When Detective Freddy Ferguson finds the body of a well-dressed woman in the woods of rural Virginia, the discovery launches him into a web of espionage and organized crime…
In her room at the town inn, she left two mysterious notes hinting at a love gone wrong.
The trail to her killer leads through organized crime, espionage, and the international race for technological supremacy to a seemingly unremarkable man the FBI and CIA have been trying for years to pin down.
Andrew Diamond writes mystery, crime, noir, and an occasional comedy. His books feature cinematic prose, strong characterization, twisting plots, and dark humor. Amazon editors named Impala a best of the month mystery, and IndieReader named it to their best of 2016 list. Impala also won the Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for mystery and the 24th Annual Writer’s Digest award for genre fiction.
Gate 76 was named named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018, while BestThrillers.com selected both Gate 76 (2018) and To Hell with Johnny Manic (2019) to their best of the year lists. The Sellout (2024) won the IndieReader Discovery Award for humor.
His next book, Grid Zero, will be available on June 30, 2025.
There's an old saying that goes, "Man makes plans and God laughs." Nobody knows that better than Freddy Ferguson, a former boxer turned private eye who finds a dead woman in a Virginia woods. But just as he gets hold of her, an incoming storm overwhelms the area, and the swollen river quickly knocks out the dam and sweeps the body downstream and leaves him holding a leather strap holding a tiny numbered key.
Intrigued - and upset that he wasn't able to hold onto her body - he informs the local police and they make an initial investigation that turns up a couple of mysterious and partial handwritten notes in her hotel room. Back home in Washington, D.C., he tries to get back to working on the firm's cases with his partner, Earl Kessler, and employees Bethany, Leon and Claire (each of whom has both endearing and annoying character facets, BTW). In fact, Freddy has a "thing" for Claire, but he realizes that an interoffice romance isn't a good idea - even if he thought Claire would be interested in him (which he doesn't).
Not long thereafter, the dead woman's body washes up in the James River and his intrigue undergoes a revival. Now, he's determined to identify her; so far, the police have no leads. With some help from the other sleuths in the firm, the tiny key gives up its secret, and he traces it to Delray Beach, Florida, and off he goes. There, he gets a couple of surprises, not the least of which is that she has ties to organized crime. Another comes in the form of the woman's father, who is convinced his daughter's most recent boyfriend did her in and hires Freddy to find her unknown "Romeo."
From that point on, the book focuses on Freddy chasing both Romeo and Claire (I'm not sure which "catch" he thinks is more uncertain, but based on the number of pages devoted to the subject, I'm betting on Claire). All in all, it's an enjoyable journey from a reading standpoint. For the record, this is the second in a series, but there's plenty of background "stuff" thrown in and I never felt at a disadvantage for not having read the first one (I did, however, read and highly recommend To Hell with Johnny Manic, another of his books).
The next one in this series, however, I'm looking forward to - and for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley.
An easy to read novel. I like the characters, I liked the casual writing style. I liked the book. The plot had enough twists to make it interesting but also easy to follow. I think I'll be searching out other Freddy Ferguson novels by Andrew Diamond. This was a winner all the way around.
Private detective Freddy Ferguson is back in Andrew Diamond’s long-awaited follow-up to Gate 76.
The book’s spectacular opening chapter is one that will burn in readers’ memories long after finishing the book. While in rural Virginia doing a background check on a rising politician, Freddy decides to prolong his stay at the home of a politically connected woman – who goes by simply “Mrs. Jackson” – for a little rest and relaxation. The first rule of detective fiction is that detectives can never truly take a vacation. Accordingly, while on a hike with Mrs. Jackson’s dog, Freddy discovers the body of a young woman. A beaver dam breaks, washing them downstream. Freddy is saved, but the whereabouts of the body is anyone’s guess. When the hard-edged local sheriff shows little interest in even locating the body, Mrs. Jackson persuades Freddy to stay and look into it. It’s a challenge his good nature can’t say no to.
The investigation soon leads to a pair of provocative notes purportedly written by the deceased, including one that ends with this stunner: “I lied, just like you. They’re not here. Disappointment is a bitter pill, isn’t it?”
Longtime fans of Diamond’s work will relish a supporting role by financial auditor Claire Chastain, who is the focus of another Diamond-penned series. Freddy, who narrates Kill Romeo in his own voice, hints at the sexual tension between him and Claire to come early on: “I’d been asking myself if my motives were pure when I asked her to work with us. Was there some attraction…” Thankfully, the answer to his question about attraction is yes, and the chemistry between the two characters simmers and crackles throughout. All the while, in moments of powerful personal reflection, Freddy expresses his struggle to break the quiet desperation that has gripped his life for far too long.
