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Brooklyn Motto

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Fans of Richard Price, Charlie Huston, and Jonathan Lethem will love this coming-of-age New York-centric detective noir debut from esteemed filmmaker and screenwriter Alex Johnson. 

New York City, 1998. New York is changing around Nico Kelly, and he can feel more coming. 

A private investigator and self-proclaimed photographer, Nico is stuck in a loop of city contracts and self loathing. What little middle class there was is disappearing-long-standing factories are moving out and taking their reliable neighborhood jobs with them, and Mayor Rudy Giuliani's police force has the streets in a stranglehold. 

Nico spends his days looking for fraudsters while taking photos of municipal employees on disability claims. He spends his nights trying to get rid of the nagging feeling that his day job makes him a professional snitch-traversing dive bars, playing pinball, and fighting through the haze of hungover mornings and blurry evenings.

Pushing thirty years old and feeling split between his American and Latin heritage, between youth and adulthood, Nico finds himself at a precipice-who is he and what should he become? 

When Nico witnesses and records a murder during one of his insurance fraud investigations, bodies start to turn up all around him and he's forced into solving a mystery he didn't ask to solve. Humorous, gritty, and real, Nico's search for what it means to be human takes him through the deepest and darkest parts of New York City.

276 pages, Paperback

Published November 10, 2025

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About the author

Alex R. Johnson

1 book27 followers
Johnson’s feature film TWO STEP premiered to critical acclaim at SXSW and went on to become a New York Times Critic’s Pick, as well as remaining 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

His screenplay NORTHEAST KINGDOM was selected for the Black List. It was acquired by Paramount Pictures for Platinum Dunes to produce, with Johnson attached to direct.

His screenplay ANY ROUGH TIMES ARE NOW BEHIND YOU was selected by the Austin Film Society’s Artist Intensive lab. There, he spent three days working one-on-one with late director Jonathan Demme, an experience that was as inspiring as it was creatively life changing.

He also wrote the screenplay adaptation of Ernest Tidyman’s novel, BIG BUCKS, for Pascal Pictures.

His debut novel, BROOKLYN MOTTO, was released in March of 2025.

Prior to writing and directing, Johnson was a seasoned NYC based commercial and documentary producer. He started his career at the legendary Maysles Films and then branched off to work with other directors, including producing the feature documentary I AM SECRETLY AN IMPORTANT MAN for filmmaker Pete Sillen.

Johnson's family hails from the Andes of Ecuador. A government brat, he moved frequently but was raised mostly between New York City and the suburbs of DC.

He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

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5 stars
39 (48%)
4 stars
27 (33%)
3 stars
13 (16%)
2 stars
2 (2%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Jon Bloom.
44 reviews
February 12, 2025
Alex Johnson is one part Lethem, two parts (Elmore) Leonard, and ten parts uniquely and wonderfully himself. If you love New York and you love small-time crime, this is for you.
Profile Image for Katie Amos.
129 reviews3 followers
April 9, 2025
I won this one through a Goodreads Giveaway. Fun thing is that it came with an autographed card and a sticker. Now for the book review … I loved that it was set in the late 90’s. Alex captured the old school feel from that time period perfectly. VHS tapes, camcorders, walkman’s, pinball machines, etc. I loved Nico’s storytelling. It felt like sitting down at a bar with a friend and them telling you about the craziness of their life the past few weeks. Made for a very easy read. I was a little disappointed with how things turned out, but it also flowed well with the story. If you’re looking for a quick, easy read of a crime thriller that will take you on a walk down memory lane, this is the book for you.
77 reviews
Read
May 5, 2025
I really enjoyed this book!! A lot of action and intrigue, up until the very end. Writing reminded me a little of Stuart Woods, I would read another book by this author.

Thank you Alex R Johnson and Lightning Source for gifting me a copy of a great book!
21 reviews
November 13, 2025
Absolutely loved this fast-paced, often humorous crime drama set in late 90s NYC. It brought back a lot of great memories (and some that reminded me of the rougher edges of that time). Would definitely recommend.
Profile Image for Dawn Quixote.
467 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2025
I won a digital copy of this (I never usually win anything!) and really enjoyed it. Set in '90s New York Nico is a PI who finds himself in trouble when he accidentally films a murder.

