Kiss of Evil: A Novel of Suspense

In this story, we meet another evil psycho who not only likes to kill his victims, but mutilate them as well. Pursuing this monster is the jaded cop, Jack Paris. This is an engrossing tale, with a down to earth hero who has his own share of problems in addition to tracking down an elusive, vicious murderer. The story is frightening and graphically violent, so if you are the least bit squeamish, think twice about reading the book. Interesting characters, fast moving plot and a monstrous villian make for a quick, tension filled read. This is the first book I've read by Mr. Montanari. I plan to read the others to find out what I have been missing.

For those liking the mystery and suspense of a great detective novel, this book is for them. It ranks top in all the detective novels I've read over many years. It's definately a candidate for the top ten best seller list.You'll be enthralled with the characters, and the twists and turns of the plot will keep you reading until you finish the book. Detective Jack Paris is sure to become a legendary character in the literary world.Richard Montanari is a gifted writer. I've read his other two books, Violent Hour and Deviant Way and I anticipate his next book with exuberance.

Rick Montanari's "Kiss of Evil" is his best yet, and his two previous novels, "Deviant Way" and "The Violet Hour" were pretty damn good to begin with. Detective Jack Paris (who debuted in "Deviant Way") returns in "Kiss," this time in a manhunt for a serial killer who executes his victims in gruesome, quasi-religious rituals. In the midst of the present-day chase, though, Paris is also obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding a fellow detective's death a couple years earlier. Montanari expertly weaves present-day narrative and flashback in a tale that's guaranteed to throw even the sharpest reader off the scent until the very last page. And in those brief moments when he does let up on the pace and let you catch your breath, he adds satisfying layers of depth and humanity to his original sketch of Jack Paris. If you're into Thomas Harris, or John Sanford's "Prey" series, you'll dig "Kiss of Evil."

Two years ago in Cleveland, model Sarah Weiss allegedly murdered police detective Michael Ryan in a local hotel. Sarah beats the rap and Michael's reputation is destroyed in the process. Michael's partner John Paris knows that the media, the brass, and the justice system "raped" a good cop unable to defend himself while his killer is free.However, John feels better about that case when Sarah dies in a car fire because he feels she deserves what she finally got. However, more vicious murders linked back to Michael soon occur, leaving John to wonder what is the real link between the brutal deaths of five people and counting.When it comes to psychological suspense, no one does it better than Richard Montanari (see THE DEVIANT WAY). His latest police procedural, KISS OF EVIL, is exciting and filled with non-stop action as he takes his audience on a joy ride of Cleveland that is a bit different than say a trip to Jacobs Field. John makes the story as readers feel his frustration, shock, and near obsession with the case. Though the plot is a bit graphic yet apropos for the spine tingling story line, fans will clamor for Mr. Montanari to return with more Paris psychological police procedurals in the near future.Harriet Klausner

Detective John Paris returns in this dark, psychological thriller that has all the sinister appeal of Montanari's DEVIANT WAY, and further cements Paris's place as one of the more enigmatic series detectives in hard-boiled crime fiction today. Two years ago, in an expensive hotel suite, Detective Michael Ryan was executed with his own gun. The beautiful woman who was acquitted at the time has now died in an apparent suicide. Karma? Maybe. Case closed? Not by any means. The suicide is only the beginning of a series of bizarre and seemingly unrelated deaths; ritualistic murders that terrorize the city, and weave in and out of the lives of a grifter with a five year old daughter, a Latina reporter on the career fast-track, a dealer in religious icons and the private life of John Paris.The setting again is the darkest side of Cleveland, and, as Paris investigates, he finds himself drawn into a deviant underground culture, deep inside the mind of an educated killer, and closer to the terrible truth of what really happened in that hotel room two years ago. KISS OF EVIL is a fast, disturbing read, a true city noir, and arguably the first literary thriller of the decade. I hope there are more Paris books to come.