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Never Kill a Friend
A gripping tale of one woman's right against a system that is destroying an innocent man.
Detective Shelley Krieg has lived her entire life in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. At six-foot-four, she's the giantess of DC Metro a tough cop who's paid her dues on her long path to becoming a detective in the city she loves. She can get a confession out of anyone. And she always plays by the rules.
But when Rafael Hooks is arrested for killing his brother, all the rules change. Shelley finds herself not only fighting the system but also questioning her relationships with her co-workers, her closest friends, and even her partner, Kent Bellotti.
It seems like an open-and-shut case: Raffi confesses to murdering his drug-dealing brother. But nothing is as it seems. Each time Shelley finds evidence to exonerate Raffi, new evidence arises to confirm his guilt. Fingerprints tying Raffi to multiple murders in both DC and neighboring Maryland suddenly appear out of thin air. And on his first night in lock-up, Raffi is nearly killed.
With no allies left at DC Metro, Shelley turns to her estranged friend Yasmira Tamer for help. Together Shelley and Mira uncover a web of deceit and corruption that links a Russian assassin, a high-paid DC call girl, and an urban Robin Hood who renovates his crack houses before donating them to the poor.
Never Kill a Friend is a taut, suspenseful novel of conflicting loyalties, friends found and lost, and power in the wrong hands. It is a finely wrought tale of one woman's quest to stay true to herself and to
Detective Shelley Krieg has lived her entire life in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. At six-foot-four, she's the giantess of DC Metro a tough cop who's paid her dues on her long path to becoming a detective in the city she loves. She can get a confession out of anyone. And she always plays by the rules.
But when Rafael Hooks is arrested for killing his brother, all the rules change. Shelley finds herself not only fighting the system but also questioning her relationships with her co-workers, her closest friends, and even her partner, Kent Bellotti.
It seems like an open-and-shut case: Raffi confesses to murdering his drug-dealing brother. But nothing is as it seems. Each time Shelley finds evidence to exonerate Raffi, new evidence arises to confirm his guilt. Fingerprints tying Raffi to multiple murders in both DC and neighboring Maryland suddenly appear out of thin air. And on his first night in lock-up, Raffi is nearly killed.
With no allies left at DC Metro, Shelley turns to her estranged friend Yasmira Tamer for help. Together Shelley and Mira uncover a web of deceit and corruption that links a Russian assassin, a high-paid DC call girl, and an urban Robin Hood who renovates his crack houses before donating them to the poor.
Never Kill a Friend is a taut, suspenseful novel of conflicting loyalties, friends found and lost, and power in the wrong hands. It is a finely wrought tale of one woman's quest to stay true to herself and to
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
About the author
Martin Hill Ortiz
39 books13 followersMartin Hill Ortiz has also published under the name of Martin Hill. He lives in Puerto Rico where the mother's maiden name becomes a second surname.
He grew up in New Mexico and California. After receiving a BS in Biology and BA in Psychology, he worked three years as a social worker in inner city Washington, DC. He went on to get a PhD at George Washington University and teaches at Ponce University of Health Sciences.
He has authored four published books, fifty short stories and one novella. His latest work, Floor 24 is available through Oliver-Heber Books.
He grew up in New Mexico and California. After receiving a BS in Biology and BA in Psychology, he worked three years as a social worker in inner city Washington, DC. He went on to get a PhD at George Washington University and teaches at Ponce University of Health Sciences.
He has authored four published books, fifty short stories and one novella. His latest work, Floor 24 is available through Oliver-Heber Books.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 13, 2016
From the publisher: Detective Shelley Krieg has lived her entire life in Washington, D.C. At six’4”, she the giantess of DC Metro - - a tough cop who’s played by the rules on her long path to becoming a detective in the city she loves. But when Rafael Hooks is arrested for killing his brother, all the rules change. Shelley fids herself not only fighting the system, but also questioning her relationships with her co-workers, her closest friends, and even her partner. It seems like an open-and-shut case: Raffi confesses to murdering his drug-dealing brother. But nothing is as it seems. Each time Shelley finds evidence to exonerate Raffi, new evidence arises to confirm his guilt. Fingerprints tying Raffi to multiple murders in both DC and neighboring Maryland suddenly appear out of thin air. And on his first night in lock-up, Raffi is nearly killed. With no allies left at DC Metro, Shelley turns to her estranged friend, Yasmira Tamer. Together Shelley and Mira uncover a web of deceit and corruption that links a Russian assassin, a high-paid DC call girl, and an urban Robin Hood who renovates his crack houses before donating them to the poor.
Shelley, a 31-year-old African-American, works out of the Third Police District of Washington Metro, which extends “from embassies and gentrified townhouses to stretches of urban decay.” The book opens with Shelley being called to the scene of a gruesome murder, the details of which I will kindly omit. The young man who called 911 is 19-year-old Rafael Hooks, the aforementioned brother of the dead man, and Shelley is convinced of his innocence, his confession notwithstanding. Her investigation leads her along unexpected paths, at times putting her in the cross-hairs of the assassin, being drugged in her own home, and not knowing who to trust, including her fellow police officers. But she has to follow her conscience, and won’t stop till she gets to the truth. The various plot lines did have this reader a bit confused at times (although not for too long). The writing, although I did not feel it was particularly elegant, nevertheless pulled me along to the point that, surprisingly to me, I found myself at the end within forty-eight hours of opening it up to the first page.
This is the first in a new police procedural mystery series featuring Shelley Krieg, who is both a fascinating protagonist, and one tough gal. I for one can’t wait for the next one!
Recommended.
Shelley, a 31-year-old African-American, works out of the Third Police District of Washington Metro, which extends “from embassies and gentrified townhouses to stretches of urban decay.” The book opens with Shelley being called to the scene of a gruesome murder, the details of which I will kindly omit. The young man who called 911 is 19-year-old Rafael Hooks, the aforementioned brother of the dead man, and Shelley is convinced of his innocence, his confession notwithstanding. Her investigation leads her along unexpected paths, at times putting her in the cross-hairs of the assassin, being drugged in her own home, and not knowing who to trust, including her fellow police officers. But she has to follow her conscience, and won’t stop till she gets to the truth. The various plot lines did have this reader a bit confused at times (although not for too long). The writing, although I did not feel it was particularly elegant, nevertheless pulled me along to the point that, surprisingly to me, I found myself at the end within forty-eight hours of opening it up to the first page.
This is the first in a new police procedural mystery series featuring Shelley Krieg, who is both a fascinating protagonist, and one tough gal. I for one can’t wait for the next one!
Recommended.
August 17, 2015
Never Kill a Friend by Martin Hill draws the reader into the decaying neighborhoods and underbelly of Washington D.C., away from the tourists sights and the politics that serve as common backdrops for novels set in the U.S. Capitol. Detective Shelley Krieg, a 6' 4" African American, faces a broad range of demanding issues which the reader expects because of her profession. But it’s not so easy. Upon discovering peculiar details in her latest investigation, she tries to prove a murder suspect is innocent while drawing herself into the killer’s mix when Shelley awakes to find a dead body in her house.
Shelley finds that friends might be foes, and foes might be friends as bodies pile up in gruesome fashion. Part self-preservation, part problem-solving, Shelley and her height face challengers, who come from around the globe, head on. Riding along with Shelley as she struggles to make sense of who to trust in Martin Hill’s ever-changing plot made me anxious to finish, and wanting more of Shelley’s escapades.
Shelley finds that friends might be foes, and foes might be friends as bodies pile up in gruesome fashion. Part self-preservation, part problem-solving, Shelley and her height face challengers, who come from around the globe, head on. Riding along with Shelley as she struggles to make sense of who to trust in Martin Hill’s ever-changing plot made me anxious to finish, and wanting more of Shelley’s escapades.
June 9, 2015
Never Kill A Friend is a well-crafted mystery with interesting characters, particularly the protagonist, detective Shelly Krieg. Shelly, a 6’ 4” African American woman who works for Washington DC Metro, has a problem. Not only does she believe a jailed murderer is innocent, but worse, she wakes up in the middle of the night to find a corpse in her house.
The book has the most essential earmark of a topnotch detective tale—just when you think you know everything, you discover you don’t know anything.
One of the terrific aspects of the novel is Hill’s use of his environment, Washington DC. He wisely avoids the political aspect and centers his characters activities on the urban and suburban areas. It adds an aspect that dodges the cliché and adds vibrancy to the novels already exciting, brisk pace.
Another sign of a captivating book—it ended all too soon and had me hoping that there will be a sequel.
The book has the most essential earmark of a topnotch detective tale—just when you think you know everything, you discover you don’t know anything.
One of the terrific aspects of the novel is Hill’s use of his environment, Washington DC. He wisely avoids the political aspect and centers his characters activities on the urban and suburban areas. It adds an aspect that dodges the cliché and adds vibrancy to the novels already exciting, brisk pace.
Another sign of a captivating book—it ended all too soon and had me hoping that there will be a sequel.
July 24, 2015
NEVER KILL A FRIEND is a mystery novel that combines elements from different mystery formats: whodunit, hardboiled detective thriller, and police procedural. This serves not only to keep the interest level up throughout, but it also offers something to enjoy to mystery readers with different personal preferences within the umbrella of mystery fiction.
At the same time, the novel strikes a balance between character-driven and plot-driven mysteries. The plot has a number of twists and surprises (not the least of which being that the main character, Detective Shelley Krieg, does not remain a personally uninvolved investigator, but herself becomes a victim), but these twists grow out of the characters’ personalities: not only the personality of the protagonist, but of all of the major players. This balance keeps NEVER KILL A FRIEND fresh and entertaining.
At the same time, the novel strikes a balance between character-driven and plot-driven mysteries. The plot has a number of twists and surprises (not the least of which being that the main character, Detective Shelley Krieg, does not remain a personally uninvolved investigator, but herself becomes a victim), but these twists grow out of the characters’ personalities: not only the personality of the protagonist, but of all of the major players. This balance keeps NEVER KILL A FRIEND fresh and entertaining.
August 4, 2015
Detective Shelley Krieg’s actions as a bad cop give me a bad taste and I wonder whether to quit the story, having little stomach for bullies. But then, neither does Shelley.
NEVER KILL A FRIEND (©2015) by Martin Hill is slow to start but my interest keeps building. Detective Krieg doesn’t do what I’m expecting. Neither does author Martin Hill Ortiz.
Some of the language is lyrical. The crimes are gruesome. Banter between friendly workmates is titillating. Carping by adversaries intrigues.
Some stories swoop the reader into becoming a character in the story. NEVER KILL A FRIEND maintains a mile high view watching the dance of flawed humans trying to steer events with self-interest, compounded by conceit. An elusive conundrum.
Friends are definitely tested in this story. And you can’t turn your back on a single one.
Satisfying.
NEVER KILL A FRIEND (©2015) by Martin Hill is slow to start but my interest keeps building. Detective Krieg doesn’t do what I’m expecting. Neither does author Martin Hill Ortiz.
Some of the language is lyrical. The crimes are gruesome. Banter between friendly workmates is titillating. Carping by adversaries intrigues.
Some stories swoop the reader into becoming a character in the story. NEVER KILL A FRIEND maintains a mile high view watching the dance of flawed humans trying to steer events with self-interest, compounded by conceit. An elusive conundrum.
Friends are definitely tested in this story. And you can’t turn your back on a single one.
Satisfying.
August 22, 2015
There are people who argue about whether plot or character is more important to the success of a mystery novel. I'm not one of those people. All I know is that Never Kill a Friend delivers a complex plot that held my interest and characters I hope to meet again in another book. The story's set in the part of Washington, D.C. that makes tourists lock their car doors as they pass through. There's 6'4" Black-American D.C. Metro detective Shlley Krieg, who's done everything by-the-book until the murders come too close to home (including within her home), her smart-mouthed sidekick Mira, who has a host of her own problems, AZ, the Robin Hood drug dealer who may or may not be a good guy, and a host of other characters. I didn't always find the action believable, but the story and characters kept me turning the pages until the satisfying conclusion.
July 14, 2015
This one took me a long time to read – the story was not very believable – the characters not very real life. Didn’t enjoy how her connections kept popping up whenever she needed help. The mystery was o.k. – the killings were psychotic but, I kept drifting off to sleep reading it.
August 11, 2015
Hopefully a new police procedural series! Great book, ended chapters on cliff-hangers, which I enjoyed. Suspense and action were near perfect... Can't wait for the next book to see what's in store for Shelley...
I was provided an advance copy for my honest review.
I was provided an advance copy for my honest review.
June 17, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book. It was an enjoyable read that moved along at a fast pace and never left me feeling bored anywhere along the way.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews