Tag Archives: organized crime thriller

Windekind: A Novel by Mark Lavine Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A grieving husband hoping to give himself and his young son a fresh start after their loss finds himself caught between two warring criminal organizations in the wooded community he moves to in Vermont in author Mark Lavine’s “Windekind: A Novel”.

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The Synopsis

After the tragic death of his young wife, Sam Thibeau and his eight-year-old son Harry move from California to a co-housing community deep in the Vermont woods, where they hope to leave behind their painful memories and start over in an unfamiliar land of snow and maple syrup.

Just as they’re settling in, Sam comes across a series of strange clues and messages which appear to be meant just for him. The clues lead to what at first appears to be a financial windfall, but before long he finds himself caught between a Mexican cartel and a drug-running syndicate based in nearby Montreal.

Left with no other choice, he enlists the aid of Cindy Yates, a local police detective, who not only helps him begin the healing of old wounds, but also has an idea for a way out of his predicament. Together, they attempt a daring scheme to turn the tables on the cartel and free Sam and his son from its deadly reach.

Looking for peace and quiet in the Vermont countryside? You won’t find it here in this fast-paced thriller that’ll have you up late turning the pages.

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The Review

This was a captivating and engaging crime thriller. The harrowing experiences the protagonist endures and the dynamic setting were brilliant marks in which the reader could get invested immediately. The layering of the criminal activities and the mystery surrounding this commune the protagonist finds himself living in, as well as the mystery surrounding its inhabitants, made this story really come to life on the page. 

To me, the author found a really special balance of captivating character development, a rich setting, and dynamic imagery within the author’s writing that tied all of this together. The chemistry the protagonist found with Cindy and the complicated relationship he develops with her as he continues to mourn his wife’s loss yet still feels himself being pulled closer and closer to her makes for some stellar character arcs, and an emotional undercoat beneath the adrenaline-fueled crime story. The woods of Vermont have never felt more alive than in this thriller and kept drawing the reader in more and more.

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The Verdict

Driven, captivating, and engaging, author Mark Lavine’s “Windekind” is a must-read crime thriller. The narrative, character growth and interactions, and stellar setting all reminded me of the rich stories found in the Fargo film and subsequent series. The blend of small-town life and ordinary people caught in chilling crime settings and set in a small, northern town made this compelling narrative that readers will be hard-pressed to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Mark Lavine is the author of four novels: Dr Prozac, ForeverChild, Victimless Crimes, and Windekind. He lives in the mountains of Vermont with his wife, daughter, and King Charles Spaniel (Luna). Luna follows him tirelessly on his many hikes and cross-country skis through the woods near his home. Luna sleeps tirelessly while Mark spends a few hours of every day working on his next book. He also loves to play classical piano, and Beethoven in particular. To get acquainted with his work, Mark recommends ForeverChild for scifi fans, and Windekind for thriller fans.

http://www.marklavine.net/

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Killer with a Heart (Killers Book 1) by J.L. Hill Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

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The gritty streets of 1970s New York comes under fire when rival gangs and mobsters find themselves locked into a gang war that will soak the streets in blood in author J.L. Hill’s “Killer with a Heart”, the first book in the Killers series. 

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The Synopsis

Explore the workings of criminal masterminds in Killer With A Heart, a captivating action and suspense novel. In this heart-pounding tale, you will be taken to the feisty and intriguing world of the mafia. Discover the exhilarating turn of events as gangs struggle to rise up to power, a mafia boss craves for a beautiful sexy firebrand and an upcoming mob war unleashes hell’s fire on the streets of New York. An intoxicating must-read that will keep you hanging on the edges of your seats, this work features a dark, dangerous and deviant setting in which everything is not what it seems.

A raw in your face story of teenage love, lust, murder, and revenge set in the Bronx in the early seventies, where the cold business world of organize crime melds with the brutality of street gang warlords that ignites a winner takes all battle for underworld control.

Nicky ‘Nails’ Rocci’s gang is thick as thieves, but stealing mob money leads to murder. However, failing to kill Morris ‘Mojo’ Johnson is a costly mistake for the Banoa family that adds to Morris’ mystique.



Maria Marino is a bewitching beauty, a sexy firebrand that has captured the heart of the feared warlord, Morris.



Joey Banoa’s lust for Maria, Morris Johnson’s desire for vengeance, and Nicky’s aspirations to lead his gang to the top of the criminal scene will ignite a mob war and unleash Hellfire on the streets of New York.

Mafia Book Portrays the Deviant Face of Sex, Drugs and Violence. With an eclectic blend of romance, deception and seduction set in the elusive and complicated world of mob rule, this story leads one out of the complacency of ignorance and sets awareness on what truly goes on in an unconventional world, where money, power, and vengeance become the ultimate dictator of human survival. Employing a fascinating set of diverse characters, this story reflects how interracial influences come into play in a setting where connections and alliances are put on high regard. This work shows how people of different backgrounds can come together for a common goal, demonstrating how they forge a true friendship at a time when interracial relations were taboo.

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The Review

As someone who has read the other books in this series as standalone stories, this first entry in the series not only provides some much-appreciated background info but allows the reader to connect the series into a more cohesive story. The author does a great job of establishing this world of mobsters and gangsters, bringing the seedy underworld of 70s-era New York City to a gritty pulp noir genre setting. The reader will definitely need to know about some of the more abrasive and harsh language used by all of the characters in this book, as racism, sexism, and violence run more rampant than ever before. 

The character development was entirely engaging in this book and helped to cement the action and suspense that this crime thriller brought to life. There was definitely a great establishment of iconic storytelling elements within this noir, from the conflict brewing between this gang and mob factions, the beautiful woman who has captured the attention of two rival gang leaders, and the brutality that each leader finds themselves capable of helps to establish the brutal future of these prominent characters in the series.

The Verdict

Memorable, visceral, and entertaining, author J.L. Hill’s “Killer with a Heart” is a fantastic start to this crime thriller series and a must-read for any fans of pulp noir era crime stories. The brutal reality of both the violence and societal aspects of life in the mob and gangs elevated the romance and action that brewed in this gripping thriller, making this a book readers won’t be able to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

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A native New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx, James L Hill spent his adolescence years in Fort Apache, the South Bronx 41st precinct during the 60’s, during a time when you needed to have a gang to go to the store. Raised on blues, soul, and rock and roll gave him the heart of a flower child. Educated by the turmoil of Vietnam, Civil Rights, and the Sexual Revolution produced a gladiator. Realizing the precariousness of life gave him an adventurous outlook and willingness to try anything once, and if it did not kill him, maybe twice. 12 years of Catholic education and a couple of years in college spread between wild drug induce euphoric years, which did not kill him, gave James an unique moral compass that swings in any direction it wants. A scientific mind and a spirit that believes nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough guides his writings. He enjoys traveling to new places and seeing what life has to offer. James began writing short stories and poetry back in his early years. In his twenties moved on to novels. He worked in the financial industry and later got a degree in computer programming, his other love. James has a successful career as a software engineer designing, developing and maintaining systems for the government and the private sector. He has been programming for nearly forty years in various languages. After years in the computer world he returned to his first love, unleashing the characters in his head. Still a hopeless insomniac, he feels free to pound out plots. James L Hill is a prolific storyteller writing crime stories, fantasies, and science fiction, with a slant on the dark side of life. The next step on his journey naturally led to the business of publishing. He started RockHill Publishing LLC not only to produce his own work, but to give others access to the literary world. His computer background and experiences in word processing gives him insight into what it takes to publish good books.

https://www.jlhill-books.com/index.html

Killer with Three Heads (Killer Series Book Two)  by J.L. Hill Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A decade after faking his own death, a former mobster and criminal returns to NYC to find his daughter, and those who kidnapped her, no matter the cost in author J.L. Hill’s “Killer with Three Heads”, the second book in the Killer series.

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The Synopsis

It’s been ten years since the Banoa-Rocci war. It is all but forgotten in New York City. Then the unthinkable happens, someone has kidnapped Maria and her nanny Akilina, and resurrected the Devil.

Bulletproof Morris ‘Mojo’ Johnson has been missing for the last four years. He returns in a hailstorm of bullets looking for his daughter, and more importantly, her kidnappers. He is ready to reignite the old conflicts, or start a new one with whoever would be so bold.

Nicky ‘Nails’ Rocci is ready to ascend to the role of Godfather of his New York Family and take a seat on the board of the Syndicate. His friend can derail his entire plan and put him in the middle of a war with the other families, or worse, government forces.

The Review

This was quite the loaded and action-packed crime thriller. Although fairly new to the Killer Series by this author, the narrative works in a way that allows newcomers to enjoy the story without sacrificing the callbacks and story components from the first book for returning fans of this series. The book is definitely geared towards a more adult readership, as descriptive and lengthy scenes of violence and sexual activity take place. The vivid imagery the author’s writing evokes conjures to mind the 80’s crime stories that have become a part of our pop culture for years, bringing to life mobsters, drug cartels, shady government agents, and more to the table.

The heart of this narrative was the complexity of the protagonist and the emotional driving force behind the story itself. The kidnapping of the protagonist’s daughter reawakens the seasoned criminal within Morris, and his love and determination to save his daughter is matched by the ferocity and shocking levels of violence he is willing to inflict on others to find her and gain what he wants. The story also highlights the conflicting struggles of women in general, but in particular, this story the women who had to learn to survive in the criminal underworld through any means necessary, becoming both weapon and object of desire alike to not only gain access to information and targets but to survive the violent world that these men had created back then.

The Verdict

Shocking, adrenaline-fueled, and entertaining, author J.L. Hill’s “Killer with Three Heads” is a must-read crime thriller and a great second entry into the Killer Series. The twists and turns in the narrative and the international settings and timelines that showcase the growth and development of this cast of characters help elevate the classic story seen time and time again in organized crime stories, as a father and criminal must use his resources and power to save his daughter’s life, no matter how much blood he has to spill. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A native New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx, James L Hill spent his adolescence years in Fort Apache, the South Bronx 41st precinct during the 60’s, during a time when you needed to have a gang to go to the store. Raised on blues, soul, and rock and roll gave him the heart of a flower child. Educated by the turmoil of Vietnam, Civil Rights, and the Sexual Revolution produced a gladiator. Realizing the precariousness of life gave him an adventurous outlook and willingness to try anything once, and if it did not kill him, maybe twice. 12 years of Catholic education and a couple of years in college spread between wild drug induce euphoric years, which did not kill him, gave James an unique moral compass that swings in any direction it wants. A scientific mind and a spirit that believes nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough guides his writings. He enjoys traveling to new places and seeing what life has to offer. James began writing short stories and poetry back in his early years. In his twenties moved on to novels. He worked in the financial industry and later got a degree in computer programming, his other love. James has a successful career as a software engineer designing, developing and maintaining systems for the government and the private sector. He has been programming for nearly forty years in various languages. After years in the computer world he returned to his first love, unleashing the characters in his head. Still a hopeless insomniac, he feels free to pound out plots. James L Hill is a prolific storyteller writing crime stories, fantasies, and science fiction, with a slant on the dark side of life. The next step on his journey naturally led to the business of publishing. He started RockHill Publishing LLC not only to produce his own work, but to give others access to the literary world. His computer background and experiences in word processing gives him insight into what it takes to publish good books.

https://www.jlhill-books.com/index.html