What do you think?
Rate this book
Hide and Seek by Michael Zolezzi
There are certain criminal cases that are talked about generations after the investigation is closed.They are biopsied, broken down, with every move by the detective analyzed. These cases can make legends or goats out of the investigators. In Hide and Seek, such a case lands in Detective Jake Skinner and his partner, Detective Dan Rico's, laps. Having just transferred from South Bureau Homicide, Jake thought taking down an armed bank robber on his first day was as wild as the RHD ride got. He was wrong. The kidnapping of the wife of the mayor of Los Angeles, who also happens to be a federal prosecutor threatens the core of one of the world's most famous cities. An internal power struggle, false leads, meddling media, the victim's own family, and Jake's personal struggles all threaten to derail the investigation, an investigation that leads to pure evil.
- GenresFiction
Paperback
23 people are currently reading
751 people want to read
About the author
Michael Zolezzi
7 books60 followersMichael Zolezzi is a veteran Los Angeles Police Department Detective.
The author answered a few questions for THE BIG THRILL about his new novel.
Tell us about HIDE AND SEEK?
There are certain criminal cases that are talked about generations after the investigation is closed. I’m talking about the big ones, the OJ Simpsons, Scott Petersons, and the Grim Sleeper type of investigation, the big news media type of case. They are biopsied, broken down, with every move by the detective analyzed. These cases can make legends or goats out of the investigators.
In HIDE AND SEEK, such a case lands in Detective Jake Skinner and his partner, Detective Dan Rico’s, laps. Having just transferred from South Bureau Homicide, Jake thought taking down an armed bank robber on his first day was as wild as the RHD ride got. He was wrong.
The kidnapping of the wife of the mayor of Los Angeles, who also happens to be a federal prosecutor, threatens the core of one of the world’s most famous cities. An internal power struggle, false leads, meddling media, the victim’s own family, and Jake’s personal struggles all threaten to derail the investigation, an investigation that leads to pure evil.
You are a Los Angeles Police Detective – Tell us what motivated you to become a writer and author HIDE AND SEEK?
I have worked for the Los Angeles Police Department for over 20 years. During my early years, I started to become jaded, and a little detached from the community that I served. It affected not only me, but everyone around me. Ask my wife. I needed an outlet to take me away from what I saw every day, from what I was becoming. I always loved writing, so I set out and wrote a really bad novel that was promptly rejected by every agent and publisher.
Not being a quitter, I continued to write, this time in the screenplay medium. Early on, I had some encouraging comments about my writing and stories from several major studios. But then life changed, and I started a family. After a several year hiatus, I once again started to write screenplays, including an early version of HIDE AND SEEK. I entered the screenplay into several competitions, placing in most and winning a few.
Then Christopher Dorner happened. I was the last person on the department to deal with the troubled former LAPD Officer. While I can’t speak about what my dealings with him were, due to the confidentiality of the matter, the interactions were cordial. When I heard about the manifesto, I didn’t feel threatened, in fact he mentions me in somewhat of a positive light in his ramblings. However, the Department felt it was in my interest to send a protection detail to my residence. That may have save my family’s life. In the early morning hours, officers assigned to protect me and my family ran into Dorner down the street from my house. The ensuing gun battle left an officer injured with a grazing gunshot wound to his head. The following days became the biggest manhunt in the LAPD’s history.
The sociopath that Dorner was inspired the creation of the antagonist in my debut novel, HIDE
AND SEEK.
So is this book the start of a new detective series?
Yes, there will be a second novel. After the completion of my current manuscript; a middle-grader thriller/mystery, I plan to start the follow-up Jake Skinner novel.
The author answered a few questions for THE BIG THRILL about his new novel.
Tell us about HIDE AND SEEK?
There are certain criminal cases that are talked about generations after the investigation is closed. I’m talking about the big ones, the OJ Simpsons, Scott Petersons, and the Grim Sleeper type of investigation, the big news media type of case. They are biopsied, broken down, with every move by the detective analyzed. These cases can make legends or goats out of the investigators.
In HIDE AND SEEK, such a case lands in Detective Jake Skinner and his partner, Detective Dan Rico’s, laps. Having just transferred from South Bureau Homicide, Jake thought taking down an armed bank robber on his first day was as wild as the RHD ride got. He was wrong.