The murder mystery driving Kill Romeo is first-rate. So too is the writing, as Diamond injects the plot with thoughtful passages and bits of dialogue that explore the ramifications of loneliness and social isolation. In some cases, the cited cause is societal, and in others, the work of sinister individuals intentionally isolating their victims. The sum is a novel that is simultaneously entertaining, suspenseful and cathartic. It also delivers a surprising amount of closure for a second series book.
While Kill Romeo is technically a second series book and at least a half-sibling to his Claire Chastain series, the book also works perfectly as a stand-alone for newcomers.
I found a new author and I am addicted to his novels. Andrew Diamond spins a tale about ex boxer Freddy Ferguson is unknowingly involved. Freddy finds a dead woman that leads him in a quest where he gets involved with mobsters, the FBI and other interesting characters in search to find the identity of the dead woman. Diamond is a fine writer and his plot and characters are real. Plot driven and a great read. A very good mystery series. Reminds me of Thomas Perry and David Rosenfelt. Recommend!!!!
I’m very pleased I found this author. His writing is clean, characters are very interesting and I’m hooked. Will definitely continue reading his books.
Investigator Freddy Ferguson is not a man who easily walks away from a mystery and a mystery it is when he finds and then loses the body of a young woman. Freddy’s mind will not let this mystery alone even when the body seems to disappear, and no-one reports the young woman missing. His only clues are two short notes that seem to point to an unfilled romance.
And so the hunt is on to track down this woman and bring her killer to justice.
Kill Romeo is an excellent read and a top-notch thriller. The story drew me in from the first few pages and held my interest until the highly satisfying last page. The chase takes us into organized crime and international intrigue as competing powers strive always to be one step ahead of the most recent technological advances.
But there is a second story running through Kill Romeo, a much more personal story. Freddy Ferguson is a man of many layers. He is a man so confident in his ability to “do his job” but so lost and unsure of his ability to connect with others and of his own place in the world. I thoroughly enjoyed walking by Freddy's side through some very emotional events . We meet some fascinating characters in Mr. Diamond’s work, from local law enforcement to top level federal agents, from a nosey local inhabitant to a crime lord who kills at the drop of a hat. Each and every one of those characters is wonderfully drawn and believable. Kill Romeo is a story that wanders, from mystery to emotion, from location to location, from the real world to the world inside Freddy’s head. This is just one element of the story that makes is so interesting.
I have no hesitation in recommending Kill Romeo to those who enjoy a good mystery. I definitely want more of Freddy.
I received an ARC of Kill Romeo from Netgalley in return for an honest review, with thanks.
In Kill Romeo, author Diamond combines two of his lead characters from past novels into yet another first-rate detective mystery. Freddy Ferguson is a former boxer turned private investigator, a tough guy whose biggest fear is his own feelings. Claire Chastain is a former corporate analyst, also turned private investigator, brilliant, beautiful, and tough as nails. She just joined Freddy’s D.C. firm on a trial basis.
Freddy’s on a routine assignment in the Virginia mountains when he finds a woman’s body deep in the woods while taking a walk. Against his will, he’s drawn into a search to identify the mysterious woman and find her killer. Clues lead him to South Florida, where he discovers the woman’s past includes a mobster father, who makes Freddy one of those mobster offers that can’t be refused. Find her killer and … [well, no spoilers].
The trail of pursuit leads to Seattle and a tangled web of international espionage. Throughout the book, Freddy struggles with his feelings for Claire. He’s falling for her bigtime, but she’s a colleague, and looks up to him as a mentor. An honorable person, Freddy tells himself he’s not allowed to have feelings like that, so he smothers them, creating an internal conflict that ticks like a time bomb. When Claire gets called to Seattle to help with the case, and drawn into danger, it becomes harder and harder to keep his feelings separate from the business at hand.
Diamond is a master of character development, a talent that sparkles and shines throughout the book. Freddy in particular is one of the most likeable detectives in fiction. An action-packed page-turner filled with adventure, intrigue, and a tension-laced side-serving of romance.
Freddie Ferguson is a former pro-boxer who is now a PI. One night, during a storm, he is out walking a neighbor’s dog. The dog gets away from him and he follows it. He discovers a woman’s remains near a river but between the dog and the storm, the body gets dragged off by the current. He, when he gets to where he has telephone service, contacts the Police about the woman. Because of the storm and it’s repercussions they wait until morning to search for her. Freddie begins looking into the death and the particulars leading to it. He also wonders if a man he saw (and helped change a flat tire for) may be involved. This was nothing like I prejudged it to be. I expected Freddie to be all fists and very little brain. I also expected him to deal with things simplistically. None of this was true. It a remarkably well written with plot twists that will make the reader keep guessing. It is also written with wit and humor and Freddie is smart and a genuine thinker. Thanks to Net Galley and Stolen Time Press for an ARC for an honest review.
Thank you to the author, Stolen Time Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very enjoyable, fast-paced PI thriller. Both the main and the secondary characters are well-rounded and the narrative voice, i.e. that of Freddy Ferguson, a former boxer turned PI, rings true to the character. Unusual for a thriller (at least for me as someone who reads quite a bit of this genre), the twists and turns the story takes are surprising and suspenseful, and the ending is satisfying on all fronts. This is the second in a series, but reads well as a stand-alone. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I just loved this book. Diamond manages to weave together a crime thriller, a love story, and a seriously flawed and tortured protagonist who runs through thoughtful commentary on the human condition. I am now hooked on Freddy.
This is a well written detective story with an interesting murder mystery. Freddy Ferguson is likeable. So are the other characters. When Freddy finds the body of a woman in white, he cannot unsee and let it go. The search for the identity of the dead woman and her killer brings him into the world of cyber security and data science. Looks like CIA and FBI are also interested in the case. Add to this, his attraction towards his subordinate Claire... I usually dont like romance side-track in a detective novel, but in this book, it completely makes sense. 'Kill Romeo' takes a dual meaning. I liked the clarity with which the author goes about the Hero's inner turmoil. The ending was satisfactory. I have read all books in this series, but each one can be read as a stand-alone. I am very generously giving this a 5 * rating though there are some flaws. But this was different from the other detective novels I usually read and was refreshing.
An intriguing mystery. Set as part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Whilst we encounter a victim due to nature and an unpredictable storm Freddy loses all evidence of the body. He's left with a mystery and unsolved case met with the difficulty that no one has reported them missing.
This is a nice easy read that I feel is written with a very casual style. We get some twists along the way and road blocks in the investigation.
My one issue was there was too much focus on Freddy's love interest with him sort of obsessing over her and whilst she as a character was okay, I kept getting annoyed hen she was mentioned.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
On another job Freddy finds a young woman's body and can't turn away from finding out who she is and what happened to put her into the woods in a storm. It starts out with his curiosity and turns into a job he can't turn down with a hefty cash pay ticket at the end after working with both ends of the legal spectrum. He also has woman trouble with their new recruit who he feels an attraction to but is afraid to show it being her prospective boss. The case draws them together and there's a happy ever after so all's good. Plenty of humour and pathos, characters who make the story fun to read and a plot that keeps you interested to the end.
From beginning to end this book was entertaining. A mix of good guys, bad guys, and very bad guys all trying to out do each other. With two people stuck in the middle and trying to figure out their next step.
I liked the short chapters and the simplicity of the story. Too often authors will try to get too clever and the story gets lost or too drawn out. The story was easy to follow without having too many characters or small details. Great to read.
This book had the most wonderfully clear and concise explanation of the value of Big Data. Especially how it applied in the medical field and how much money there was to be made from it. Which is why so many nations attempt to steal data from various places, especially the USA which has a population from all over the world. This book is worth buying just for those few paragraphs.
I enjoyed Kill Romeo (Andrew Diamond). Freddy is a private detective who finds a woman's body just before a dam breaks and him and the body go down stream. Although he tries to hold onto her, Freddy loses the body and it slips away from him. Watching Freddy follow the clues to find answers made it an interesting read. I want to thank NetGalley and Stolen Time Press for an early copy to review.
A bit of a mixed feeling about this book, more because it actually felt like you read two books. The first part was the like travelling along the road to the roundabout then heading off down another road to finish the journey.. I liked the characters featured in the book and even though it is in 2 parts, the storyline but it just felt there was something missing.
So entertaining! It’s a murder mystery, a slow burn romance with enough shady characters to keep it going. The dialogue is superb- believable and bright, the characters a bit flawed. The writing is vivid and there were no parts that I skimmed over due to being overly graphic & gory or irrelevant. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Good read. Fast paced story. Kept my interest. I like this author but thought Impala was more interesting and exciting than this book. I'm not into romance stories but the love aspect of this book was more thrilling than the investigation. Kinda seemed a bit rushed at the end. I did like it though. Good dialogue and great characters.
This book has it all: good writing, great storytelling, interesting (and likable) characters, suspense, and romance. I really like how the violence is mostly “off stage,” and the story is focused on solving the crime. Oh, and that romance I just mentioned.
Old Style PI..ex boxer..out of touch with feelings..conflicted when it comes to relationships with women. Good story line..but I felt the novel was a bit slow at times. I did enjoy the overall reading experience
Freddy is an interesting character and sometimes amusing but it was hard to believe he would be as dense in romance as portrayed. An easy read and a variety of characters.
This is an enjoyable thriller with a good strong plot. I did think the main character Freddy was rather too emotional about his romantic life and did overthink things too much, but the crime story keeps you turning the pages, and the ending is great.
This was a really enjoyable read that was fast paced, well written and had a cast of well developed characters that I liked. IT was a gripping read that was twisty and unpredictable.