Title: Detective’s Quota Part II: The Conflict
Author: David Cuomo
Publisher: David Cuomo Publishing
ISBN: 978-1970658187
Pages: 108
Genre: Mystery / Thriller & Suspense
Reviewer: Jack Chambers
Pacific Book Review
The role in which morality plays in the lives of people is in constant flux. The world people see is often black and white, but the reality of life is that there are many shades of gray which exist all around people, and understanding those gray areas and finding the moral center that drives a person in one direction or another is vital to understanding the human condition.
Morality becomes the central driving force of author David Cuomo’s Detective’s Quota Part II: The Conflict. The novella focuses on Captain Edward Smith, the Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit. Having gained fame for prosecuting another detective for a grisly crime, Jack faces the dilemma of a lifetime when new evidence is discovered in the wake of the initial suspect’s death that places the true murderer in his crosshairs. Faced with a choice between taking a murderer off the streets or saving his career and possible prosecution for obstruction of justice in the previous case, Jack must face this dilemma head on and decide what matters more to him.
Fast paced and compelling, the narrative hit me with a punch right from the start. The novella was very character driven and did a spectacular job of creating a tense atmosphere that kept me on the edge of my seat, so to speak, as the story progressed. While not action driven, the story itself is a unique character study that allows the readers to both relate to and engage with the cast of characters easily. The tension mounts even before the crimes occur, with Jack showcasing an obsession with furthering his career and having a professional discourse with the first suspect in the case that underlies the investigation itself. The imagery the author uses in this story and the detail that goes into the actual investigation process made this story feel visceral and realistic as it progressed.
Readers who enjoy thrillers, especially those which are crime-driven with hints of mystery and suspense, will absolutely be enthralled by this narrative. The character driven story is the perfect vehicle to explore questions of morality. The narrative hits home the concept that everyone, no matter how morally “good” they define themselves as, are susceptible to making bad choices and doing the wrong thing in the heat of the moment, no matter what their intentions may have been. The twists and turns the mystery itself takes on will leave the protagonist in a role they never saw for themselves, and readers will be treated to a valuable character study that keeps the idea of morality on the forefront of their minds. Readers will be pulled into a powerful crime drama that refuses to let go.
