Title: Vice Enforcer
Series: Vice City: Book Two
Author: S.A. Stovall
Publisher: DSP Publications
Length: 250 Pages
Category: Mystery/Suspense
At a Glance: The plot and action scenes are intense and well written. This is one wild ride, and there was no way to guess what was going to happen next.
Reviewed By: Maryann
Blurb: Holding on to a life worth living can be hard when the nightmares of the past come knocking.
Eight months ago, Nicholas Pierce, ex-mob enforcer, faked his death and assumed a new identity to escape sadistic mob boss Jeremy Vice. With no contacts outside the underworld, Pierce finds work with a washed-up PI. It’s an easy enough gig—until investigating a human trafficking ring drags him back to his old stomping grounds.
Miles Devonport, Pierce’s partner, is currently top of his class at the police academy while single-handedly holding his family together. But when one lieutenant questions Pierce’s past and his involvement in the investigation, Miles must put his future on the line to keep Pierce’s secrets.
The situation becomes dire when it’s discovered the traffickers have connections to the Vice family. The lives of everyone Pierce cares about are in danger—not least of all his own, if Jeremy Vice learns he’s back from the dead. Pierce and Miles face a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels—one that will gladly destroy them to keep operating. As Pierce uses every dirty trick he learned from organized crime to protect the new life he’s building, he realizes that no matter how hard he tries, he might never escape his past.
But he’s not going down without a fight.
Review: To escape what’s left of the notorious Vice family in Noimore, Illinois, Nicholas Pierce finds himself with a new identity as Percy Adams. He now has a new life, along with Miles, in Joliet, where he’s now working with the Michael Shelby Private Investigative company to get his PI license. His boss, Shelby, has Pierce and Miles out on a case that turns into a shocker for Pierce—and that says a lot after what he’s seen and done. When the police get involved, Shelby is willing to give Pierce his PI license if he continues with the case. But, not before Shelby warns Pierce not to get the police involved.
Miles is still the best thing that’s ever happened to Pierce, and sometimes he tries not to really think about it. Miles has been more than a support system to Pierce and has stuck with him through some dangerous times. With their new start, Miles is now in training at the police academy, doing well, and has caught the eye of Lieutenant Rhett Walker, his instructor. That doesn’t sit well with Pierce; he doesn’t trust Rhett at all.
Besides dealing with Miles’ irritating brother, young sister, a little neighbor girl, and a garden that doesn’t grow, Pierce finds himself and Miles in danger. They continue with the weird and horrific trafficking case—but not without Pierce being accused of a murder as well as the fear of being sent back into the clutches of Jeremy Vice.
I really got into this sequel to Vice City mostly because of Pierce, and I honestly have to say this was even better than the first book—and that one was very good. Pierce still portrays himself as a tough guy, but he’s gradually changing. He’s really trying to be strong, but Miles has a way that breaks him down. It’s interesting to watch Pierce go through so many emotions that encompass his feelings for Miles. Miles has a somewhat calm personality and is just low-key, but he and Pierce certainly have a unique chemistry. I like the idea of Pierce being a PI and Miles always being part of the crime solving. His knowledge of the law sort of keeps Pierce on the straight and narrow, which he’s not used to.
This is definitely a page-turner. I liked the danger, grit, the snark and things do get bloody. The plot and action scenes are intense and well written. This is one wild ride, and there was no way to guess what was going to happen next.
I highly suggest reading Vice City before tackling Vice Enforcer. There’s a lot to learn about Pierce and his connection to the notorious Vice family of Noimore. I’m hooked on this series and S.A. Stovall’s unique storytelling, and can’t wait to see what she creates for the next installment.
You can buy Vice Enforcer here:
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