Stephen Aryan
Alternative History Thriller Novella
A noir story, set in an alternate New York City.
After years of being a cop, and now a private investigator, there’s little that surprises Cole Blackstone. But when someone working for Karl Dolman, the most notorious crime boss in the city asks for his help, Cole is caught off guard, and more than a little afraid.
Dolman’s daughter, Selina, has gone missing. To prevent a gang war that will tear the city apart, Cole must find her. But the job is being made more difficult as everyone is interfering, cops and criminals, and no one wants him to succeed.
Together with his childhood friend, Bracken Hart, the two men must navigate the depths of the city’s underworld for answers. In a race against the clock, Cole needs to find out what happened to Selina, and who is responsible, before the streets run red.
-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.
Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.
My Opinion
“Sometimes rules are comforting. Other times, they’re like a rope, choking the good out of you. Forcing you towards a path that feels wrong, deep in your gut.”
(4 / 5) In an alternate New York City, Cole Blackstone is a retired police officer and is now a private investigator. When the most notorious crime boss in the city asks for help in finding his kidnapped adult daughter, Cole feels a trepidation he rarely feels in his line of work.
Along with his best friend Bracken, the two investigate the kidnapping and knowingly get closer and closer as evidence from the community fight for them to stop. What he stumbles into is a twist that makes him rethink everything he once knew.
The story builds slowly giving incredible descriptions of this alternative New York City and it’s inhabitants. “It isn’t the Wild West of old, not by a long shot, but something needs to change or New York will become truly lawless, ruled by fear and brute force.” Architects have left the city, instead choosing to live the “simpler life” and oil and wood are chosen over electricity. This background gave a great atmosphere to the world Aryan created. There are many extremes of people and gangs rule the city. Cole’s investigation leads him down a path where many resist helping purely to not topple this fragile existence. What Cole finds leads him to a fight for his life and many others. It is action-packed with heart-wrenching scenes that made me hold my breath as I read faster. So while it started a bit slow, the end was an explosion of action that I loved. It was full of heart and violence all wrapped up in a bundle of commotion. If you love books with an end you don’t see coming that have loveable characters, this novella is definitely for you!
General content summary:
F words= 12
C***= 1
Hard drugs
Physical violence (hands/feet are often chopped off as a consequence, multiple hitting and weapons fights with blood and some gore details, battle)
Kidnapping
Incurable deadly disease
Child physical abuse (previous)
Self harm scars
Prostitution
Death (multiple, stabbing, fight, bloody, beheading, multiple dead and gory bodies)
**Any quotes that have been taken for the review is based on an uncorrected text as the advanced copy and may or may not be in the final, published copy.
Thank you to Stephen Aryan for the gifted copy!
The book releases October 1, 2024.
**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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