NEW
RELEASE and GIVEAWAY
The Devil's Necktie
by
John Lansing
John Lansing's NEW RELEASE is available for only $0.99 for a limited time from Amazon (US residents only) or direct from the publisher, Simon
& Schuster. We are also lucky enough to have two eBooks to give away. Be sure to enter the GIVEAWAY below.
Description
A sizzling thriller
for fans of James Patterson and Patricia Cornwell - an exciting tour into the
real-life world of cops, crime, drugs, and murder.
Retired inspector Jack Bertolino had strict rules when dealing with
confidential informants. But Mia had the kind of beauty that could make a grown
man contemplate leaving his wife, his job, and his kids. After a passionate
night together, Mia is found murdered - and Jack is the lead suspect.
Facing threats from the LAPD, the 18th Street Angels, and a Colombian
drug cartel, Jack delves deeper into the seedy world of drug dealers and murderers
and discovers that the top players knew Mia personally. And now Jack is torn
between fearing for his life and seeking revenge for his slain lover … either
way, the body count will rise.
Book Trailer
Excerpt
Jack
Bertolino stood on the balcony of his loft in Marina del Rey, tending a
dry-aged New York steak on his prized possession, a top-of-the-line Weber gas
grill. He didn’t miss winter, not one little bit. Here he was manning the
barbecue in his new uniform, a black T-shirt and jeans, while his cousins were
chasing heart attacks shoveling snow off their Staten Island driveways. That
image never ceased to put a smile on his face. That and the salty ocean breeze
that floated in over the marina.
Jack
nursed a glass of cabernet and watched the long line of bright white FedEx
trucks return home from their final deliveries and park in neat rows in the lot
next to his building. It sure beat the sight of patrol cars jammed onto the
sidewalk in front of a precinct house.
Early
evening was Jack’s favorite time of day. The sun was just starting to paint the
clouds a muted orange. From his fourth-floor vantage point, Jack could see a
string of jumbo jets in the distance, silently making their final approach to
LAX. Stacked eight planes deep, their slim silver bodies glinted in the setting
sun.
For
the first time in Jack Bertolino’s life, he felt at ease.
His
cell phone chirped, snapping him out of his reverie. He tossed some Japanese
eggplant onto the grill, closed the lid, and checked his cell phone screen for
the name of the caller.
“Hello.”
“How’s
my Italian stallion?”
“Mia ...
,” he said instantly, his tone neutral, giving away nothing.
“All
the planets are aligned, Jack. It’s time for you to man up and
make
an honest woman out of me.”
Jack
couldn’t help but smile. Mia’s throaty voice and light Colombian accent had the
power to make a grown man weep. More important, it could make a bad man give up
his secrets.
He
hadn’t really been surprised when he received her text. He knew it was only a
matter of time. Payback’s a bitch.
“What
can I do for you, Mia?”
“It’s
what I can do for you, papi.
My lips .. they’re still magic.”
“I
love it when you talk dirty.”
“Only
for love or money.”
Although
Jack was enjoying the back and forth, he was no longer in the business. “Why
are you calling, Mia?”
Mia
dropped her act as well. “We need to talk.”
“It’s
not a good time,” Jack said as he opened the lid of the grill and pressed his
fork against the steak, checking for doneness.
“Face-to-face,
Jack.”
“I’m
not in New York.”
“That’s
why I’m in Los Angeles.”
Jack
didn’t reply right away. He did a quick analysis of how Mia could know he was
living in L.A., what kind of trouble she might be in, what kind of blowback he
was going to suffer just from having this conversation. He came to the
instantaneous conclusion that however this new wrinkle in his life played out,
it would definitely have an impact on his newly found state of bliss.
Review
In the vein of John
Patterson and Patricia Cornwell, John Lansing taps into the real-live world of
cops, crime, drugs and murder to deliver a sizzling whodunit. Retired inspector
Jack Bertolino had strict rules when dealing with confidential informants. He
worked in narcotics for 25 years and it was a line in the sand he never
crossed. But Mia had the kind of beauty that could make a grown man contemplate
leaving his wife, his job, and his kids. After a passionate night together, Mia
is found murdered - and Jack is the lead suspect. Facing threats from the LAPD,
the 18th Street Angels, and a Colombian drug cartel, Jack Bertolino is forced
to pull out all the stops to figure out exactly what Mia had gotten herself
into and a way to clear his name. As Jack delves deeper into the world of drug
dealers and murderers, he uncovers an international drug ring, and the top
players in this game knew Mia personally. It is uncovered that Mia had a loving
relationship with the son of a major drug lord, but she was never accepted into
the family. Despite this, the relationship bloomed, and Mia became pregnant.
Upon hearing this news, someone ordered her pregnancy terminated, forcibly.
Mia had spent the
past few years getting revenge on the cartel family, right up until she got
found out. It just so happened that she reached out to Jack on the day of her
death. And now Jack is seeking revenge on behalf of his slain lover.
The Devil's Necktie will keep readers glued from scene to scene, page
after page, alongside Jack Bertolino - delighting in every step of his
relentless pursuit to uncover the truth.
About the Author
John Lansing started his career as an actor in New York City. He spent a
year at the Royale Theatre playing the lead in the Broadway production of
"Grease." He then landed a co-starring role in George Lucas'
"More American Graffiti," and guest-starred on numerous television
shows. During his fifteen-year writing career, Lansing wrote and produced
"Walker Texas Ranger," co-wrote two CBS Movies of the Week, and he
also co-executive produced the ABC series "Scoundrels." John's first
book was Good Cop Bad
Money, a true crime tome with former NYPD Inspector Glen Morisano. The Devil's Necktie is his first novel.
A native of Long Island, John now resides in Los Angeles. For further insights read an interview with the author.
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