This is a contemporary hard-boiled noir mystery set in New York's seedy underworld.Macey's, New York, five days before Christmas. When a hit is carried out on one Anthony Macguire - family man, legitimate construction manager, known mobster - while shopping for his wife's gift, New York's Organized Crime Control Bureau goes into damage limitation mode. It's Lieutenant Solly Epstein's job to make sure the press don't link the murder to those of three other members of Paulie 'Margarine' Marginella's crew and spook the public with tales of gang warfare. But Solly just wants the case cleared up before his wife has their baby - which is already two weeks late.As rival gangs are implicated and the hitman no longer seems under anyone's control, Epstein's sergeant, Billy Boyle, is like a rottweiler straining at the leash for some action - and not necessarily of the legal kind. With livelihoods - and lives - hanging in the balance, the stakes couldn't be higher. The winner will take it all, but with everybody seemingly double-crossing everybody else, who will that be?
Monkey in the Middle
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Review
"One helluva ride" Booklist on Damaged Goods "[An] excellent thriller written with insight and gripping suspense" Library Journal on A Good Day To Die "A satisfying, fast-paced tale... This is hard-boiled police fiction at its best" Publishers Weekly on A Piece of the Action "Solomita's best setting is probably New York City, but he has plenty of other attractions - the comic relief of a superficial gal pal, a detective as love interest - that add just the right juiciness" Publishers Weekly on Trick Me Twice"
About the Author
Stephen Solomita, who also writes as David Cray inter alia, is the author of the popular Stanley Moodrow Mysteries, as well as several well-received stand-alone thrillers.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
By Ted Feit
Format:Hardcover
Leonard Carter, former mercenary, now back in New York after serving stints in the Gulf War and Afghanistan by way of the African continent, is now doing what he does best, working as a hitman for another Middle East mercenary. He thinks, "The military and Carter were a perfect fit. And what Carter must now do, with a military career off the table, is market his talents and training on the free market." Now getting older, Carter is no less expert at his job, his attacks displaying exquisite precision and audacity, but is somewhat concerned at his recent loss of focus, or what he calls 'slippage.' His current assignment targets business and associates of Paulie "Margarine" Marginella, organized crime boss who is himself planning his life after retirement.
Solly Epstein, lieutenant in the NY Organized Crime Control Bureau, is assigned to the investigation of the murders, and the assumption in the NYPD is that there is a gang war about to erupt in the city. But the explanation is not quite that simple. The action takes place in the days leading up to Christmas, when the city is at its most sparkling. Solly needs to close this case quickly: His wife, Sofia, is due to give birth to their first child any day, now two weeks past her due date, and he has promised to make that his priority, that "the minute you go into labor, I'm outta here."
The plot continues in engrossing fashion until suddenly there is a totally unexpected left turn midway through, and it just keeps getting better. I particularly enjoyed Mr. Solomita's descriptive abilities and prose. Speaking of Carter, he writes: "In the course of his short life, he's witnessed unspeakable savagery without flinching. Worse, he's committed acts so awful that he thinks himself past even the hope of redemption. But for all the blood, Carter has never willingly surrendered his dignity." And he has a somewhat anomalous sentiment against collateral damage.
I hadn't read a new novel from this author in several years, and was very happy to have discovered this one - hopefully, there are more to come, as this was a welcome return indeed.
Recommended.
Solly Epstein, lieutenant in the NY Organized Crime Control Bureau, is assigned to the investigation of the murders, and the assumption in the NYPD is that there is a gang war about to erupt in the city. But the explanation is not quite that simple. The action takes place in the days leading up to Christmas, when the city is at its most sparkling. Solly needs to close this case quickly: His wife, Sofia, is due to give birth to their first child any day, now two weeks past her due date, and he has promised to make that his priority, that "the minute you go into labor, I'm outta here."
The plot continues in engrossing fashion until suddenly there is a totally unexpected left turn midway through, and it just keeps getting better. I particularly enjoyed Mr. Solomita's descriptive abilities and prose. Speaking of Carter, he writes: "In the course of his short life, he's witnessed unspeakable savagery without flinching. Worse, he's committed acts so awful that he thinks himself past even the hope of redemption. But for all the blood, Carter has never willingly surrendered his dignity." And he has a somewhat anomalous sentiment against collateral damage.
I hadn't read a new novel from this author in several years, and was very happy to have discovered this one - hopefully, there are more to come, as this was a welcome return indeed.
Recommended.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars
2 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Monkey in the Middle
5 May 2009
By Gloria Feit
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Leonard Carter, former mercenary, now back in New York after serving stints in the Gulf War and Afghanistan by way of the African continent, is now doing what he does best, working as a hitman for another Middle East mercenary. He thinks, "The military and Carter were a perfect fit. And what Carter must now do, with a military career off the table, is market his talents and training on the free market." Now getting older, Carter is no less expert at his job, his attacks displaying exquisite precision and audacity, but is somewhat concerned at his recent loss of focus, or what he calls 'slippage.' His current assignment targets business and associates of Paulie "Margarine" Marginella, organized crime boss who is himself planning his life after retirement.
Solly Epstein, lieutenant in the NY Organized Crime Control Bureau, is assigned to the investigation of the murders, and the assumption in the NYPD is that there is a gang war about to erupt in the city. But the explanation is not quite that simple. The action takes place in the days leading up to Christmas, when the city is at its most sparkling. Solly needs to close this case quickly: His wife, Sofia, is due to give birth to their first child any day, now two weeks past her due date, and he has promised to make that his priority, that "the minute you go into labor, I'm outta here."
The plot continues in engrossing fashion until suddenly there is a totally unexpected left turn midway through, and it just keeps getting better. I particularly enjoyed Mr. Solomita's descriptive abilities and prose. Speaking of Carter, he writes: "In the course of his short life, he's witnessed unspeakable savagery without flinching. Worse, he's committed acts so awful that he thinks himself past even the hope of redemption. But for all the blood, Carter has never willingly surrendered his dignity." And he has a somewhat anomalous sentiment against collateral damage.
I hadn't read a new novel from this author in several years, and was very happy to have discovered this one - hopefully, there are more to come, as this was a welcome return indeed.
Recommended.
Solly Epstein, lieutenant in the NY Organized Crime Control Bureau, is assigned to the investigation of the murders, and the assumption in the NYPD is that there is a gang war about to erupt in the city. But the explanation is not quite that simple. The action takes place in the days leading up to Christmas, when the city is at its most sparkling. Solly needs to close this case quickly: His wife, Sofia, is due to give birth to their first child any day, now two weeks past her due date, and he has promised to make that his priority, that "the minute you go into labor, I'm outta here."
The plot continues in engrossing fashion until suddenly there is a totally unexpected left turn midway through, and it just keeps getting better. I particularly enjoyed Mr. Solomita's descriptive abilities and prose. Speaking of Carter, he writes: "In the course of his short life, he's witnessed unspeakable savagery without flinching. Worse, he's committed acts so awful that he thinks himself past even the hope of redemption. But for all the blood, Carter has never willingly surrendered his dignity." And he has a somewhat anomalous sentiment against collateral damage.
I hadn't read a new novel from this author in several years, and was very happy to have discovered this one - hopefully, there are more to come, as this was a welcome return indeed.
Recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gangsters and Hitmen and Cops -- Oh, My
7 Sep 2012
By Elise Lewis
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm so glad to have discovered new books by Stephen Solomita, and this was a terrific welcome back! It's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys here, but all of the characters are fully-developed and complex. I'm looking forward to reading the second in the series.
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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