Criminal Element
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Chicago police sergeant Joe Donegan came to the department with a plan. To him the police badge was a license to steal, a free ride, and an easy way to get whatever you want, whenever you want--without suffering the consequences. And when City Councilman Skip Murphy needs an embarrassing situation to go away, Donegan volunteers, as always for a price.
But Chicago Commander Larry Cole is searching for missing barmaid Sophie Novak, and the trail leads right to Skip Murphy's door. With Murphy eyeing a Congressional seat, Murphy won't let Larry Cole stand in his way. And with Donegan planning to ride Murphy's coattails to the top, Donegan will stop at nothing to bring down Cole. Commander Larry Cole has his work cut out for him, as secrets from his past are dredged up in a public spectacle. And Cole's problems may not just involve a breech into his past. Donegan's ruthlessness may shorten his future.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Jesse James, Jack the Ripper, the Corleones, Hannibal Lecter great villains make great reading. And while Holton's (The Left Hand of God) 10th and unfortunately last (he died in 2001) Larry Cole novel lacks continuity and cumulative narrative power, his Chicago criminal Joe Donegan is a fine villain. On the surface, Donegan would seem to have no advantages: nobody likes him, nobody trusts him; he's a suspect in every crime he commits, but he's just smart enough to elude his would-be accusers. In addition, he's cunningly chosen law enforcement as his medium in which to rob and kill. A detective assigned to a violent crimes unit, Donegan forms an alliance with alderman Skip Murphy, after Murphy's sexual foreplay gets out of hand and he kills his partner. Murphy covers up the crime by burning down a building and murdering several people who might have been witnesses. It's just the beginning in a new phase of Donegan's criminal career: political assassin. Allied against him are Commander Larry Cole and his sidekick, Sgt. Blackie Silvestri. In truth, despite their formidable reputations, the police protagonists are pretty ineffectual. In the book's biggest shortcoming, the heroes aren't instrumental in bringing down the evil doers. The denouement may be realistic, but some readers may feel the author isn't playing by the rules. Otherwise, this is a fast moving, entertaining procedural in which the villains hold the spotlight. Holton is especially good at conjuring up interesting characters, good or bad. FYI:The author was a 33-year veteran of the Chicago police department.
