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River City Crime #9
Some Degree of Murder
A young woman has been murdered in River City. Police Detective John Tower is assigned to the case but there are few clues to go on. As he digs into the case, he's soon picking up hints that this murder may not be the killer's first ... or his last.
Virgil Kelly lives in the shadowy world of the criminal underground. He's just arrived in River City with a single-minded find his daughter’s killer and bury him.
In his search for a murderer, Tower uses his experience and training along with all the expertise of modern forensics.
In the hunt for his prey, Kelley uses intimidation and violence, tools which he wields with precision and anger.
Virgil Kelley and John Tower are on a collision course. Somebody is going to die.
River City will never be the same.
◆ This novel is set in River City in 2005 and is part of the RC world
◆ Features a dual first-person narrative
◆ From the authors of the explosive Charlie-316 series!
Virgil Kelly lives in the shadowy world of the criminal underground. He's just arrived in River City with a single-minded find his daughter’s killer and bury him.
In his search for a murderer, Tower uses his experience and training along with all the expertise of modern forensics.
In the hunt for his prey, Kelley uses intimidation and violence, tools which he wields with precision and anger.
Virgil Kelley and John Tower are on a collision course. Somebody is going to die.
River City will never be the same.
◆ This novel is set in River City in 2005 and is part of the RC world
◆ Features a dual first-person narrative
◆ From the authors of the explosive Charlie-316 series!
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2012
244 people are currently reading
871 people want to read
About the author
Frank Zafiro
143 books96 followersA former police officer, Frank writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
December 3, 2016
River City has a serial killer, but who will find him first. Will it be police detective Tower, on whose desk two of the murders have fallen, or will it be Virgil, estranged father of one of the victims? This tightly written thriller takes the reader into the dark side of River City as Tower and Virgil alternate as narrators of this gripping tale.
This is a fairly fast-paced story and I really enjoyed it. The use of two narrators added to the drama and kept the story moving forward. It reads like a candle burning at both ends and the reader is watching the two flames come together. Virgil is a father who never knew his daughter though her mother kept him up-to-date with her life. He works as an enforcer for the underworld and uses those skills as he navigates the dark side looking for the killer. Tower is a career detective with personal challenges but he takes his job seriously and his thorough and dogged in tracking down his man. As these two get closer and closer in their investigations the story really starts to heat up. This is a great read for mystery and thriller lovers.
This is a fairly fast-paced story and I really enjoyed it. The use of two narrators added to the drama and kept the story moving forward. It reads like a candle burning at both ends and the reader is watching the two flames come together. Virgil is a father who never knew his daughter though her mother kept him up-to-date with her life. He works as an enforcer for the underworld and uses those skills as he navigates the dark side looking for the killer. Tower is a career detective with personal challenges but he takes his job seriously and his thorough and dogged in tracking down his man. As these two get closer and closer in their investigations the story really starts to heat up. This is a great read for mystery and thriller lovers.
March 21, 2018
Very good book
The story is told from two points of view. One point of view is John Tower's. He is the cop investigating the murder of two young prostitutes/strippers. The other point of view is Virgil Kelley's. He is an organized crime muscle guy with a personal interest in one of the girls. The killer is found and dealt with, and we get to meet some interesting characters along the way. It is a very good novel, and I recommend it.
The story is told from two points of view. One point of view is John Tower's. He is the cop investigating the murder of two young prostitutes/strippers. The other point of view is Virgil Kelley's. He is an organized crime muscle guy with a personal interest in one of the girls. The killer is found and dealt with, and we get to meet some interesting characters along the way. It is a very good novel, and I recommend it.
August 18, 2018
The final twist really hurts
The detective, the father, both digging into a single death leading to serial rape and murder...and a crazy rapist and killer. But who ended up with all the guilt.
The detective, the father, both digging into a single death leading to serial rape and murder...and a crazy rapist and killer. But who ended up with all the guilt.
July 6, 2017
loved it, although slightly miffed to find I've completely missed books 1-4! I'll be putting that right as soon as! 😃
December 19, 2018
Great read.
I love mysteries and this one has me from the beginning. You didn't know how it was going to end up.
I love mysteries and this one has me from the beginning. You didn't know how it was going to end up.
July 5, 2019
Of the five Zafiro books I’ve read, only one was a let-down. This one wasn’t it.
This book was a collaborative effort between Frank Zafiro and Colin Conway featuring two main characters – a police detective and a mob enforcer. I don’t know exactly how they divided the work, but I suspect Zafiro wrote the cop’s part and Conway wrote the enforcer’s even though the writing is seamless.