It zips along and is full of larger-than-life characters and plenty of nostalgia. Like if Philip Marlowe had a pager and an Ecuadorian aunt-chauffeur.

Great debut novel.
Profile Image for Ron Marrazzo.
6 reviews2 followers
March 24, 2025
A Jem of a read

Once I started this book, I could not put it down.
A roller-coaster ride of sleuth mixed with the reality of family
Dynamics.
RM
Profile Image for Kerri C.
52 reviews1 follower
March 11, 2025
Really enjoyed this book. Loved that it was set in 1998 - pagers, discman, VHS tapes, the club, worries about y2k…

Nico was an interesting narrator, wasn’t sure I could trust his telling of what was happening. I was rooting for him, and shaking my head at him and also nervous for him…. It was the perfect combination for the main character.

New York City in the late 90s, bad cops, private eyes and friends that protect you.
Profile Image for Michael.
24 reviews
February 13, 2025
What a great read! It’s like Carl Hiaasen and Nick Hornby decided to tackle Brooklyn in the 90’s together. I look forward to more books like these from Mr. Johnson.
Profile Image for Ry Gibson Moss.
7 reviews
June 3, 2026
I proper enjoyed this book! This isn’t my usual book genre, although I had a phase of detective noir books a couple of decades ago, but thanks to NetGalley and HFI I was able to access an Advanced Listener Copy.

Listening to this reminded me of Raymond Chandler and Graham Greene and even a bit of Paul Auster.

The book does what all good fiction should - it uses the language to create an atmosphere as well as tell a story. The dark corners, the intimacy of the big city hitting hard against its anonymity, drugs, booze and never really knowing who anyone truly is.

The audiobook is adeptly read with a strong Brooklyn accent (very different to my native Yorkshire!). It took a couple of chapters for me to settle into that, however once I had I was already hooked in by the story.

Nico is a Private Investigator that takes photos. He doesn’t do much else as his job is to spy on folks receiving disability pay outs from their jobs to prove they’re actually fine. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get past that (I’m disabled) but I did, and the story evolves into a gripping tale of bad cops, suspicious suicides and shady bars.

The narration is mostly well paced, although I felt it sped up a bit too much closer to the end (if listening on an app with a speed control that wouldn’t be an issue). It flows and whilst it builds tension and suspense, it’s not too much that it felt unmanageable for my nervous system! There’s also not much gore so that was a big tick from me.

The ending was good, and it felt open, leading to a series of books with Nico as the main character perhaps? The supporting cast - Frankie and Cookie - would also hold good for further character and story development as I really enjoyed their part in Brooklyn Motto.
Profile Image for Virouet.
9 reviews
June 7, 2026
Thank you to Alex R. Johnson, HFI and NetGalley for the ALC.

This review will encompass both the narration and story.

The narration was both a hit and a miss for me. The narrator had a comfortable voice to listen to, and did well with differentiating between the characters by adding slight pauses to the dialouge and personality to the accents. The pacing was a bit rushed though, especially during the descriptive scenes, and inner monologue of the main character. I didn't feel like he was given the same "personality" treatment as the side characters, and as a whole made it sound like a script was being dictated to me for a while. It got better as I got further along in the audiobook.

The story itself was interesting, funny and definitely engaged "the little gray ones". I clocked on to the perp pulling the strings in the shadow early on, and had a "hah, gotcha" moment when they were first observed tampering with things. Nico was an interesting character with believeable flaws, and I enjoyed his chemistry with Maggie. Cookie was probably my faourite of all the side characters, I really enjoyed the segments with her and the way the narrator voiced her. I was a little let down by the ending in that I wanted certain someones to get some just desserts too, but we can't have all we want in life.

All in all I recommend giving this a read and a listen to, and give it a strong 3.7 out of 5
133 reviews2 followers
Read
October 23, 2025
For the most part, I thought this story was fairly good, including the comedic and nostalgic aspects.
On the positive side, the narrator allowed me to visualize what was going on well enough to form a clear mental picture, and I could imagine watching an adaptation on film or television. The dark humour throughout the novel made me chuckle periodically, along with some of the frequent sarcasm. I liked having 29 reasonably short chapters among 260 pages to help things feel like they were moving along. Since chapter one mentions 1998, I had some idea of what to expect in terms of the atmosphere, and I found much of the technology mentioned to be consistent with that era, which brought back memories of the time (e.g., pagers, pay phones, and VHS tapes). People who remember those days might the book similarly relatable in that way. The vocabulary was also very simple.

