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I Love Creating & Solving Mysteries
Justified Malice follows a private detective working with the FBI to hunt down a crime boss and seeks help from the Mexican cartel. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In my previous novel (Human Collateral), the crime boss escapes at the end. Finding a unique set of circumstances to track him down was the initial motivation as well as a way to string together the first two novels in the thriller series. Having spent considerable time in Mexico gave me many very romantic locales to draw upon and an opportunity to introduce the cartel into the mix which added a ton of intrigue and suspense.
Is there anything about Miles Darien that came from yourself or your life experiences?
My interest in detective thrillers dates back to my childhood love of Sherlock Holmes stories. It helped me fashion Miles’ professional attributes. The various places visited in these novels are places I know intimately so there is that element. Also, Miles’ views on the world at large mirror my own.
What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story, where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?
Actually, creating and solving the mysteries is what keeps me writing. For me, it’s nourishment. Each book has several cases which lead to the main one which allows me to create and build interest while authenticating Miles’ credentials as a sleuth.
What do you have planned for Miles Darien in the future? When can your fans expect his next mystery?
I’ve already begun writing the next installment of the series. Look for a murder mystery this time around. Also, expect Miles’ relationship with his FBI partner Ken to make a dramatic shift.
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Miles and the FBI had set up an elaborate sting to bring down Reese’s operation. The sting was successful except Reese had evaded the trap Miles and the FBI had set up to capture him.
Months later on another case, the FBI learns that Reese has set up shop in Mexico. Miles jumps at the chance to finally bring Reese to justice. When he and his journalist friend Ryan come up empty in their search, Miles makes a risky and dangerous choice. He asks the local Mexican cartel for help. He explains to them that taking over Reese’s operation would be a most fair bounty for helping to locate him. When the cartel finally agrees to assist, they provide an unexpected location, Reese is operating out of a villa in Havana.
The FBI organizes a raid only to find the hideout abandoned. Miles once again makes the risky decision to turn to the cartel. They provide him with a one word update, Chicago.
Justified Malice (A Miles Darien Detective Thriller Book 2)
In Justified Malice, Miles is once again catapulted into a high-stakes mission, this time journeying through the vivid terrains of Mexico. Tasked with an undercover assignment for PG Parts—a company ensnared in an embezzlement whirlwind—Miles is driven by a dual ambition: to resolve the case promptly and to relish a vacation alongside his cherished partner, Ken. But destiny has other plans. The re-emergence of the elusive Jonathan Reese in the heart of Southern Mexico sets the stage for a riveting confrontation. Miles, grappling with bygones and lamenting his past oversight with Reese, is galvanized with renewed resolve to corner his nemesis, even if it necessitates allying with local cartels.
Justified Malice boasts a mesmerizing mystery, well-conceived and laden with intricate layers. The meticulous design of the plot is evident, pulling readers into a vortex of suspense with each unfolding chapter. While Miles may initially seem like a conventional lead, it’s his steadfastness and professional fervor that underscore his significance. Ryan, however, emerges as the novel’s unexpected heart, propelled by personal loss and a pursuit for closure amidst chaos. While I enjoyed the story, I felt the narrative’s reserved approach to early suspense, notably during the bomb episode, could have been improved. Heightening the immediacy and tension of such moments might have heightened the immersive thrill for readers. But this is a minor point in an otherwise riveting novel.
Justified Malice is an exhilarating read, blending crime, suspense, and deep-seated grudges into a compelling tale. It showcases an intricate plot, unforeseen deviations, and characters that linger in memory. For fans of detective mystery novels, this is an indispensable addition to their collection. Brace yourself for a whirlwind of mystery and suspense that keeps you riveted until the closing page.
Pages: 320 | ASIN : B0C2ZSPYR8
A Widespread Horrendous Crime
Human Collateral follows a P.I. who is tasked with finding a girl that’s gone missing at the hands of a loan shark who uses organs as collateral. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Human trafficking is and has been historically a widespread horrendous crime. I wanted to shed light on it but using a form not often talked about. Because it is also a little more sophisticated crime, requiring a multi-tiered syndicate, it offered a lot of out of the ordinary investigating.
Miles Darien is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Since he is a forensic scientist not merely a traditional “gum-shoe”, it allows him to be more analytical in his approach to crime solving. I also liked the idea of portraying a gay character in a positive light. The New Yorker transplanted into a small Wisconsin town added another layer to who he had become.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Human trafficking as I’ve said. Friendship, both old and newly acquired. And, of course, good versus evil. Oh, and the power of observation, and science in crime solving.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m about 25% into my third book, and it should be out sometime next year.
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Private Detective, Miles Darien, is hired by Cora Sims to find her missing daughter Olivia, who has been living alone in Chicago.
Miles enlists his best friend, investigative journalist, Ryan Duffy to assist in the search. Mrs. Sims has no idea where her daughter works or how she makes a living. First, they must uncover the clues which will lead them to her workplace, hoping to connect with someone who can take them to Olivia.
They eventually succeed in uncovering her workplace and who she is staying with. When they find Olivia, she’s barely alive as a result of an infection after having a kidney surgically removed. Turns out the kidney was payment for an illegal loan given by criminals who prey on people in dire financial trouble by forcing them to use their bodies as collateral.
Olivia can’t seek medical care or go to the police because the criminals have threatened to kill her if she does. Miles and Ryan must bring down the criminals to keep them from silencing Olivia.
They join forces with the FBI to look for the syndicate behind these loans. The syndicate is also hunting them down to erase any trail that would lead back to them. Who will erase who first?
Human Collateral
When a young woman goes missing it’s up to two lifelong friends, Miles Darien and Ryan Duffy, to get to the bottom of things. When Miles starts his PI service in Lakeville, he didn’t anticipate a desperate mother to come knocking at his door. Cora Sims asks Miles to find her missing daughter, Olivia, after she up and leaves one day to start a new life in the big city of Chicago. With the help of his best friend, Ryan, Miles tracks down Olivia and undercovers a loan-shark organization that asks for organs as collateral. A penniless Olivia doesn’t realize how dangerous her situation is until it’s too late. In Harry Pinkus’ thriller novel: Human Collateral characters dodge bullets left and right, but will everyone make it out alive?
Author Harry Pinkus has written a riveting crime fiction story that is clear, concise and to the point. There is not a single plot structure or character that doesn’t fit in the story. The book is realistic when it comes to the political chain of command and police procedures. Even though Miles notes how the FBI blocks him from their investigation, he’s not trying to step on anyone’s toes or override police procedures to get the information he’s looking for. Generally, in murder mysteries, you have the noisy detective who jumps through loopholes to get to the bottom of things, not caring who they have to step over to find their killer. Not Miles though, he respects the police force and doesn’t push the investigation. Even though, as a reader, I wanted more information to help find the killer, I respect Miles for not bulldozing through the chain of command and letting the FBI do what they do best.
This is a realistic police procedural that puts the facts over the need for thrills. We follow the investigation with few surprises due to the methodical method with which everything is provided. Miles and Ryan’s day-to-day life is one that readers can understand, if not relate to, because of how grounded they are. Every character in this story has a very polite air about them. Their conversations reflect this and everyone has the same cordial sensibility.
Human Collateral is a compelling mystery novel that takes readers into the trenches of the private investigator world and tells a crime fiction story that feels realistic while still being interesting. If you are a reader looking for a meticulous who-dun-it that takes a pragmatic approach to solving a heinous crime, then this will certainly entertain you.
Pages: 289 | ASIN: B09JHV754X
LITERARY TITAN 