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.