Motherless Children

by Dennis Fisher

Danny Tobin is a killer. He knows death in the way others know life. He knows its smells, he knows its touch, he knows the lovely promises it will always fail to keep and he knows the euphoria it can bring.Danny Tobin is also a cop.When a vicious late-summer storm on the coast of Massachusetts leads to the discovery of eight dead prostitutes in an abandoned cranberry bog in the wealthy town of Duxbury, Danny, a driven and conflicted state police detective, is pulled into a complex investigation that will reach all the way to the top of the department and force him to deal with events, emotions–and people–from his past that he thought he’d buried for good.Danny quickly focuses on a reclusive Brazilian named DeSilva and his nephew Alves whom he discovers have been running the low-end sex trade for years in the Boston suburbs, discreetly supplying their customers with barely teenage girls plucked off the streets of villages all over South America. Haunted by his failure to protect his younger sister from a predator years earlier, Danny and his partner Frank “Tex” Teixeira go after DeSilva and his men with a vengeance.As the investigation deepens, so does Danny’s budding relationship with Caroline, a beautiful young doctoral student who also has drawn the attention of DeSilva. Soon, Danny and Tex find themselves in the middle of a brutal internecine war that forces Danny to confront some ugly truths about himself and those around him that threaten to destroy his friendship with Tex, their careers and even their own families.Motherless Children is a story about the small decisions that can define our lives, the true nature of good and evil and finding the strength to do what needs to be done–regardless of the consequences.

444 pages, Paperback

First published April 19, 2012

About the author

Dennis Fisher is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer. He got his start as a newspaper reporter covering murder trials and major crime. For the last 21 years he has specialized in writing about information security and privacy. He is currently the editor-in-chief of Decipher, a leading security news site and is a frequent speaker on security and privacy topics at industry conferences. His work has appeared in a number of national publications, including Boston magazine, The Improper Bostonian, Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge and The Boston Globe. Motherless Children is his first novel.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book, 444 pages, in three evenings. Not that I'm an amazingly fast reader, but I just had to finish it because it was too exciting to put down.

It's a great mystery/drama/suspense thriller which starts with the discovery of a number of bodies floating in an abandoned cranberry bog. You follow detective Danny Tobin in a first-person recollection of the events which culminate in thrilling fashion at the end. It is not just a murder mystery, but if it were it would be a good one - you get the feeling in the first 25 pages of the book what's going on, and how the mystery might be solved. And yet, you are confused, there aren't enough pieces in the puzzle yet, so you're not sure. This goes on right up until the last 50 pages or so when things finally come to a head. It is also a personal growth, development, and discovery story. I am really looking forward to a future book starring Tobin, he is a compelling, yet troubled figure.

I found this book very good. It's entertaining, exciting, and will be hard to put down.

[Katie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't just rate this as 5 stars because the author is my friend. I rated it 5 stars because it deserved it.

I am not a fast reader - in fact, I tend to read books slower than a turtle. So when I finish a book in less than a few weeks, I know it is a good book. I got sucked in from page one and was flipping pages like it was my job. I felt as though I was right next to Danny, the main character, the entire time and seeing him struggle with his job, with his past and with his future (Caroline).

It's not all rainbows and butterflies, but what thriller novel is?

Go. Read. This. Now.

[Knows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fisher has penned a high-speed, riveting, and intriguing novel. First-person narratives are hard to pull off, but he nails it, giving us a protagonist just flawed enough to be real. Reminiscent of Elmore Leonard, Fisher's book pops with witty, local, fast-paced dialogue. As a former Federal Agent, I can attest to the authenticity of his 'cop talk', and respect the fact that he presents the main character in such human terms. A damn good first novel - I eagerly anticipate the next installment!

[Marguerite (Margot) Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! Dennis was our youngest son's college roommate and I bought and read it only as our son had asked if we would check it out. I downloaded it as we were leaving for a trip to Costa Rica but I must say, we both attacked it on the Ipad and Kindle every night when we fell into bed exhausted from sightseeing. It grabs you in the first chapter and doesn't let go - I can't wait for him to write another. Fantastic fast paced thriller with some twists and turns!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the author's first novel, and it shows. It is full of suspense and twists though, so it was a page
turner. The main character's motives was confusing and it would have been more helpful to know more about his
background. Also, not sure why it has this title!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice job, Dennis. I could totally picture everything as it unfolded, beginning with the bodies in the bog. Coincidentally, this is the second book about human trafficking I've recent in a row.