The kidnapping of the wife of the mayor of Los Angeles, who also happens to be a federal prosecutor, threatens the core of one of the world’s most famous cities. An internal power struggle, false leads, meddling media, the victim’s own family, and Jake’s personal struggles all threaten to derail the investigation, an investigation that leads to pure evil.
You are a Los Angeles Police Detective – Tell us what motivated you to become a writer and author HIDE AND SEEK?
I have worked for the Los Angeles Police Department for over 20 years. During my early years, I started to become jaded, and a little detached from the community that I served. It affected not only me, but everyone around me. Ask my wife. I needed an outlet to take me away from what I saw every day, from what I was becoming. I always loved writing, so I set out and wrote a really bad novel that was promptly rejected by every agent and publisher.
Not being a quitter, I continued to write, this time in the screenplay medium. Early on, I had some encouraging comments about my writing and stories from several major studios. But then life changed, and I started a family. After a several year hiatus, I once again started to write screenplays, including an early version of HIDE AND SEEK. I entered the screenplay into several competitions, placing in most and winning a few.
Then Christopher Dorner happened. I was the last person on the department to deal with the troubled former LAPD Officer. While I can’t speak about what my dealings with him were, due to the confidentiality of the matter, the interactions were cordial. When I heard about the manifesto, I didn’t feel threatened, in fact he mentions me in somewhat of a positive light in his ramblings. However, the Department felt it was in my interest to send a protection detail to my residence. That may have save my family’s life. In the early morning hours, officers assigned to protect me and my family ran into Dorner down the street from my house. The ensuing gun battle left an officer injured with a grazing gunshot wound to his head. The following days became the biggest manhunt in the LAPD’s history.
The sociopath that Dorner was inspired the creation of the antagonist in my debut novel, HIDE
AND SEEK.
So is this book the start of a new detective series?
Yes, there will be a second novel. After the completion of my current manuscript; a middle-grader thriller/mystery, I plan to start the follow-up Jake Skinner novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 17, 2016
The well-written page-turner with several twists by the author who knows the police work from the inside
December 15, 2021
A well written police procedural thriller.
I happened to see an advertisement on Facebook for Hide and Seek. I have not heard of Michael Zolezzi and our paths never crossed during my career as a police officer. I decided to download a couple of chapters to determine if I would be interested with this novel. I was immediately hook after reading the first few paragraphs.
Michael Zolezzi is a tenured Detective with LAPD . Zolezzi hit a home run at bat with this book, which is book 1 in the Skinner series.
Hide and Seek is a fabulous story. The story is compelling, tragic, and raw.
I now follow Michael Zolezzi and will be reading is other books.
I happened to see an advertisement on Facebook for Hide and Seek. I have not heard of Michael Zolezzi and our paths never crossed during my career as a police officer. I decided to download a couple of chapters to determine if I would be interested with this novel. I was immediately hook after reading the first few paragraphs.
Michael Zolezzi is a tenured Detective with LAPD . Zolezzi hit a home run at bat with this book, which is book 1 in the Skinner series.
Hide and Seek is a fabulous story. The story is compelling, tragic, and raw.
I now follow Michael Zolezzi and will be reading is other books.
February 15, 2019
Wow!! This book was excellent!!! I read it straight to the end!!!
I enjoyed reading the interactions between all of the major players. This was really a a page turner. I want to see more from this author.
I enjoyed reading the interactions between all of the major players. This was really a a page turner. I want to see more from this author.
March 4, 2019
Police Mystery
This is an excellent example of the inner workings of a large police department. It shows cooperation between departments and also the arrogance of upper management
This is an excellent example of the inner workings of a large police department. It shows cooperation between departments and also the arrogance of upper management
September 24, 2021
LA Detective
Jake has his hands full fighting the bad guys, throw in the murders of some high ranking LA cops and there's little sleep
Jake has his hands full fighting the bad guys, throw in the murders of some high ranking LA cops and there's little sleep
June 7, 2022
Suspense
It is a suspenseful and thrilling book. It was hard to put down. I would recommend to all of my friends who enjoy reading
It is a suspenseful and thrilling book. It was hard to put down. I would recommend to all of my friends who enjoy reading
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews