FATAL INFRACTION (Mike Stoneman Thriller Series #4) by Kevin G. Chapman – Thriller/Suspense Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Thrillers

Football, love, racism, and murder are the subjects of interest Kevin G. Chapman uses in his latest crime novel, Fatal Infraction.

Racial tension, throwing the game, and a love triangle all play a part in why the team’s controversial quarterback, Jimmy Rydell is dead. NYPD homicide detective Mike Stoneman and his partner, Jason Dickson, put their personal lives on hold after Rydell’s body turns up frozen in New York City’s Central Park. Who hated Jimmy enough to end his life? Readers soon find out what made the quarterback a possible target.

The brutal way Jimmy dies drives the cops to chase any lead on every turn of the page with little evidence to go on. Waiting for the body to thaw leaves time for the cops and detectives of the NYPD to question all involved, including team members, girlfriends, Jimmy’s agent, and friends.

How many times does a first-round draft pick end up dead in a metropolis like New York City?

As the community becomes more agitated due to racial tension, the news reporters hound the players and people of interest to get the best insight and first story – the details of the murder. The sports reporters play the game, too, but they have an in with the players’ lives that the other reporters and the cops do not. Through myriad lies and deceptions, one truth becomes clear – someone is hiding something, and the cops and detectives know it.

When the detectives uncover the murder of a possible witness and friend of Jimmy, the plot thickens. Can the detectives save a life while also solving the murder? That’s a question readers will find out for themselves.

In the midst of the murder investigation, Jason and Mike face their own challenges that deepen each character’s growth and carry the series forward. Those subplots and several others weave a tapestry of topical social issues into the murder mystery. Although Fatal Infraction is the fourth book in the Mike Stoneman series, it stands on its own as a strong, relevant who-dun-it that will undoubtedly lead new readers to the first book in the series.

Chapman’s style of storytelling and his extraordinary attention to detail in this present-day crime novel leaves no topic unturned before the murder of famous quarterback Jimmy Rydell is put to rest. The dialogue and prose of this intense crime novel resonate with authenticity and a style all its own. In short, Fatal Infraction will capture readers’ attention from the beginning to the end – with no timeouts.