Both men are pursuing the same goal – finding the killer of a young prostitute – and, they routinely duplicate each other’s efforts, often steps behind each other. There are times when this smacks a bit too much of coincidence but not so much that it makes me say, “Oh, come on now!”
Tower, the cop, goes outside the box in his pursuit, breaking numerous police rules and facing some moral dilemmas along the way. Kelly, the enforcer, faces no such restrictions in his hunt for the killer, willing to maim or destroy anyone who gets in his way.
My only gripe here is the post-climax chapters are too many and too long. The authors should have wrapped things up in one short one written in the same style the climax was.
I’ll be back for more Zafiro books.
This book was a collaborative effort between Frank Zafiro and Colin Conway featuring two main characters – a police detective and a mob enforcer. I don’t know exactly how they divided the work, but I suspect Zafiro wrote the cop’s part and Conway wrote the enforcer’s even though the writing is seamless.
Both men are pursuing the same goal – finding the killer of a young prostitute – and, they routinely duplicate each other’s efforts, often steps behind each other. There are times when this smacks a bit too much of coincidence but not so much that it makes me say, “Oh, come on now!”
Tower, the cop, goes outside the box in his pursuit, breaking numerous police rules and facing some moral dilemmas along the way. Kelly, the enforcer, faces no such restrictions in his hunt for the killer, willing to maim or destroy anyone who gets in his way.
My only gripe here is the post-climax chapters are too many and too long. The authors should have wrapped things up in one short one written in the same style the climax was.
I’ll be back for more Zafiro books.
July 31, 2019
Having read some pretty poor stories recently, this was welcome surprise. A thriller that employs two first person stories, involving a detective and villainous hit man both trying to find a murderer, by fair means or foul. The chapters alternate between the stories told by the two protagonists, except for the final chapter where the paragraphs alternate the first person, as each sees the situation to its denouement. Set in a seedy part of River City, they get involved in drugs, prostitution and finally murder.
A thoroughly enjoyable read with a really good ending!
A thoroughly enjoyable read with a really good ending!
February 19, 2017
Detective Tower is looking for the killer of two young girls. One of the girls is the daughter of a man who is in town and looking for her killer too. He is a man who hurts people for a living for the criminal element. He has never met his daughter and she never knew he existed but he loved her anyway. A good read!
April 25, 2022
I read the blurb about this book and wondered why I had downloaded it to my kindle. It's another of a long list of books I've still to read and as I didn't fancy starting on the book I had planned to read at this moment, I unearthed this. And I'm actually glad I did.
It is rather a gruesome book in that the descriptions of violence aren't pleasant, well when would they be. It's the story of the murders of very young prostitutes and a man who has never met his daughter from a one night stand but she was one of the young girls murdered. He starts to take his own revenge. Looking into the murders is a one man band of a cop John Tower. Through his dogged perserverance he comes to the same conclusion as Virgil Kelley (that's not his real name) and they come head to head in a room where the murderer is about to claim his next victim.
The ending wasn't quite what I expected as Tower, although a maverick, was on the side of the law, and Virgil wasn't, but I kind of agreed with the ending!
It is rather a gruesome book in that the descriptions of violence aren't pleasant, well when would they be. It's the story of the murders of very young prostitutes and a man who has never met his daughter from a one night stand but she was one of the young girls murdered. He starts to take his own revenge. Looking into the murders is a one man band of a cop John Tower. Through his dogged perserverance he comes to the same conclusion as Virgil Kelley (that's not his real name) and they come head to head in a room where the murderer is about to claim his next victim.
The ending wasn't quite what I expected as Tower, although a maverick, was on the side of the law, and Virgil wasn't, but I kind of agreed with the ending!
July 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this plot of the dual investigation of these murders. A cop and a vigilante father. Very violent. Very well written. Interesting characters. Who will find the killer first? Will they collide or work together? The vigilante is so violent and criminal. The cop using police tactics, etc. Quite the page turner!
I listened to Audible version of this book. The narrator has different voices for each character. Great help in keeping the characters separate while listening. A rough, creepy voice for the vigilante. Great job.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I listened to Audible version of this book. The narrator has different voices for each character. Great help in keeping the characters separate while listening. A rough, creepy voice for the vigilante. Great job.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
December 8, 2017
A different book. A man looking for his daughter’s murderer and the police looking for this young girl also. The police of course must do,it by the book and the father, a gangster, can do what he wants. A seedy life of prostitution is revealed and all sorts of shady police deals.
In the end the father gets the man but at what,price to the police. Written with one chapter the policeman doing the next the father’s. Good read.
