Under a Raging Moon

by Frank Zafiro

Book Overview

A violent robber is loose in River City. Meet the cops that must take him down.

Stefan Kopriva, a young hotshot. Katie MacLeod, a woman in what is still mostly a man's world. Karl Winter, about to retire but with one more good bust left in him. And Thomas Chisolm, a former Green Beret who knows how dangerous a man like the Scarface Robber can be.

These are the patrol officers of River City - that...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1962889122
• ISBN13: 9781962889124
• Release Date: July 2024
• Publisher: Code 4 Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A great debut

The police officers of River City are determined to stop a gunman who has been holding up convenience stores, becoming more violent with each one. Reminiscent of McBain's 87th Precinct, Zafiro presents an ensemble cast with the biggest difference being that these are uniformed officers, not homicide detectives and with that comes a realistic view of the challenges and frustrations they face, both professional and personal. Each character, including the villain, has a distinct personality that comes to life in this engrossing, fast-paced, suspenseful story. Written with sharp dialogue and escalating suspense, this was an absolutely non-stop read. Highly recommended.

Walking the beat in "Under A Raging Moon"

It's the fall of 1994 as this novel set in the city of River City, Washington opens. A gunman is robbing convenience stores all over the city. Nicknamed "Scarface" for the obvious scar down the left side of his face, he has just struck again. Fourteen year veteran officer Thomas Chisolm who is also the current field training officer for rookie Maurice Payne is near the scene. They respond as do other units while the suspect flees through a dark construction yard. Ultimately, the suspect gets away but not before managing to wound Payne. As Chisolm notes, "He couldn't stop wondering how much worse it was going to get." (Page 13) For the men and woman of the River City Police Department it is going to get a lot worse. In addition, to what goes on in their personal lives, things on the job are going to get worse. As the days and shifts pass, "Scarface" continues a rampage that quickly draws increasing media scrutiny. Add in internal political pressures and the everyday stress of the job, it isn't surprising that while some thrive, others collapse under the weight. The result is a riveting 299 page read from start to finish. Author Frank Zafiro paints a broad canvas depicting a number of character lives both in terms of the police and the criminals. In so doing, it becomes clear early on that the author's personal knowledge is clear and relevant to his novel and not gained from watching television. By using so many characters and their stories, which are so intertwined in most cases, the author is able to depict not just life on the job but the toll it takes the personal life of the characters That added character development does not hamper the story line. While the main story line is the hunt for the notorious "Scarface" numerous secondary storylines are created and not all are completed in this novel. A sequel is clearly planned, not only by way of the novel itself but by inclusion of the first chapter of the sequel at the end of this book. This is a fast paced riveting novel and one that tries to bring the complexity of police life home to the reader. With rich complex characters, a powerful plot line, numerous secondary storylines and strong writing, the book succeeds on all levels. The result is a good read and the sequel can't come out soon enough. Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2006

Go for a ridealong

Once upon a time we peeked through the magical tv window into a room full of people who'd promised to protect and serve, and we watched, holding our breaths, waiting for them to come home safe, hoping that they would indeed, as the kindly man in the front of the room instructed, be careful out there. Frank Zafiro has managed to evoke that same feeling in his book Under A Raging Moon. He has many police characters, but each is drawn with insight, all of them important in varying ways, all imperfect--understandable--on some level, lovable. You will find yourself wanting to see them again, wanting, like you did in the old days of HSB, to see them come home safe--especially when you see what they're up against. Under A Raging Moon beats as strong as a heart under a bulletproof vest.

Kudos for Frank Zafiro's "Under a Raging Moon"

In Under a Raging Moon, Frank Zafiro paints a picture of police work and life as it is. The reader can practically smell the gunpowder and fear and can feel the adrenaline pumping. He's breathed life into his characters. Instead of cardboard figures, they are real, his heroes are flesh and blood people that you care about, that you pull for, and that, when the shift is over and the bad guys are put away, you want to meet up with and hang out with. I literally could not put it down, and read it in one sitting. I recommend Mr. Zafiro's works to anyone who loves police drama.

You can't put it down

If you like the police life, or even the stories of cops on the street this book is the one for you. While reading this book not only could I not put it down, I found myself sitting in the pasenger seat as the characters preformed their jobs in River City. I have not read writing that pulled me in quite like this. This is the first book I have read from this author but I assure you that I am eagerly waiting for the next in the series.