American Fiction Awards Winner - Crime Thriller (2023)

Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner - Crime Fiction (2023)

A cartel enforcer, a vengeful soldier, and a mystery that detonates into pure thriller and suspense.

In this explosive thriller and suspense novel set in the gritty underbelly of 1987 Chicago, the city is on the brink of a violent drug war. A string of flawless, professional murders rocks the criminal underworld, pulling Detective Marcelle DeSantis and her partner, Bernie Bernardelli, into a deadly mystery with no clear suspects—and no room for error.

Their only lead is Robert Thornton, a legendary mercenary and the feared enforcer for a rising Southeast Asian heroin cartel. Thornton has returned from the shadows of the Vietnam War, where he once commanded a covert unit known as Ares—until the day he betrayed them.

But the past never stays buried. One of Thornton's former soldiers has resurfaced, determined to deliver long-awaited revenge. As cartel violence escalates and old war wounds reopen, Chicago becomes the battleground for a reckoning decades in the making.

Caught between a ruthless cartel kingpin and a relentless assassin, Marcelle and Bernie must unravel a web of secrets, betrayal, and buried history before the city descends into chaos.

Perfect for fans of gritty crime fiction, high-stakes suspense, and twist-driven mysteries, In Danger of Judgment delivers non-stop tension, unforgettable characters, and a showdown you won't see coming.