It seems like I’m on a Jersey spree lately, and this book fit right into that theme! While it didn’t rate one of my rare 5 stars I can certainly appreciate that it holds all the necessary elements for a solid and engaging crime thriller. As the first book in what looks to be a promising series, it kicks off with plenty of action, intrigue, and character development that will likely draw many readers in.

The story follows Abigail, a character who, at first glance, seems unassuming. Her pixie-like appearance and friendly demeanor give the impression of someone lighthearted and approachable. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that there’s much more to her. Beneath that seemingly delicate exterior lies a strong-willed, determined woman grappling with harsh realities, both from her past and present. It’s a clever juxtaposition, and the contrast between her appearance and inner strength adds depth to her character.

Abigail’s situation is the perfect example of “out of the frying pan, into the fire.” She’s caught up in a dangerous game of crime and deceit, where escaping one threat only leads her straight into the heart of another. The plot weaves together classic elements of the crime thriller genre: mobsters, a dead bookie, a convoluted police investigation, and a tangled web of clues that Abigail must untangle to survive. There’s no shortage of tension and suspense, which keeps the story moving at a brisk pace.

It has all the makings of a good, entertaining read—particularly for fans of crime thrillers and mob-related mysteries. The writing is engaging, the plot is well-constructed, and there’s just enough intrigue to make readers curious about where the series will go next.

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SUMMARY

Abigail Barnes is young, pretty and petite, but her looks and size can be deceiving. She’s a tough as nails drifter who makes her living collecting outstanding debts for low-end bookies and loan sharks, Abigail arrives in Hackensack, NJ, from Baltimore, MD, and gets a job collecting for a small-time bookie, who winds up dead.

With a large Wall Street firm moving into town bringing jobs, prestige, and money, the press is soon up in arms about the killing. So the cops to put the squeeze on Ronnie “Slacks” Falcone, a mobster who heads organized crime in the Jersey City area, to help find the killer.

Soon Abigail finds herself being sought by a gang of hoodlums, the mob, and the police. She knows she can’t run and she won’t turn herself in because she has a past that could send her to jail. She has little choice but to try and find out who killed the bookie – without getting killed in the process.