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O’SHAUGHNESSY INVESTIGATIONS, INC. Leave Murder to the Professionals
A.G. Russo’s O’Shaughnessy Investigations, Inc. swept me into wartime Brooklyn in 1944, where the O’Shaughnessy Detective Agency tries to stay afloat as war, love, and corruption tighten their grip. The story follows Maeve O’Shaughnessy, a resilient woman running her family’s detective agency while her brothers fight overseas. She juggles heartbreak, danger, and loyalty as she faces mobsters, federal agents, and the heavy shadow of the Second World War. The book blends mystery, romance, and historical detail with an intimate look at ordinary people caught in extraordinary times. Author A.G. Russo paints the era vividly. The rationing, the fear, the faith that life might one day feel normal again.
Reading it felt like slipping into another time. Russo writes with a steady hand and a clear affection for her characters. Maeve is strong without being hardened, and I admired how she never loses her compassion even when the world around her turns brutal. The dialogue feels sharp and real; it’s the kind of talk you’d hear in a smoky Brooklyn diner. Some scenes hit hard, especially when Maeve faces choices that test her morals. The emotional weight sneaks up on you. One moment you’re caught in a clever bit of detective work, and the next you’re hit with the loneliness of a woman holding everything together while the world falls apart.
The number of side plots, mobsters, federal intrigue, family drama, sometimes pulls focus from Maeve’s heart, which is the story’s strongest pulse. Yet even when the plot meanders, the writing carries it. Russo’s world feels lived-in, and her affection for her cast gives the novel warmth that lingers. The prose isn’t flashy, and that’s part of its charm. It feels honest, unpretentious, like it’s being told over a cup of coffee on a gray Brooklyn morning.
When I finished, I sat for a while thinking about courage. The quiet kind that never makes headlines. Russo’s story isn’t just about solving crimes; it’s about surviving them, about staying decent when decency feels naïve. I’d recommend O’Shaughnessy Investigations, Inc. to readers who love classic mysteries, strong-willed heroines, and wartime stories grounded in everyday heroism. It’s a slow burn, but by the last page, it left me both moved and grateful for Maeve’s grit.
Pages: 342 | ASIN : B0FRHCZRG9
The Scars We Carry
The Sins We Inherit follows a conflicted man trying to be a good father who thought he’d escaped his family’s criminal legacy, only to be pulled back in when his grandfather dies suddenly. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration began in a very personal place. I started writing during a difficult season of heartbreak and anxiety, and the story grew out of those emotions. What began as journaling slowly evolved into a narrative about identity, family, and the legacies we carry.
The first two chapters — the wake and funeral — are essentially real. They were some of the hardest scenes to write because they came directly from my own experience of losing my grandfather Carlo, who was such an important figure in my life. That rawness gave the story its foundation of authenticity.
Milwaukee became the natural backdrop. I grew up there, and its history and underworld culture gave the story a setting that felt authentic and rarely explored in fiction. From there, the character of Cost took shape as someone wrestling with the same questions I was asking myself: What does it mean to be a man, a father, and a son while carrying the weight of the past? That intimacy, set against the backdrop of crime and family power struggles, gave the book a cinematic quality from the start — I’ve always envisioned it as something that could live not only on the page, but on screen as prestige television or film.
What aspects of the human condition do you find particularly interesting that could make for great fiction?
I’ve always been fascinated by flawed characters who are still trying to do right, even when they fall short. The moments that stay with me — whether in books or film — aren’t usually the loud or violent ones, but the quiet scenes of love, regret, or vulnerability. Those moments reveal our contradictions: strength and fragility, pride and longing, loyalty and betrayal.
That tension is at the heart of The Sins We Inherit. It’s why I believe the story lends itself to screen adaptation — the crime and ambition create stakes, but the real drama comes from the universal struggles of family, identity, and the need to belong. That balance is what defines the best prestige dramas, and it’s what I wanted to capture here.
