“Championing the forgotten turns deadly in this pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat crime thriller.” — Bruce Perrin, author of Killer in the Retroscape
“Unique and twisted. Another home run by Kevin Chapman!” — Michelle Files, author of The Many Lives of Ivy Wells
THE DEAD GIRL THEY FISHED OUT OF THE EAST RIVER WAS A DRUG ADDICTED HOOKER, SO NOBODY REALLY CARED. Except that Medical Examiner … Wells
THE DEAD GIRL THEY FISHED OUT OF THE EAST RIVER WAS A DRUG ADDICTED HOOKER, SO NOBODY REALLY CARED. Except that Medical Examiner Michelle McNeill thinks it’s a murder, and NYPD Homicide detective Mike Stoneman agrees. Every death is a tragedy, and every murderer should be exposed, even when nobody wants to hear about it. When Mike and his partner, Jason Dickson, start to dig into the case, they find that there may be other cops protecting the criminals – or maybe they are the criminals. And one of them might be Mike’s former partner. In order to uncover the truth, Mike and Jason have to go outside the lines, and risk their own reputations, jobs – and lives. This case is one that Mike can’t walk away from, no matter how much he wants to.
Fans of Harry Bosch will love this fast-paced police thriller. “Kevin Chapman is the East Coast distributor of tension,” raves Greg Prince, author of Faith and Fear in Flushing. This is book #2 of the Mike Stoneman Thriller series. Book #1, Righteous Assassin, is one of the top 20 Mystery/Thrillers of 2019, according to Kindle Book Review.
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Sometimes you have to ask for forgiveness
When a twenty-year-old woman with a record for drugs and solicitation is found floating in the East River, everyone is ready to attribute her death to an accidental overdose. Everyone, that is, except Medical Examiner Michelle McNeill. She conveys her suspicions to her romantic interest, Detective Mike Stoneman. Since he’s rehabbing from injuries sustained in his last case and is not on active duty, Stoneman launches an investigation that’s part official, but mostly not. It’s driven by his and McNeill’s strong sense of right and wrong, with Stoneman’s partner, Jason Dickson, joining the cause. In addition to the overdose case, Dickson is working with a new, temporary partner, Ray McMillian, on a high-profile murder connected with a drugs and money laundering scheme. That case, too, erupts in violence, leaving Dickson juggling competing demands on his time and fighting office politics.
Together, these cases keep the action moving and the pages of Deadly Enterprise turning at a steady pace. Readers have insight behind the scenes, revealing a twisted world of corruption, murder, drugs, prostitution, and politics. The tension is palpable, as you’ll find yourself wondering how, when, or if Stoneman and Dickson can solve these cases while walking a tightrope between an official investigation and doing what’s right. Additionally, the romance between McNeill and Stoneman, started in the first book of the series, continues to develop, giving readers a chance to catch their breath in an enjoyable side story filled with the sights and sounds of New York City.
For me, part of the book’s draw comes from where on the continuum from do-right-by-the-victim to do-it-by-the-book Stoneman will fall. Initially, he’s pulled into the overdose investigation largely by McNeill’s concerns; he shares her suspicions but entertains other possibilities as well. As the story unfolds, demons from Dr. McNeill’s past keep her digging, with Stoneman becoming more and more immersed in acts that are certainly in a gray area of the law, if not illegal. How far will he go to make sure the guilty are caught? Far enough that he’s going to have to ask for forgiveness because he’ll never get permission for what he must do.
Overall, Deadly Enterprise is a taut, fast-paced crime thriller with plenty to think about after the last page is turned.
In this second installment of the Mike Stoneman series, Mike is in rehab for his shoulder after his near fatal encounter with the serial killer, Ronald Randall, when a dead female drug-addict is pulled out of the river. Everyone assumes it’s just another overdose victim until Mike’s medical examiner girlfriend, Michelle, notices inconsistencies. She wants him to pursue the case, but the high-profile and politically sensitive killing of a local bodega owner in Brooklyn takes precedence. That is until the young woman’s sister shows up and complicates things.
This is a very tight and face-paced thriller that is definitely a page-turner. Though I have not read the first book in the series yet, this story can stand on it’s own as the author has provided us with just the right amount of backstory to get us on track. I liked that the relationship between Mike and Michelle was depicted as a mature one and without any drama. Having lived in New York in a previous life, the description of the locale and New Yorkers was spot on. I did wonder why there were no female detectives in Mike’s precinct as I know they do exist. There was also a nice balance of good cops trying to do the right thing, and ones who take advantage of the power and privilege they possess. In other words, they were human and not caricatures or superheroes.
Kudos to Mr. Chapman for a job well done.
I read Kevin’s first book: Righteous Assassin. It was a great read so I knew I would love Deadly Enterprise. It is a fast read with a great plot and introducing some new characters. It would be an awesome movie. If you like crime thrillers, the locale of NYC and police politics this is for you!!! Read soon.
A jogger finds a young woman’s body floating in the East River and at first glance, the woman’s death appears to be drowning after a heroin overdose. But everything isn’t as it seems and the ME, Michelle McNiell, has her suspicions. Suspicions that are enough for Mike Stoneman, still undergoing physio from a stab wound, to get involved in the case.
Not willing to relegate the young woman’s death to misadventure by a druggie, Mike, his usual partner Detective Jason Dickson and Michelle take on the case and find instances of other girls dying in similar circumstances. As the case surrounding the young woman’s death takes a sinister turn, Detective Dickson is under pressure to solve the murder of a bodega owner.
This is a stellar follow up to the first Mike Stoneman book, Righteous Assassin. The pacing is perfect and the character interactions are authentic and entertaining. Stoneman is an engaging character. I particularly enjoyed his relationship with Michelle; it adds another layer to the story. With a tight plotline and plenty of action, this is indeed an excellent crime thriller. Can’t wait to read more of Stoneman’s cases. Highly recommend!