The Trade Off

by Frank Zafiro

  Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  "This book should put Frank Zafiro on the fast track."

  Wil A. Emerson, BookFetish

  “This was a compelling read...even though I had to use a Kindle app on my PC. I soon forgot that as I scrolled faster and faster through the involving story. This book deserves wider recognition; perhaps someone will bring it to the attention of a film-maker, as it would make an excellent movie with its short, sharp scenes and rapid pace.”

  Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader Magazine

  Waist Deep

  When disgraced former cop Stefan Kopriva is asked by an old high school classmate to find a runaway sixteen year old girl, he reluctantly accepts. Driven by guilt over a terrible mistake that drove him from the force more than ten years earlier, Kopriva battles old injuries, old demons and long ago memories as he unravels the mystery of the missing Kris Sinderling... and seeks his own redemption..

  Waist Deep is the first Stefan Kopriva Mystery.

  “A powerful tale of corruption and redemption.”

  Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  “This book...brought Humphrey Bogart to my mind. This is his sort of story, and if there were an actor of that type around today, this book could make a confronting and probably prize-winning film...definitely worth the price of admission.”

  Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader Magazine

  “Waist Deep is a hard-hitting story of a flawed hero trying to exorcise his demons. the subject matter explores dark moral territory, it's arguably not horribly shocking compared to certain real life situations taking place today. Further, in the best hardboiled tradition, finding the truth involves unearthing the scum from beneath the veneer of respectability.”

  Debbi Mack, author of Identity Crisis and Least Wanted

  Lovely, Dark, and Deep

  In this sequel to Waist Deep, a city councilman is dead of an apparent suicide. Ex-cop Stefan Kopriva finds himself drawn into the case, serving an unlikely client. Once involved, he discovers that things are not as they seem.

  Kopriva is quickly embroiled in dirty city politics. Along the way, he encounters pimps, prostitutes, gangsters, contractors, and the police as he tries to get to the bottom of what happened, and why. That is something no one wants, so Kopriva must risk his own freedom and his very life to find the answers, no matter how deep the corruption goes.

  Lovely, Dark, and Deep is the second Stefan Kopriva Mystery.

  “Zafiro does a masterful job of taking noir detective genre conventions and turning them on their heads just a little. Kopriva wants to be like Chandler’s Philip Marlowe, but he just doesn’t quite have the skills or the moral fortitude to completely succeed at it.”

  Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  “Zafiro nails the truth like a properly thrown jab/cross combo. You won’t see it coming until it smacks you in the nose.”

  Colin Conway, author of SOME DEGREE OF MURDER and A LITTLE HARMLESS FUN

  “Stefan Kopriva, an ex-River City cop much reviled by his former colleagues, is intrigued when one day he witnesses a beautiful call girl make a package exchange between an old man and a vaguely familiar younger one. When the call girl is severely beaten and the younger man ends up dead, Stef is drawn into a mystery of murder, graft, and blame. Nearly accused of the murders himself, Stef takes a beating to prove his innocence to a bunch of cops who’d rather find him guilty.

  Lots of twists and turns in this book to keep the pages turning. The writing is crisp and straight forward with fast-paced action and a touch of noir. Stef is a well-drawn character, his few friends are people you’d like to know, and the setting is spot on as Mr. Zafiro brings River City and its denizens to life.”

  Carol Crigger, author of THREE SECONDS TO THUNDER

  Some Degree of Murder

  A young woman has been murdered in River City. Police Detective John Tower is assigned to the case but there are few clues to go on. As he digs into the case, he’s soon picking up hints that this murder may not be the killer’s first … or his last.

  Virgil Kelly lives in the shadowy world of the criminal underground. He’s just arrived in River City with a single-minded mission: find his daughter’s killer and bury him.

  In his search for a murderer, Tower uses his experience and training along with all the expertise of modern forensics.

  In the hunt for his prey, Kelley uses intimidation and violence, tools which he wields with precision and anger.

  Virgil Kelley and John Tower are on a collision course.

  Somebody is going to die.

  River City will never be the same.

  “The story is as bleak and cold as a rain washed murder scene…if you’re still in mourning for Robert B Parker, you might want to visit River City and see if that eases the grief a bit.”

  Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader Magazine

  “Some Degree of Murder by Frank Zafiro and Colin Conway couldn’t have a better title…[it] entertainingly examines people, what human nature is, and just what people will do when they’re pushed right to the edge of a cliff, whether it’s anger, grief, greed, or simple survival. Once someone takes that final step over the edge, there’s no telling how far they’ll fall, and all their decisions are relative (a degree) of where they’re currently at.”

  Books N Beans review site

  “What could be better than a new book by a crime fiction author from Spokane? How about a collaborative work by two local crime fiction authors?…the novel’s structure creates some interesting tension. Things that one narrator experiences help add important details to parts of the book told from the other narrator’s point of view. The reader sometimes knows things already that the narrator doesn’t, which may keep people on the edges of their seats during parts of the story…I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime fiction, strong plots and great dialogue. Even people who don’t normally read this type of story will find many things to love about Some Degree of Murder.”

  Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  “…a masterfully written account of River City crime, the intricacies of penetrating secret societies, and hidden relationships found along the way to solving crimes. So much raw emotion is exposed throughout the entire book, giving each reader an idea of what each character is feeling, from the victims to the families, the police officers and the suspects, the by-standers to the completely ignorant…Some Degree of Murder is a well-written story that is difficult to put down and keps you guessing from start to finish. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, another twist rounds the corner!”

  Rhiannon Leppert, from an Amazon.com review

  Blood on Blood

  Blood on Blood is a hard boiled crime novel by Frank Zafiro and Jim Wilsky, the first of the Ania Trilogy.

  Half-brothers Jerzy and Mick Sawyer are summoned to the prison where their father is dying. On his deathbed, he tells his sons about a diamond heist that he was part of and how some of those diamonds are still out there. He sets the two on a path of cooperation and competition to recover the jewels, each playing to his own strengths and against the other’s weaknesses.

  Jerzy is the quintessential career criminal, fresh out of a short bit and looking to get back into the action right away. Mick is the failed cop and tainted hero struggling to get by with a clean life that doesn’t seem to ever pay off. Both men see this score as their ticket out. They have to work together, but the situation is, as one of the brothers observes, “part Hardy Boys, part Cain and Abel.” Throw the sexy, mysterious Ania into the mix and you have all the ingredients of a classic, hard boiled story set in the Chicago of today.

  “Blood On Blood is an intense and truly addictive thriller that captures you immediately and holds you bound until the last page. A fast paced, absorbing crime novel, with characters who still linger darkly on the edge of my thoughts.”

  Julia Madeleine, author of The Truth About Scarlet Rose

  ”Blood on Blood is a gripping tale of two brother
s racing against time to find missing diamonds in Chicago…[t]he authors keep readers guessing in a very satisfying way.”

  Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  “[T]he last line…will hit you right between the eyes. I didn’t expect the ending; the action was so relentless and fast-moving I didn’t have time to consider the possible outcome—but it works, and works very neatly…This is one of the most brutal and violent books from Frank Zafiro yet. [Zafiro and Wilsky] have produced a book that will be popular with those who like their crime raw and hard.”

  Karen Treanor, New Mystery Magazine

  Queen of Diamonds

  Queen of Diamonds is a hard boiled crime novel by Frank Zafiro and Jim Wilsky, the second of the Ania Trilogy.

  When Ania Kozak hits Vegas, she’s only looking for a place to relax and lay low with her stolen cash and diamonds. But Sin City has other plans for “Annie.”

  Cord Needham is a poker circuit champion with an eye for the ladies and a dark secret in his past. Casey Brunnell is a former baseball player fighting the cards and running up debts to a local mobster. When Annie decides to play a dangerous game with both of them, the stakes go through the roof. Everyone scrambles to beat the odds and get out of town with the money…and their lives.

  “Queen of Diamonds is the second collaboration between Frank Zafiro and Jim Wilsky and it’s a partnership that runs like a well-oiled machine…I’ve read a lot of books set in Las Vegas, but there are very few I have enjoyed more.”

  -Chris Leek, independent reviewer

  “They are able to capture that odd mixture of psychology, math skills and pure luck that can help people excel at Texas Hold ‘Em in a way that anyone could understand. They show a strong understanding of the game and why some people treat gambling for money like a career…[the authors] are able to keep readers guessing right up until the last few chapters when their plot threads finally all come together. They manage to both frustrate some expectations readers may have and bring everything to a satisfying conclusion.”

  -Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  Closing the Circle

  In Closing the Circle, Frank Zafiro and Jim Wilsky team up for the third installment in the saga of Ania Trilogy.

  John Pearse is a loss recovery agent for an insurance agency. When a set of crown jewels that his company paid out on resurface in the middle of a Russian/Polish mafia war in Chicago, Pearse is sent in to find and recover the diamonds. Standing in his ways are gangsters, grifters, and cops, but the biggest obstacle will be the sexy Ania, who has managed to stay one step of everyone else…until now.

  Andros Krol is muscle for the Polish mafia in Chicago, tasked by his boss to bring back more than just the diamonds. Strong and cunning, Krol is after the money Ania took, but his biggest priority is to deliver brutal justice and a final day of reckoning for Ania.

  Pearse and Krol are locked into a race against time and each other as they pursue the wily Ania.

  The circle is closing on all of them.

  “Brings the trilogy that started with “Blood on Blood” and continued in “Queen of Diamonds” to an epic finale that is sure to satisfy…a very fun caper story that will appeal to mystery lovers, crime fiction buffs and anyone who loves a good heist movie.”

  -Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  At Their Own Game

  Jake Stankovic has been flying below the radar for years, dealing safely in stolen property crime with his two-man crew. But times are tough, so he decides to step up to the big money with a drug deal. Everything that can go wrong, does. The deal goes bad, a vengeful detective sets his sights on Jake, one of his crew might be a turncoat, and a woman from a long past affair suddenly reappears. All of this would be complicated enough on it’s own, but for Jake, it’s even worse.

  The woman is the detective’s ex-wife.

  And Jake Stankovic used to be a cop.

  Now Jake must face new problems and old vendettas in an all-in proposition with lives on the line. He has to find a way to get his money back, keep the girl, and beat everyone involved…At Their Own Game.

  “A suspenseful descent into darkness… [Zafiro] elevates the story beyond just an entertaining caper story to being a profound examination of good, evil, betrayal, revenge and many other things that have been central to human existence since the dawn of history.”

  -Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  The Last Horseman

  Sandy Banks is the last of The Four Horsemen, a vigilante group of ex-cops determined to right the injustices of a broken court system. But now the project is disintegrating, putting him in the middle of chaos. Betrayed by his final partner, blackmailed by the project head and pursued by federal agents bent on busting the case wide open, Sandy scrambles to escape this mayhem with his soul intact.

  “A fast-paced, suspenseful story about crime, corruption and street justice.”

  Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  “Frank Zafiro has stepped up his game considerably in this thriller/police procedural/crime novel. The plot is packed with startling plot twists, one after the other, that knit together as a whole as seamlessly as any book I've ever read…this book kept me turning the pages late into the night…highly recommended. As if I have to spell that out.”

  Debbi Mack, author of Identity Crisis and Least Wanted

  At This Point in My Life

  Jack “Mac” McCrae is about to retire. Without children or any family, he looks back over his career and his life and finds himself wondering what, if any, impact he’s had on this world.

  Then a young woman reappears with a photograph of her mother — and his old lover — and an unknown child that might be her sister…and his daughter.

  Mac agrees to accompany her to a small town in Oregon to get to the bottom of this mystery. Who is the little girl in the photograph? Is she his daughter? And where is she now?

  But Mac discovers that no one in this small town wants to answer or even acknowledge these questions. He will have to find a way to overcome the stranglehold that the Tate family has on the town and work his way to the truth about who the little girl is.

  “[A] powerful examination of love, loss, regret and justice.”

  - Brian Triplett, Examiner.com

  Chisolm’s Debt

  After two tours in Vietnam and 25 years as a police officer, Thomas Chisolm is looking forward to a quiet retirement. That hope is quickly shattered when Mai, a ghost from his past, finds him and demands justice for the horrors she suffered during the Vietnam War…horrors Chisolm couldn't save her from.

  Now Chisolm must find the man responsible and bring him to justice to repay an old debt and in the hopes of putting his own demons to rest…once and for all.

  Chisolm’s Debt is written by River City author Frank Zafiro and features one of River City’s iconic characters. Follow Chisolm on his search as he explores the nature of moral debt, war, forgiveness, and guilt on his way to an explosive ending.

  Dead Even: A River City Anthology

  Detectives and mobsters, missing mummies and a shootout with Gypsies – here are fifteen stories featuring major and minor characters from the novels of Frank Zafiro, now given their own chance to shine. The good, the bad, and the in-between of River City come together in this fast-paced collection of theft, mystery, murder and detection, where the heroes of River City will keep fighting until the scales of justice are once again…Dead Even. Some of these stories are action packed, others heart-rending, but all will leave you satisfied.

  "The range of different character voices that Zafiro masters is amazing."

  Asa Bradley, bark

  “Frank Zafiro’s work is the kind readers won’t soon forget. It strikes deep into a reader’s mind and heart creating people and situations so real, they stick with you long after you’ve read the work. From the details of a crime in progress to police banter on and off the job to the gritty particulars of life in River City, Zafiro is a winner. He becomes his characters and you see life and crime and pol
ice work through their eyes. It’s impossible to choose a favorite in this collection, they are intertwined and work together in a way that creates a resonance in those who read these tales. Frank Zafiro’s work is powerful and memorable, two things every writer strives for in their work.”

  Joseph R.G. DeMarco, author of Murder on Camac

  “While Dead Even is a great introduction to the characters of Frank Zafiro’s River City novels, it is also a superb collection of short stories. From the heartbreaking, “The Worst Door” to the lethal combination of “Pride Goeth” and “And a Fall Cometh”, Zafiro has something for everyone. These aren’t just crime stories, they are stories that touch on the human emotions of both the cops and the criminals while taking readers on a roller coaster ride through the streets of River City.”

  Sandra Seamans, short story author

  “Frank Zafiro’s stories possess a ring of realism that can only be created by someone who has actually lived the life of a police officer. For readers who are seeking to get as close to the action as possible without being exposed to the dangers of police work, DEAD EVEN: A RIVER CITY ANTHOLOGY will be a real treat. They’ll be transported to a world where they’ll be able to actually see, hear, taste, and smell what it’s like to be a cop—but they’ll get to live to tell about it. Frank Zafiro continues to impress with this one.”