What themes were particularly important for you to explore in this book?
Redemption was central. The novel asks whether we can rise above the cycles we inherit, or if they define us no matter how far we run. Alongside that, I wanted to explore legacy, manhood, and the bonds of family — especially the father–daughter relationship, which became the emotional core of the story.
Ultimately, the book is about transformation. It’s about shifting the idea of strength from suppressing pain to confronting it, and finding meaning in the scars we carry. That emotional throughline is also why I believe the story is destined to resonate beyond the page — it’s rooted in the same timeless, human themes that make the great crime dramas work on film and television.
When will Book Two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
Yes — I do see The Sins We Inherit as the beginning of a larger story. From the outset, I had a general arc for a trilogy in mind, and I’ve already outlined both Book 2 and Book 3. Each installment builds on the themes of legacy, family, and redemption, while raising new questions about power, identity, and the price of the choices we inherit.
My ambition is for this saga to stand within the mafia canon, but in a way that feels contemporary and fresh. Milwaukee remains a unique, underexplored setting, and the father–daughter relationship continues to ground the story in something universal. At its heart, the next book will push deeper into what it means to face the past, confront pride, and still fight for transformation. It’s a layered arc that I believe has all the hallmarks of prestige television: intimate, character-driven drama unfolding against a backdrop of power and consequence.
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Costantino “Cost” Caduto Jr. thought he’d escaped his family’s criminal legacy. But when his grandfather Tiger, the man who held it all together, suddenly dies, Cost is dragged back into a city simmering with tension, betrayal, and unfinished business.
Now, standing at the crossroads of who he was and who he might become, Cost must confront everything he left behind:
– A family fractured by power, grief, and long-held secrets
– A dangerous power vacuum that threatens to pull everyone under
– The one person he’s always tried to keep safe, his daughter, now watching his every move
Set against the backdrop of Milwaukee’s underworld, The Sins We Inherit is a gripping tale of legacy, loyalty, and the price of silence. As old allegiances unravel and new threats emerge, Cost must decide whether walking away was ever truly an option, or if some bloodlines run too deep to outrun.
Perfect for fans of atmospheric crime fiction, morally complex protagonists, and slow-burning suspense with heart.
The Sins We Inherit
Carlo J. Emanuele’s The Sins We Inherit is a bruising, heartfelt story about family, legacy, and the ways the past refuses to stay buried. The novel follows Costantino “Cost” Caduto II as he returns to his family’s orbit after the death of his grandfather, Tiger, a man whose shadow looms over Milwaukee’s underworld and over Cost’s own conflicted heart. The book moves through wakes, eulogies, burials, backyard feasts, and street confrontations, blending the intimacy of family drama with the sharp edges of a crime saga. It’s about fathers and daughters, fathers and sons, and the ways love can be messy, protective, and even dangerous.
Right from the opening pages, where Cost stands at Tiger’s wake, worn down and haunted, I felt pulled into the smoke-filled rooms and tight-lipped exchanges that define this world. The writing is cinematic without being overstuffed; little details like the smell of cigar smoke or the scrape of pews in a church make the world feel alive. At times, though, the heaviness of description slows things down, especially in the funeral chapters, but I didn’t mind lingering there. It felt true to the weight of grief, and it set the stage for the power struggles that follow.
I also appreciated how Emanuele balances the personal with the criminal. Cost isn’t just an heir to a mafia empire, he’s a divorced father trying to stay close to his daughter, Maddy, even as she slips through his fingers. The moment when she addresses him as “Dad” at the wake, only to retreat into the crowd, struck me with particular force. That small interaction captured more distance and heartbreak than any shouting match could. Later, when Frank Vistoso tries to assert himself at the altar during Tiger’s funeral, it’s not just a clash of egos; it’s a reminder that Cost can never fully escape this world, no matter how much he wants to. I found myself rooting for him, even when I suspected he wouldn’t get the peace he craved.