Content or trigger warning: frequent profanity, especially using various words that begin with f. Of course, that was the negative side for me, apart from some negative stereotyping about people in New York. This book isn't exactly a treatise on good manners, LOL. :-)

The novel is enjoyable in many ways, so there is potential for the book’s readership to continue to grow over time.

I am grateful to have received the book through a Goodreads giveaway. Peace be with you.
Profile Image for Emily.
342 reviews115 followers
March 25, 2025
***Goodreads Giveaway Win***
I've won many books via Goodreads and have loved many of them. A couple of them even became some of my favorite books of all time (I'm looking at you, More by Hakan Günday and The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers ). But I don't think there has been a book that has made me want to stay in its world more than Brooklyn Motto. I finished this book several days ago and I miss Nico. I miss the grungy world of '90s Brooklyn. I miss the shagginess of the story-telling. I miss Alex Johnson's not-trying-too-hard humor. While the crime element of this book was fun, I could have spent 500 additional pages just hanging out with Nico as he traipsed from bar to bar chit-chatting with the oddball assortment of New Yorkers.

This is a call-out to Alex R. Johnson: please write more books :-)
Profile Image for Sean Malin.
Author 2 books1 follower
June 11, 2025
Mad respect to Alex for this great novel.

I loved TWO-STEP and spoke to him about it for the Austin Chronicle, and had been sort of anxious for the next thing. You never really know if someone's gonna be a one-hit wonder or hit a sophomore slump or what. And I was not surprised when that was announced to be a novel because the film was itself so rich in terms of its storytelling.

But the shock is that the book stands completely on its own, outside the personality of the film, and declares itself in all its charm and intelligence and style. Where TWO-STEP was straight noir, BROOKLYN MOTTO is more of an anti-noir, wry and self-aware in the LONG GOODBYE mold. If anyone were to be given the keys to the Dashiell Hammett kingdom, it would have to be Alex.

I saw the book so much as a film and hope it turns into one immediately. And thank you to whoever was behind the desk of the offer for a galley.
1 review
August 3, 2025
‘Brooklyn Motto’, a new novel by my old friend Alex R Johnson is absolutely magnificent!!! It’s simultaneously a hard boiled murder mystery, replete with crooked cops and local politicians, and an insider’s view of NYC in the late 1990’s…. the bars, bodegas, seedy after hours joints and subway jaunts that made this time so special in my home town. There is a density to Alex’s style that never feels clunky, but rather finds you greedily slurping up all the luscious detail that NYC—and especially Brooklyn—provided so plentifully at the time. I don’t get a chance to read much these days—my 9 mo daughter now runs the show—but I’m thrilled to have been able to experience ‘Brooklyn Motto’!! This is a must-read for fans of 1990’s NYC or simply anyone who appreciates well crafted crime fiction. This is a truly special work. Bravo, Alex!!
Profile Image for Mya E.
46 reviews
June 6, 2026
Nostalgic and entertaining.

We follow Nico, a private investigator who specializes in fraud cases and is stuck in the monotony of work while grieving the loss of his father. Everything changes when he witnesses a murder committed by none other than New York’s finest.

I felt completely transported to the Big Apple. From the narrator’s accent to the gritty atmosphere and compelling murder mystery, the audiobook was an immersive experience.

This felt like watching the classic TV show New York Undercover in book form. The nostalgia, suspense, and unmistakable New York energy made for a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Sarah (heartfeltthrills).
91 reviews15 followers
June 9, 2026
A strong 4-star listen—bold, gripping, and hard to tune out.

Brooklyn Motto by Alex R. Johnson is a gritty, compelling listen that pulls you straight into its world and doesn’t let go.

The narration absolutely elevates the story—capturing the tone, edge, and emotion in a way that makes it feel immersive and real. It’s the kind of audiobook that keeps you locked in, wanting just one more chapter.

The story itself is sharp and engaging, with strong character work and a steady momentum that keeps things moving without losing depth. While a few moments felt slightly predictable, the overall execution more than delivers.

A solid 4-star listen—raw, engaging, and definitely worth the audio experience especially if you have either lived or never lived in NYC!

Thank you to HFI and the author for gifting me this ALC through NetGalley. As always, this review are my candid thoughts and opinions.
Profile Image for Patricia.
64 reviews
June 10, 2026
Thank you NetGalley, HFI and Alex R. Johnson for the early access to the audiobook.
This is a noir mystery set in NYC in the 90's. Nico Kelly, a disillusioned young PI in 1998 New York stumbles into a murder conspiracy and, in trying to solve it, finds several obstacles but also interesting people along the way.

I loved the narrator! He was great and really gave a lot of texture to the story.

As for the story and the characters, I struggled to connect and was not particularly hooked. Still, it is enjoyable, very cinematic.
Profile Image for kellieb_reads.
330 reviews1 follower
June 17, 2026
What a fun audiobook! Honestly, this was such an unexpected romp into detective noir. I listened to this while driving on a long trip and found myself thoroughly invested in the characters and their outcomes. Nico’s character was very well portrayed, but honestly, I couldn’t get enough of Cookie and Frankie. The whole story is smart, witty and a thoroughly enjoyable action-packed escape into New York City during the late 90s. Hats off to the narrator on this one as well.

Thank-you to NetGalley, HFI and Alex R. Johnson for the ALC.
Profile Image for Nicole Guilbeaux.
17 reviews
June 1, 2026
I had never heard of Brooklyn Motto or the author Alex R. Johnson prior to receiving an ALC on NetGalley, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the descriptive writing from the author. The story being set in New York in the 90’s was intriguing as well as following a PI who witnessed a murder while investigating insurance fraud. I really enjoyed every bit of Johnson’s story telling from start to finish!
1,302 reviews38 followers
June 1, 2026
Nico small time investigator, maybe bigger in the future, is doing ok. But then he gets a job that brings real trouble, and a number of deaths. Told to leave it alone, well that’s not his thing really. He is an investigator after all, and ultimately he liked to go on living. He has friends to help, though some of his friends are maybe not so much for looking out for Nico. Thank you to HFI and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
Profile Image for Yasaman S..
146 reviews1 follower
June 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Brooklyn Motto hooked me right away with its gritty 90s New York atmosphere and messy, flawed, genuinely interesting characters. I loved the noir feel and the way the story kept pulling me in, even when I wasn’t fully sure where it was going. I wasn’t crazy about the ending, but the journey was still very worth it. Also, the audiobook narrator was amazing and added so much personality to the story.
15 reviews
November 25, 2025
I loved this book! It was funny, sad, suspenseful and entertaining! It’s about Nico Kelly who investigates people that may be committing insurance fraud. He has some family drama, a cast of interesting characters and a few murders! It takes place mostly in Brooklyn, and is so realistic it could’ve been anywhere, USA!
Profile Image for Gina.
55 reviews1 follower
May 29, 2026
I absolutely LOVED this book. The narrator had such a wonderful presentation that it made it even better! Very nostalgic vibe, especially for me since I was a Jersey teen in the 90's. I truly didnt want this one to end and of course I will be looking for more from this author. 5 stars! Thank you for the look back in time, NY style!
135 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2026
A very quick read, but one that felt surprisingly full. I cared much more about the characters than the actual plot, which feels like a credit to the writing. The author does such a good job capturing the atmosphere of grimy, mid-90s NYC that at times it felt less like reading a novel and more like listening to your funniest friend recount an absolutely unhinged weekend.
Profile Image for Rahne.
Author 4 books15 followers
February 12, 2025
A fun, engaging crime thriller that evokes the great, the bad and ugly of 90s NYC and answers the musical question, what if Sam Spade was a Pavement fan?
1 review
May 7, 2025
This book was very hard to put down. Definitely a good read.
139 reviews
November 2, 2025
Decent story line. Started a little slow. I don't really feel satisfaction from the ending.
Profile Image for Aundrea.
248 reviews4 followers
February 18, 2026
4.5… This was a fun, whip-smart PI thriller with a lot of heart.
Profile Image for Cindy.
1,917 reviews44 followers
June 9, 2026
A noir detective novel that’s a love song for Brooklyn. The main character works as a photographer for a private investigator, and captures something shady on video that may implicate some police officers in a crime. Now he has to bring the crime to life before his is ended. Gritty and, at times, gripping. An atmospheric, well-told tale with a well-narrated audiobook.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #BrooklynMotto for review purposes. It is currently available.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews