Fresh Meat: Untold Damage by Robert K. Lewis

Untold Damage by Robert K. LewisUntold 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.

This Sweepstakes has ended. Check out current opportunites at our Sweepstakes feature page.

To enter for a chance to win one of two trade paperback copies of Untold Damage by Robert K. Lewis, make sure you’re logged in as a registered member of the site, and then simply leave a comment below.

TIP: Since only comments from registered users will be tabulated, if your user name appears in red above your comment—STOP—go log in, then try commenting again. If your user name appears in black above your comment, You’re In!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 or older. To enter, fill out entry at www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2013/04/fresh-meat-untold-damage-by-robert-k-lewis-addiction-debut-noir-mystery-kristin-centorcelli beginning at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) April 8, 2013. Sweepstakes ends at 9:29 a.m. ET on April 15, 2013 (the “Promotion Period”). Void outside of the 50 US and DC and where prohibited by law. Please see full details and official rules at https://www.criminalelement.com/page/official-rules-untold-damage-comments-contest. Sponsor: Macmillan, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010

See coverage of more new releases in our Fresh Meat series.


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.

Comments

  1. Gordon Bingham

    Looks excellent!

  2. Jean Oram

    Great overview. Now I’m extra eager to get my preordered copy!!! Come on Canada Post!!

  3. Katherine Marion

    Looks like a good read!

  4. L L

    fascinating

  5. kamandi

    Sounds like a good read.

  6. vanessagalore

    I’m interested in reading this.

  7. Steven Wilber

    This looks like a good book. Can’t ait to check it out.

  8. charles mitelhaus

    fascinating agenda. Would love to read.

  9. Barbara Bibel

    Sounds interesting-a very complex character.

  10. Lori Myers

    This sounds like a really good book!

  11. Bob Alexander

    The winding road of life is always a thriller.

  12. Judith Barnes

    Sounds interesting. I’d like to read it

  13. Marguerite Beal

    Love mysteries. Very interestint.

  14. Becky Hantsbarger

    Yes, I could definitely see me reading this. Please!

  15. Jo White

    Can’t wait to read!

  16. Suzanne Gonneville

    Mark’s redemption??

  17. mosaix

    Tell me the damage! Yes!

  18. Deb Mosora

    Sounds good! Would love to read it.

  19. Patrick Coleman

    This looks like a must read!

  20. Renee Howell

    Sounds like a must read!

  21. Sally Kohlenberg

    sounds really good

  22. erin f

    sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

  23. Joshua Atkins

    Sounds like a great read. I can’t wait to check it out.

  24. Connie Saunders

    VERY interesting! Would love to read

  25. MaryC

    Would love to read this!

  26. Mary A Johnson

    Sounds very dark and intriging …

  27. Karen Arrowood

    THis sounds intriguing… a crime thriller with a dark, conflicted protagonist. I would love to win it. Thank you for the opportunity.

  28. Karl Stenger

    I would love to read this book

  29. mary m

    Sounds like an interesting book.

  30. Rose Milligan

    This sounds like a good book. Thanks for having the giveaway.

  31. Joyce Mitchell

    Thanks for the great review & the chance to win.

  32. Rebecca Boukikaz

    This sounds like a good book and possibly a new series. Thank you for the chance to win it.

  33. Doris C. Losey

    sounds interesting

  34. Charles Fraker

    Sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for the contest!

  35. Taylor Duncan

    Can’t wait!

  36. Sally

    The “sneak peek” has me intrigued. I would like to read this book.

  37. vicki wurgler

    a drug addicted former cop that sounds like a good read

  38. susan beamon

    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.

  39. Kathleen Peterson

    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.

  40. Shaunterria Owens

    Have added it to the “Must Read” list 🙂

  41. Karen Hester

    Sounds like a promising debut

  42. VICKIE HAMILTON

    Undercover heroin-junkie ex-cop…oh my gosh! Sounds i-n-t-r-i-g-u-i-n-g…

  43. Jeffrey Malis

    Terrific tease! Looking forward to reading this… I appreciate the chance!

  44. cheryl stillwell

    Thank you for the oppotunity to win a copy of Untold Damage

  45. Bruce Hamilton

    I love Ex-cops with a dark side.

  46. Ellen

    Not my usual read but I like to try new things.

  47. Cheryl English

    I’m in. Thank You.

  48. Carolyn Dileo

    Sounds intriguing. Count me in.
    Thank you,

  49. Dolores Maxwell

    I would to read this. It sounds like it’s worth my time and attention. Thanks.

  50. Regina Ma

    Looking forward to a great read.

  51. alyce poalillo

    Looks riveting and would love to spend a few evenings reading it this summer

  52. Starr Greenwell

    Looks like a good read.

  53. Donna L

    This sounds like a good read.

  54. DARLA KIDDER

    I love to read stories about recovery and redemptiom and struggling from the bottom to the top.

  55. Laura McLendon

    Here is my entry!! Thanks for the chance to win another good read 🙂

  56. Vicky Boackle

    looks interesting.

  57. Eddey Gallegos

    Sounds like a good read

  58. lynette barfield

    Sounds great. Would love a copy.

  59. carol bondell

    thanks for a great contest, this looks like a great book

  60. Michael Lee Smith

    oooh I want this one!!!

  61. Brenda Tucker

    Seems like a good read – I know he can be a good cop again.

  62. Daniel Morrell

    sounds like a fun one!

  63. Brenda Elsner

    Would love to have this one!!!

  64. Cindi Hoppes

    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

  65. Richard Edmundson

    Sounds good.

  66. Susan Smith

    Sounds great

  67. Susan Smith

    Sounds great

  68. Debra Kidle

    I’d love to read this!

  69. David Kidle

    This sounds so good, count me in!

  70. Ed Nemmers

    I would love to read the work of Robert K. Lewis!

  71. Kimberly Hilbert

    Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the preview!

  72. Tricha Leary

    sounds great

  73. Susan Smoaks

    i enjoy your book reviews and i hope to win!

  74. Cassandra Marquez

    this book looks awesome!

  75. Tim Moss

    Count me in!

  76. Shawn Andree

    This sounds like a really good book. Would love to read it.

  77. cassandra mccann

    this is so great

  78. RKLewis

    Wow! Good luck to everyone who entered! You’ve all made my day! 🙂

  79. Clydia DeFreese

    It’s always fun to read new authors!

  80. Kyle Quandt

    Sounds Great! Thanks

Comments are closed.