What I didn’t expect was how much heart the book carries in its quieter moments. A favorite scene of mine was the repast after the funeral, with sausage sizzling on the grill and cousins arguing over poker. The food, the noise, the laughter, it all felt warm and familiar, and it reminded me that this story isn’t only about violence and legacy, but also about belonging. I could almost smell the garlic bread and hear Sinatra crackling on the speaker. It’s those scenes, where love and menace share the same table, that give the book its punch.
The Sins We Inherit left me thoughtful and stirred. It’s not just a mob tale, it’s a story about trying to be better for the people you love, even when the past won’t let you. I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy crime dramas with a human center, especially fans of The Sopranos or Dennis Lehane. But I’d also recommend it to anyone who’s ever wrestled with family expectations, or who’s wondered how much of our lives are chosen versus inherited. It’s a dark, gripping read, but underneath the gunmetal, there’s a father’s love beating strong.
Pages: 258 | ASIN : B0FKN76L1K
Breath Play
Breath Play is a mystery-thriller that follows Dan Burnett, a retired NYPD detective turned private investigator, as he uncovers the chilling pattern of murdered young nurses whose bodies wash ashore along Long Island Sound. While juggling a budding romance with his girlfriend Mia and supporting his daughter Hannah in her new career, Dan finds himself unable to resist the pull of a developing serial killer case. As each victim’s backstory is revealed, and the investigation tightens around eerie patterns and disturbing truths, the book builds a slow, suspenseful momentum filled with quiet tension and emotional depth.
I enjoyed the way the book mixes the peaceful rhythm of Dan’s post-retirement life with the unsettling presence of violent crime. The writing is smooth and conversational. Like listening to someone recount an incredible story. The dialogue is natural, the pacing is just right, and the scenes between Dan and Mia are some of the most intimate I’ve read, not just physically, but emotionally. The sensual moments don’t feel forced; they feel like part of a very real, very lived-in relationship. That kind of emotional realism adds a weight to the story that goes beyond solving murders.
What I appreciated was how the story took its time, weaving in layers of Dan’s life beyond the central investigation. The car theft subplot, in particular, added depth and a welcome change of pace, giving us a fuller picture of Dan’s world and the kind of cases he handles. It might not have been directly tied to the serial killer thread, but that contrast made the darker moments hit even harder. The life of a PI isn’t just one mystery at a time, and Terhaar captures that beautifully. The suspense crept in slowly, building until I realized I was completely hooked. And those Elsa Nordstrom reports are absolute gut-punches. They brought the victims to life in a way that was deeply moving.
This book isn’t just for crime fiction fans, it’s for readers who love characters with heart, quiet moments that carry weight, and thrillers that don’t rely on explosions to keep your attention. If you’re someone who enjoys character-driven mysteries with a slow burn and a touch of romance, Breath Play will stick with you. It’s warm, dark, tender, and smart. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a mystery that feels personal.
Pages: 229 | ASIN : B0FH7MLZGK
Gangsters and Demons
Gangsters and Demons is a dark, pulpy, and strangely heartfelt novel set in 1920s Chicago. The story follows Jimmy Maloney, a dockworker trying to survive amid the city’s industrial grime, systemic poverty, and rising organized crime. What starts as a classic gangster tale gradually transforms into something much more unexpected, something deeply strange, even supernatural. As Jimmy gets drawn deeper into a criminal underworld, he confronts not just mobsters but literal demons, both personal and paranormal. The lines blur between addiction and possession, loyalty and survival, faith and fear. O’Neill stitches together Prohibition-era crime drama with elements of horror and religious myth in a way that feels both ambitious and unhinged.