In the end the father gets the man but at what,price to the police. Written with one chapter the policeman doing the next the father’s. Good read.
September 12, 2018
The concept of this book is intriguing. On one side, you have the "good" guy / cop narrating the police investigation into the murders of two girls, and on the other, the "bad" guy / father / mob enforcer bent on avenging the death of his daughter. The problem is, the two voices are indistinguishable from each other. Neither of them has a moral code. Both will use any means to get the information they need. There is no one in this book likable enough to root for.
October 11, 2017
Not bad
Have had this book for a long time, think it was the cover that was off putting, but did read it in record time. I was pleasantly surprised, well thought out, but did not like 1 chapter for Tower and 1chapter for Virgil and that was like that all the way through the book, it's basically 2 different versions of the same story, but in one volume.
Have had this book for a long time, think it was the cover that was off putting, but did read it in record time. I was pleasantly surprised, well thought out, but did not like 1 chapter for Tower and 1chapter for Virgil and that was like that all the way through the book, it's basically 2 different versions of the same story, but in one volume.
April 13, 2018
Interesting concept, the cop and the vigilante. An ok read and would probably read another. Don't understand why the authors feel they have to name Spokane, River City. All the streets referenced, Davenport hotel etc are in Spokane. If i look at a book and it's about an area I know I am more likely to buy it than a fictional place.
August 29, 2019
Great Book
This is the first book I have ready by this Author and I was quite impressed. From start to end it kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were wonderful and I’m going to check out other books
This is the first book I have ready by this Author and I was quite impressed. From start to end it kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were wonderful and I’m going to check out other books
November 19, 2020
I have read this book as a stand alone, without the benefit of the previous books in the series. Told from two different perspectives, it was fast paced and a great read. I think that I may go back and read others in the series. Can recommend.
April 4, 2021
I enjoyed this tale of a cop and a vigilante both trying to get their own kind of justice for a girl’s murder however something didn’t flow right for me and there were avoidable typos so only 2 stars.
September 7, 2021
Some Degree of Murder
I gave this review a five star. It’s a good story, and the descriptions of the characters are so good,you can picture them as you read through the story. good action story. Good plot,good ending,all-around good book
I gave this review a five star. It’s a good story, and the descriptions of the characters are so good,you can picture them as you read through the story. good action story. Good plot,good ending,all-around good book
September 12, 2021
Good writing
One of the best at creating believable characters with real strengths and flaws. Also impressive is the fact that this is one of the few authors who doesn't display an ignorance of firearms
One of the best at creating believable characters with real strengths and flaws. Also impressive is the fact that this is one of the few authors who doesn't display an ignorance of firearms
January 8, 2022
Enjoyed the twists and turns in this story!
Very well written. Kept me wondering what would happen next. Interesting characters and very well used in the story. Always enjoy read Zafiros books.
Very well written. Kept me wondering what would happen next. Interesting characters and very well used in the story. Always enjoy read Zafiros books.
August 15, 2023
Great read!
I really enjoyed this book! It took my mind off my chemo treatment! It went real fast! The excitement was cool! I felt sorry and angry at the same time. Losing a child can make a person crazy. .
I really enjoyed this book! It took my mind off my chemo treatment! It went real fast! The excitement was cool! I felt sorry and angry at the same time. Losing a child can make a person crazy. .
March 19, 2018
Murder Extraordinary
A well written murder mystery with a fantastic plot and larger than life characters. Page turning action that will keep you turning the page.
A well written murder mystery with a fantastic plot and larger than life characters. Page turning action that will keep you turning the page.
May 23, 2019
A page turner!
This is a fast paced storyline going back and forth between an anguished father and a policeman. There is lots of action !
This is a fast paced storyline going back and forth between an anguished father and a policeman. There is lots of action !
December 4, 2020
Too violent for my taste.
August 28, 2021
A very good read a bit slow but couldn’t put it down as needed to know the outcome. Loved how the story was told from two different narratives. Would definitely recommend
July 26, 2022
212; Boiling point!
I hope Virgil will become a series as such! really liked the book. Great story line with the fitting twists and turns make it a five story read!
I hope Virgil will become a series as such! really liked the book. Great story line with the fitting twists and turns make it a five story read!
October 26, 2022
A great read indeed
July 29, 2023
Great police thriller
This story kept you on your toes until the end. The main character Virgil was someone to be reckon with. Loved the twist with the Detective Tower. Good read!
This story kept you on your toes until the end. The main character Virgil was someone to be reckon with. Loved the twist with the Detective Tower. Good read!
November 30, 2023
4.5 rounded down because it’s too rough for many.
July 20, 2024
great
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews