FIRETRAP

5 stars out of 5

For my reading pleasure, nothing makes me happier than a good old shoot- 'em-up police story with no annoying flashbacks in time or character perspective - just a straightforward investigation with plenty of action. And when the main character is as, well, unorthodox as Washington, D.C.-based Marko Zorn, it's a special treat. I've read the first two in the series, and my reaction to both was exactly the same (this one, the third, can be read as a standalone, though).

This one begins as Marko, who's almost always at odds with his department superiors, visits a grisly scene at which a human has been incinerated along with the car in which he (or she) was sitting. As what's left of the body is extricated from the ashes, Marko is called elsewhere: Sister Grace, elderly leader of a sort of Washington crime underworld, wants to see him immediately. It's not a request, but a command; and when he's escorted in to see her, she issues another one: Marko is to rid the city of a rival criminal element that is bringing in a deadly drug known as Speedball - thereby encroaching on Sister Grace's territory and giving her neighborhood a bad name.

When it turns out that the body in the car belongs to a biochemist who owned a prominent drug company, some of the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place; this leads to discovery of an off-label and extremely dangerous drug produced by a company owned by two elderly - and elusive - twin brothers. Marko's drive to find the twins for a "come to Jesus" meeting is fraught with danger, especially after he discovers their possible connection to the theft of a priceless work of art.

Yes, it's a rather complicated story, but one that's quite easy to follow and hard to put down. Will Marko once again emerge triumphant, or will he finally push the patience of the powers-that-be over the line with his unorthodox methods? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out as I did. Now I'm looking forward to the next installment, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done once again!

Firetrap by Otho Eskin (Oceanview Publishing, January 2024); 276 pp.

HEAD SHOT

5 stars out of 5

Last year, I had the privilege of reading the first book in this series - The Reflecting Pool - and not only did I enjoy it thoroughly, I was delighted to find a new series "hero" to love. Well, here we go again - and if it's possible, I love him more.

Marko, it seems, isn't totally content to work as a detective with the Washington, D.C., Metro Police; on the side, he takes on top-dollar "assignments" that, well, just may cross the line between legal and criminal (oh heck - sometimes obliterate it). Shortly after someone takes a potshot at him, Marko gets a request - make that demand - from one of his underworld contacts that he protect Nina Voychek, the beautiful visiting prime minister of politically in turmoil Montenegro. His police partner Lucy Tanakar calls him to the Capitol Theater, where a murder has occurred. Turns out the victim is well-known actress Victoria West, and there's a bit of a complication: she and Marko once had a brief, but serious (at least to Marko) fling.

The political protection detail quickly turns complicated as well when Marko is ordered to meet with the Secretary of State, who in turn orders him to serve on the protection detail for the Montenegro PM. Now, he's got two "bosses" to juggle on that score, and his heart keeps urging him to find out who murdered the love of his life. That urge turns into a passion when two more people involved with the theater unexpectedly end up dead. Things get even more complicated when Marko learns that (gasp!) one of the baddest of bad guys will stop at nothing to add him to the kill list.

While I can't say I reached the edge of my seat throughout this one, I didn't miss it by much. There's plenty of action and concern over who would bite the dust next (although I always figure that the star of the show might get roughed up a bit but isn't likely to get bumped off unless the author is really, really tired of writing about him). The whole thing is exciting and fun to read, and I highly recommend both books - noting that they stand alone just fine). Until next time, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

Head Shot by Otho Eskin (Oceanview Publishing, December 2021); 352 pp.

THE REFLECTING POOL

5 stars out of 5

An uber-competent, likable yet flawed character, the first of what I hope will be a series and a plot with complexity that's easy to understand: What's not to like? By the time I was halfway through this one, I was hoping for the next.

This one begins as Marko Zorn, a detective with the Washington, D.C., Metro Police, fights over the rights to a body found in the Reflecting Pool with the city's park police. No, it's not a suicide; it's a homicide and it's ours, Marko asserts after he ruined his expensive clothing hauling the body out of the water. The park police back off, unwillingly, and there are no real clues as to what really happened except for a bracelet Marko spots in the surrounding grass.

Marko's expensive tastes couldn't happen with just a police department paycheck, and he supplements his income in other ways - sometimes not just skirting the law, but pretty much stomping it into the ground. As the murder happens, gang activity is picking up, with two members of one gang seemingly at odds with each other. The gang leader, an old woman named Sister Grace, occasionally asks Marko for help. This time, she has another job for him - but it's not one he's eager to take on (there are limits as to what he will do for money, it seems). As if all that weren't enough, his station boss shackles him to a new, squeaky clean partner - just about the last thing he wants to deal with right now.

Even worse, as his murder investigation ramps up, it becomes clear that unknown powers-that-be don't want Marko (or anyone else) digging in - powers that lead straight to the White House itself. The power struggle between the gang rivals heats up as well, fueled by a huge shipment of illegal guns that, depending on who ends up with them, could change the D.C. landscape entirely. Marko doesn't mind sticking to his own guns when it comes to the murder investigation, but if he screws up on the arms deal, it could "out" his side job - or even put him out of commission permanently. Can he pull everything off without losing everything, including his own life?

Well, you'll just have to read it to find out - and trust me, it's worth it. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-publication copy. Good job!

The Reflecting Pool by Otho Eskin (Oceanview Publishing, June 2020); 352 pp.)