I felt like I was being pulled into an old noir film that slowly melted into a fever dream. O’Neill’s writing is rich with mood and texture. The way he builds atmosphere, from fog-drenched alleys to crowded tenement kitchens, is immersive and unflinching. But it’s not just about setting. The dialogue is sharp and believable, especially when tensions rise between dockworkers and mob bosses. At times, the narrative veers into melodrama, especially when introducing the more fantastical elements, but somehow, it works. The raw emotion in the scenes with Jimmy’s mother or his deteriorating friendship with Nathan hits hard. You feel the weight of hopelessness, the creeping dread of losing control. It’s messy, and that’s what makes it feel real.
What surprised me most were the ideas buried beneath the genre trappings. Addiction, exploitation, poverty, faith, these aren’t just backdrops, they’re the bones of the story. There’s something gutsy about blending demonic possession with union strikes and rent hikes. It’s as if O’Neill is saying the real horror isn’t the supernatural, it’s the everyday grind that breaks people down. There were a few moments where the themes came through a little strongly, as if the story had something meaningful to share and leaned into it with intention. A couple of plot threads faded into the background, and a few characters seemed to serve more symbolic roles. Even so, the story gripped. I kept turning the pages, eager to see where it would go next.
I’d recommend Gangsters and Demons to anyone who enjoys stories that punch you in the gut and don’t apologize. If you’re into gritty historical fiction with a twist of horror, think Peaky Blinders meets The Exorcist, you’ll find something to love here. It’s bold, honest, and haunted.
Pages: 255 | ASIN : B0F48TS4R5
The Phantom Affliction
The Phantom Affliction is a gripping noir-style mystery set in post-WWII Chicago. The story follows Jack Kelly, a wounded veteran and son of a slain cop, who returns home only to stumble into a dangerous web of lies, disappearances, and old ghosts. When a former flame’s mother asks for help finding her missing daughter, Jack gets swept up in a messy case involving crooked families, lost identities, a fake milkman with a knife, and secrets tied to his own father’s death. What starts as a favor spirals into something bigger, more sinister, and deeply personal.
Reading this book felt like watching a smoky detective movie. Parker’s writing has bite. The voice is raw and full of personality. It’s sarcastic, wounded, cynical, but strangely warm. Jack Kelly is no hero with a shiny badge. He’s bruised, bitter, and limping, literally and emotionally. What I loved most was how real he felt. He’s the kind of guy who’ll joke about his fake leg even while bleeding from the head. The dialogue crackles with grit and wit, and the prose never overreaches. It’s straight talk from a street-smart vet who’s seen too much. I found myself grinning one second and wincing the next. The pacing slows in a few spots, sure, but never enough to kill the mood. You just want to follow Jack, even when he’s clearly in over his head.
The ideas Parker digs into hit hard. The novel looks at loyalty, corruption, trauma, and the loneliness of coming home to a world that moved on without you. There’s something tragic in how Jack wants to do the right thing but keeps getting burned. The people he trusts most, his uncle, his ex, even his late father, carry secrets that gnaw at the edges of the truth. The story swerves from mystery to thriller to something almost tender, and I didn’t expect that. It’s violent in places, but it never feels flashy. Every punch, every lie, every bloodstain means something. That’s what kept me hooked.
If you like a dark mystery that feels like it crawled out of a forgotten alley in a black-and-white film, this one’s for you. The Phantom Affliction is perfect for fans of Raymond Chandler or James Ellroy, but with a softer gut and sharper grief. It’s messy, bruised, and crawling with heart. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a hard-boiled story with a twist of real emotion and a lead character you can’t help but root for.
Pages: 364 | ASIN : B0CTCQ4YPQ
Countdown
Johan Ottosen’s Countdown is a fast-paced, intricate thriller that follows multiple characters as they race against time to prevent an apocalyptic disaster. The story spans Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, weaving together conspiracy, espionage, and political intrigue. At its heart, the novel follows radiation expert and former UN weapons inspector Søren Storm, journalist Kurt Østergaard, and other key figures who find themselves entangled in a deadly web of secrets. The book starts with a chilling scene in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, setting the tone for a story full of tension, unexpected twists, and dark revelations.
Ottosen’s writing is immersive, blending real-world research with fiction so seamlessly that it’s easy to believe these events could unfold outside our windows. His use of GPS coordinates at the start of each chapter adds a level of realism that’s both clever and unsettling. The book’s structure—short, punchy chapters—keeps the momentum high, making it hard to put down. One particularly gripping sequence involves a harrowing assassination through radiation manipulation, a scene so well-crafted it sent chills down my spine.
Kurt Østergaard is the journalist who stumbles onto a story much bigger than he anticipated. While these characters work well within the story’s framework, I would have liked to have plumbed their emotional depths a bit more. That said, their interactions and individual arcs remain compelling, particularly as the stakes grow higher with each passing chapter.
One thing that sets Countdown apart is its meticulous attention to historical and geopolitical details. The book touches on nuclear energy, intelligence agencies, and ancient secrets hidden in archives. It’s evident Ottosen has done his homework. Occasionally, the level of detail slows the pacing, especially during technical explanations about radiation and security protocols. A slightly more streamlined approach could have maintained both the intrigue and momentum without sacrificing depth.
Countdown is a gripping thriller that will appeal to fans of Dan Brown, Robert Ludlum, and Tom Clancy. It’s a story that blends action, conspiracy, and history in a way that keeps the reader engaged. If you enjoy high-stakes thrillers with a strong sense of place and a dose of realism, this book is well worth your time.
Pages: 429 | ASIN : B0DTSSPRKC
Heart of Evergreen
Heart of Evergreen by Mary L. Schmidt is a psychological thriller that masterfully delves into the unraveling life of Kim Dailey. A devoted wife, Kim’s seemingly perfect marriage takes a chilling turn when she discovers her name linked to a hit list on her husband Steve’s laptop. This revelation propels her into a whirlwind of doubt and fear, where every moment becomes a high-stakes journey to uncover the truth. As Kim confronts the possibility that her husband may be a covert assassin, the narrative explores themes of deception, resilience, and the lengths one will go to protect their family.
One of the novel’s standout strengths is its seamless blend of suspense, mystery, and romance. Schmidt crafts a deeply personal and intimate story, grounding the tension with the raw, emotional depth of her protagonist. Kim’s love for Steve, even amidst her mounting suspicion, and her compassionate observations of him as a father figure to her children, create a poignant duality that resonates. A particularly haunting moment arises when Dmitry’s death is contemplated—a scene so viscerally portrayed that it lingers long after reading. Schmidt juxtaposes the brutal finality of loss with the tenderness of grief, making it both heartrending and unforgettable. The story’s backdrop is a festive celebration overshadowed by the threat of an unseen assassin that creates gripping tension, while the richly layered characters bring authenticity and nuance to the narrative. The novel’s exploration of human relationships is deeply resonant, capturing moments of heartbreak, love, and hope with equal finesse. A notable strength lies in its portrayal of women’s resilience. Whether navigating life-altering choices or enduring harrowing trials, the women in Heart of Evergreen shine as embodiments of strength and grace. Balancing its weighty emotional themes are heartwarming glimpses of Kim’s moments of joy, particularly with her children. These scenes lend a warmth that counterbalances the darker aspects of the plot, offering moments of reprieve amidst the tension. The crescendo of the narrative, the poignant demise of Dmitry stands out as a masterfully written moment, weaving hope and heartbreak into an unforgettable climax.
Heart of Evergreen is an evocative tale that will captivate readers who enjoy romantic family sagas infused with elements of crime, desire, and emotional complexity. Fans of Ian McEwan’s Atonement will be drawn to its layered storytelling and profound exploration of the human spirit. This is a novel that lingers in the mind, leaving readers both moved and reflective.
Pages: 160 | ASIN : B0DR69LRC2
LITERARY TITAN 