Vigilante Justice

Drugs are being stolen from a police evidence locker and sold on the street. These same drugs are killing the users. When Internal Affairs detective Barry Drake's brother becomes one of the victims, Drake is even more determined to find the person responsible. Will his search for justice destroy the love he has finally found or will he administer his own brand of vigilante justice?What's outstanding to me about Vigilante Justice, aside from asking some hard moral questions and never answering them to anybody's satisfaction, is how well it sticks to the formula and uses many of the tropes while at the same time turning all that on its head and messing with a reader's mind.I've received emails from police officers commending the realism. I remain flattered, but not surprised. My little brother was a cop. I typed his notes when he was at the police academy. The main character is, quite simply, "If Barry was alive today, what would he be like?" I read a lot of autobiographical books by cops before I wrote this. When the main character violates standard procedure, the author always knows which procedures, and why.In its best selling prime, my readers were women. I think they wanted to rescue the hero. I have noted that the guy's based on my little brother, and quipped that even dead he gets all the girls. But that's just mean.A gay man who knew how biographical this book is asked me if Barry really had AIDS. That's how realistic that was, and it's all research. Pre-Internet research. Library book research. I'll always treasure that question, because it means I got it right.My choice of poison is also the result of library book research. Look up Doctor Halpern and enjoy. Before my hernia surgery, I asked my anesthesiologist if I'd gotten it right. Oh yeah. His reaction was priceless.I spent most of my writing career thinking I'd never write a better novel than Vigilante Justice. My use of the past tense tells you how that went, but even so, I'll always be extremely proud of this one.Let me end with the best book review ever. It's from Daddy. "Son, you know I don't read a lot. But this is good. I read the whole thing without stopping and I only drank three beers."To my favorite living novelist, I say "Eat your heart out, Neil Gaiman," because you'll never get a review like that.4-1/2 Stars"From the first sentence of this book, Michael LaRocca has got you hooked. This book has it all. It is very exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. Michael LaRocca has written this book with really realistic characters that you can relate to. Vigilante Justice has a fascinating plot, a real crime and punishment book. This thriller is one of a kind that really keeps you wanting more."Elaine Leite -- Timeless Tales Book Reviews"LaRocca's Vigilante Justice is a good, fast, entertaining read that also makes even a jaded reader stop to think--and feel. Vigilante Justice is available both as an e-book and in print. Pick this one up."T.A. Stone -- author of Close to Home"Vigilante Justice is about revenge and love--duty and hate. This sounds like a contradiction of terms, but LaRocca makes it work. This is a truly unusual "cop" story that you don't want to miss. Even if you are not much of a mystery fan, you will enjoy this book. It makes us look at ourselves, at society, at life from a different viewpoint--a frightening viewpoint, and it's worth every minute of it."S. Joan Popek -- E-Writers.net