Facedown in Fishtown

Rating:
Summary: Details, details, details...
Review: It's the details that get you ... the author's obvious familiarity with forensics and the worldwide locations keeps you engrosed. I'm looking forward to more from this author.

Rating:
Summary: Details, details, details...
Review: It's the details that get you ... the author's obvious familiarity with forensics and the worldwide locations keeps you engrosed. I'm looking forward to more from this author.

Rating:
Summary: Facedown in Fishtown is brilliant!
Review: J.P. Miller has an interesting background. He spent twenty-one years in Naval Intelligence as an expert cryptologist, which makes him eminently suited to create mysteries and puzzles. He is also a linguist, skydiver, and traveler. His areas of expertise also include criminal justice and medicine. He presently teaches aviation survival to pilots and aircrews.

Detective D.J. O'Hara operates out of the 12th District in the Northeast corner of Philadelphia. He's been on the force almost long enough to retire, and is presently dating and considering marriage to Kristen, who is trying to extricate herself from an abusive husband. Life is going fairly well, until a serial killer begins his spree in D.J.'s territory. D.J. narrates the story, and he includes lots of refreshing tidbits about police procedural that are entertaining and informative for the reader:

"It wasn't surprising that Ray didn't discover a cartridge case. The killer's weapon was probably a revolver, and revolvers don't eject the bullet case. Another explanation was simply that the perp picked it up. However, when someone commits murder, they usually don't take time to retrieve the hardware. After firing they get the hell out of Dodge."

D.J. is, thankfully, not an alcoholic. Please, writers, stop that overused convention! He is a cuddly but tough cop who has already "made his reputation." He has believable, normal problems: a daughter he adores who is probably going to have to move; whether to propose to his girl; how to take care of her abusive ex-husband. These are the things of everyday life that people want to read about. This makes Facedown in Fishtown a readable, fun book. D.J. is just enough of a smart-aleck (his conversations with his partner Manny are hilarious) to be the kind of guy who is engaging and heroic in an ordinary day-by-day way.

J.P. Miller does not shirk on details. Every step of the hunt for a serial killer with enough rage to take on an army is logical. The narrative which takes the reader into the mind of the killer (not an easy thing to do) is also straight-ahead and compelling. Facedown in Fishtown is brilliant!

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer

Rating:
Summary: Great mystery that is a fast read and a thrilling ride!
Review: Miller is a gifted storyteller whose powerful narrative unfolds through his vivid depictions of an inner-city Philadelphia cop and a seemingly unsolvable mystery that takes the reader from the City of Brotherly Love to the streets of beautiful Bucharest.
Miller spins a riveting tale of gritty Philadelphia cop, DJ O'Hara as he trails a peculiar serial killer. The short chapters make this a fast read and a thrilling ride! This is a great read!!

Rating:
Summary: Facedown in Fishtown
Review: Riveting! Has the big city feel! This gritty written book posses the power to keep you glued to the pages. Very informative in Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Science. Shows alot of investigative research that is missing in alot of todays murder mysteries. Very well written and easy to keep up with. Is a very good page turner with some good twist. Highly Recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Fast Pace
Review: This is a great book. If you like police shows such as Law and Order this book is for you. The author follows the reality of police work in how exciting it can be, but he also shows the down time and how hard a "lead" can be to follow. This book is a page turner, and I couldn't put it down once I started.