Synopses & Reviews
As an amateur PI with a bent moral compass, Ash McKenna is good at
finding people — but not at staying out of trouble. Between his own
violent tendencies, the shadow cast by his father's death, and a
self-destructive revenge quest, he made a mess of his life in NYC.
Figuring it was time for a change of scenery Ash relocated to Portland,
taking a job as a bouncer in a vegan strip club. And he hasn't had to
hit anyone in six months.
So when one of the club's dancers asks
Ash for help finding her daughter, he declines, content to keep the
darkness in his past. But soon Ash is held at gunpoint by a man in a
chicken mask, and told to keep away from the girls. Unfortunately Ash
isn't good at following directions either.
As Ash navigates an
unfamiliar city, he finds himself embroiled in a labyrinthine plot
involving a ruthless drug cartel and a scandal that could reach one of
the most powerful men in Portland. Ash is dead set on finding the
missing girl, but realizes that in order to deliver her safely he may
have to cross the one line he promised himself he never would.
Review
"CITY
OF ROSE is briskly told, and Ash’s arch, loopy narration is often very
funny. It’s been a good season for thrillers with a touch of comedy." Booklist
Review
"Appealing...readers will enjoy (Hart's) playful, jaded hero and twisty plot." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Well executed and strikes an appealing balance, rough without
being sadistic, gritty without being sordid. ...an engaging
read...characterized by Hart's quick and witty turns of phrase." Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Rob
Hart is the associate publisher at MysteriousPress.com and the class
director at LitReactor. Previously, he has been a political reporter,
the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the
city of New York.
Rob
is the author of The Last Safe Place: A Zombie Novella, and his short
stories have appeared in publications like Thuglit, NEEDLE, Shotgun
Honey, All Due Respect, and Helix Literary Magazine. His debut novel,
NEW YORKED, will be published in summer 2015 by Polis Books.
He lives in New York City. You can find more at his website, www.robwhart.com.