Untold Damage by Robert K. Lewis is a dark mystery debut featuring a drug-addicted former cop (available April 8, 2013).
Mark Mallen is a former undercover cop for the San Francisco Police Department. Now he’s a heroin junkie, estranged from his wife and nine-year-old daughter. He spends his days shooting up, scoring, and making kites for the daughter he never sees.
He woke up with a needle in his arm.
Waking up with the pin still in him was something new. First time, actually. Made him think of how Vodka was the last drink a chronic drunk can take. Because their stomach’s given out from all the abuse heaped on it. Vodka was the last stop before a coffin. The last line in the sand, crossed.
When Oberon Kane, a cop that Mark had worked with in the past, shows up at his place, Mark is instantly ashamed of his appearance and living conditions.
Oberon opened the notebook. It was then he caught a look at the crook of Mallen’s right arm. His gaze then traveled up to Mallen’s face. Like he was seeing him for the first time. Mallen put his left hand over the track marks, trying to hide them, only drawing more attention to them. Oberon glanced around the room again, like it all of a sudden made sense.
Of course, Kane comes bearing bad news. His former friend, a man he’d gone to the Academy with, Eric Russ, has been shot and killed, and he had Mark’s address in his pocket. Mark desperately wants to get to the bottom of what happened to his friend, but his addiction is sure to hold him back. When he attempts to dig a little deeper, he gets arrested, and even if they can only hold him for a day, he’s near panic.
His mind raced. Panic was firmly in place now. The Need was already awake, crying for its needle. He was going away for at least a day. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing, again whispered the quiet voice inside. He found himself not disagreeing with that voice as much as he thought he would. Maybe this was it. Maybe this was the real bottom of the well. Had to admit, his crash-out appeared pretty fucking complete.
When Kane tells him what a great cop he used to be, back in the day, Mark finds his mind wandering back to better days.
Yeah, he’d been good all right. Lots of times better than good. And then he suddenly realized he wanted to be good again. At something. Anything. But he never would be, not if he stayed hooked.
The addiction was a huge chasm, and he needed to get over it to the other side. Could he finally find a way to jump that gulf?
With the help of a new friend, Mark starts down the road to recovery, and his cop instincts are returning, along with sobriety. It’s not going to be smooth sailing, though. There are a few folks from his undercover days that know who he is, and more importantly, what he was, and they’re out for blood. Meanwhile, it turns out that his friend Eric had some secrets of his own, and he won’t be the only one to die.
While Untold Damage is indeed a crime thriller, at its core is the story of a man desperately trying to get clean and regain not only his dignity, but his sense of place in the world. The author effectively paints a portrait of a man in crisis, who must use every bit of strength he has to dig himself out of the hole that he’s been in for the last four years. Untold Damage is an interesting crime debut, but it’s the story of Mark’s redemption that reeled me in.
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Kristin Centorcelli reviews books at mybookishways.com, loves a good mystery, and is a huge fan of boxed wine. You can also follow her at @mybookishways.
Looks excellent!
Great overview. Now I’m extra eager to get my preordered copy!!! Come on Canada Post!!
Looks like a good read!
fascinating
Sounds like a good read.
I’m interested in reading this.
This looks like a good book. Can’t ait to check it out.
fascinating agenda. Would love to read.
Sounds interesting-a very complex character.
This sounds like a really good book!
The winding road of life is always a thriller.
Sounds interesting. I’d like to read it
Love mysteries. Very interestint.
Yes, I could definitely see me reading this. Please!
Can’t wait to read!
Mark’s redemption??
Tell me the damage! Yes!
Sounds good! Would love to read it.
This looks like a must read!
Sounds like a must read!
sounds really good
sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like a great read. I can’t wait to check it out.
VERY interesting! Would love to read
Would love to read this!
Sounds very dark and intriging …
THis sounds intriguing… a crime thriller with a dark, conflicted protagonist. I would love to win it. Thank you for the opportunity.
I would love to read this book
Sounds like an interesting book.
This sounds like a good book. Thanks for having the giveaway.
Thanks for the great review & the chance to win.
This sounds like a good book and possibly a new series. Thank you for the chance to win it.
sounds interesting
Sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for the contest!
Can’t wait!
The “sneak peek” has me intrigued. I would like to read this book.
a drug addicted former cop that sounds like a good read
the struggle against an addiction is enough for a book by itself. to wrap it around a crime thriller is very interesting. count me in.
This sounds like an exciting and excellent read! If I win a copy I’ll donate it to my local public library after I’m done enjoying it.
Have added it to the “Must Read” list 🙂
Sounds like a promising debut
Undercover heroin-junkie ex-cop…oh my gosh! Sounds i-n-t-r-i-g-u-i-n-g…
Terrific tease! Looking forward to reading this… I appreciate the chance!
Thank you for the oppotunity to win a copy of Untold Damage
I love Ex-cops with a dark side.
Not my usual read but I like to try new things.
I’m in. Thank You.
Sounds intriguing. Count me in.
Thank you,
I would to read this. It sounds like it’s worth my time and attention. Thanks.
Looking forward to a great read.
Looks riveting and would love to spend a few evenings reading it this summer
Looks like a good read.
This sounds like a good read.
I love to read stories about recovery and redemptiom and struggling from the bottom to the top.
Here is my entry!! Thanks for the chance to win another good read 🙂
looks interesting.
Sounds like a good read
Sounds great. Would love a copy.
thanks for a great contest, this looks like a great book
oooh I want this one!!!
Seems like a good read – I know he can be a good cop again.
sounds like a fun one!
Would love to have this one!!!
This author is new to me and I would love to give this
book a read and then share it…
Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Sounds good.
Sounds great
Sounds great
I’d love to read this!
This sounds so good, count me in!
I would love to read the work of Robert K. Lewis!
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the preview!
sounds great
i enjoy your book reviews and i hope to win!
this book looks awesome!
Count me in!
This sounds like a really good book. Would love to read it.
this is so great
Wow! Good luck to everyone who entered! You’ve all made my day! 🙂
It’s always fun to read new authors!
Sounds Great! Thanks