Face of Greed

by James L'Etoile

Overview

Greed, corruption, and betrayal—no murder is as simple as it seems

When a prominent Sacramento businessman is killed and his wife injured in a brutal home invasion, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, are called to investigate. At first glance, it seems like a crime of opportunity gone horribly wrong, but Emily soon finds there might be more to both the crime and the dead man.

The high-stakes investigation also comes at a time when Emily is caring for her mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s, and Emily struggles to balance her job with her personal life. The city’s political elite seem to want the case solved quickly, but darker forces want it buried.

Could there have been a motive behind the attack, making it more than a random home invasion? Emily uncovers clues that cause her to reconsider her understanding of the crime. A deadly game of greed and deception pulls Emily deeper into the shadowy world of gang violence and retribution. She has to walk the razor’s edge to identify the killer—without becoming the next victim.

Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly and Karin Slaughter

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608095872
Publisher:	Oceanview Publishing
Publication date:	11/07/2023
Series:	A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	506,058
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

James L’Etoile is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, hostage negotiator, facility captain, and director of California’s state parole system, and he uses his twenty-nine years “behind bars” as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. His novels include Dead Drop, Black Label, At What Cost, Bury the Past, and Little River. Face of Greed is his latest novel and the first book in the Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Series. L’Etoile lives with his wife outside of Sacramento, California. When he’s not writing, you can find him working with his Corgi therapy dogs.

Editorial Reviews

09/25/2023

L’Etoile (the Detective Penley mysteries) introduces another memorable lead in this impressive series launch. Sacramento, Calif., police detective Emily Hunter is struggling to care for her septuagenarian mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s, when she’s handed a high-profile case. Late one night, Emily’s called to the home of prominent local businessman Roger Townsend, who’s dead after an intruder shot him in the back before slitting his throat. When Emily arrives at the scene, the chief of police, Thomas Clark, is already there, at the request of Mayor John Stone, an old friend of Roger’s wife, Lori, who was also injured in the struggle. The fatal break-in appears to match a pattern of recent home invasions, but Hunter feels uneasy about Stone’s interference with her investigation, and wonders if there’s more to the murder than meets the eye. Sure enough, after a little digging, she discovers links between Sacramento’s elite and a shadowy criminal enterprise, and rushes to find answers before she becomes a target herself. L’Etoile’s long career in California criminal justice lends veracity to this page-turner—the courtrooms and precincts feel uncommonly lived-in. Admirers of strong female protagonists will be eager to see more from Hunter down the line. Agent: Elizabeth Kracht, Kimberley Cameron and Assoc. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"An incredible story that grabs you by the throat and tosses you across the room. L’Etoile is a gem.” —J.T. Ellison, USA Today best-selling author

“James L’Etoile is such a talented and terrific storyteller! His real-life experience in the criminal justice system gives his compelling, high-stakes thrillers an authenticity that only a savvy insider can provide. You'll be turning the pages as fast as you can!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today best-selling author

“The award-winning James L'Etoile launches a compelling new series with a baffling home invasion mystery that packs an impressive one-two final punch! L'Etoile knows crime—and this gritty whodunnit bears testimony. I can't wait for book two!” —Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times best-selling author

* “Smart-mouthed, tough, pull-no-punches Emily will do whatever it takes to solve the case, and she and Javier keep investigating until they finally uncover the tragic, shocking truth. The suspenseful, twist-a-minute, fast-moving plot . . . make[s] this an outstanding must-read.” —Booklist (Starred Review)

“In Face of Greed, James L'Etoile gives us a Sacramento rarely seen in crime fiction. In a city without an identity, L'Etoile's Sacramento bursts with good cops and crooked cops, skinheads and tweakers, bad men and femme fatales. This helluva page turner has hella heart!” —Rachel Howzell Hall, best-selling author of We Lie Here

“James L’Etoile’s Face of Greed is fantastic, one of the most engaging police procedurals I’ve ever read; a smart, twisty, multilayered story that features a detective who is utterly fearless in her quest for truth. Don’t even try to guess how this story ends—just put yourself in L’Etoile’s eminently capable hands and enjoy the ride!” —Karen Dionne, USA Today best-selling author

“Face Of Greed is yet another fantastic offering from James L'Etoile, thoroughly enjoyable, a true winner—Bravo!” —Baron Birtcher, Los Angeles Times best-selling author

“Detective Emily Hunter is a sharp, compelling heroine with brains, heart, and true grit—everything I've been looking for in a series character. I loved getting to know Emily—and I adored this tight, twisty, and very suspenseful book. I could not put it down!” —Alison Gaylin, USA Today best-selling author

“L’Etoile’s long career in California criminal justice lends veracity to this page-turner—the courtrooms and precincts feel uncommonly lived-in. Admirers of strong female protagonists will be eager to see more from Hunter down the line.” —Publishers Weekly
 

From the Publisher