are wonderful, and this is no exception. Her characters are phenomenal, and the plots are fantastic. Humor, action, mystery, suspense--this book will catch your attention from page one and never let up. Lape isn't just a good indie writer; she's one of the best writers in the business, and this book lived up to all my expectations once again.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews