Synopses & Reviews
ONE COP LIES DEAD...
The Chicago Police Department says Samantha Mack shot her partner, Fred, during the confusion of a bungled pursuit. Mack says it was their quarry, a violent pedophile named Marco Trovic, who fired the deadly round in that darkened room. But Mack was knocked out and can't really say what happened.
Another cop is HELD suspect...
When no evidence of Trovic is found on the scene and the bullet is shown to have come from Mack's own gun, the Department labels Fred's death as a case of friendly fire.Back at the station, it seems no one believes Mack's account. Not Internal Affairs investigator Alex O'Conner, and not even Mack's lover, whose best attempts at support leave her as cold as the wind whipping across Lake Michigan.
somehow, justice will be served. . .
With the Department looking to quiet the bad press, Mack can't count on anyone to help her track down Trovic. Even if she can somehow find him in the dark recesses of Chicago's underworld, can she prove that Trovic was the shooter? With her back to the wall and her career at stake, now it's time for Mack to take matters into her own hands to clear her name--and avenge her partner's death.
"Readers can at last enjoy a tough-gal yarn with heaps of moral ambiguity and good guys gone bad."
--San Francisco Chronicle
"[A] hard-edged take on the police novel."
--Rocky Mountain News
Review
"Schwegel makes an impressive debut with this dark and gritty thriller."--
San Diego Union-Tribune "Readers can at last enjoy a tough-gal yarn with heaps of moral ambiguity and good guys gone bad."--
San Francisco Chronicle
"[A] hard-edged take on the police novel."--Rocky Mountain News
"Schwegel, who writes about police work with authority, has also created a tough and original character." --Chicago Tribune
"Layers of betrayal and mistrust...Officer Down is not for those who want their heroines unsullied and idealized, but is an excellent choice for contemporary noir fans." --Baltimore Sun
"A powerful and compelling first effort that promises good things to come from Schwegel."
--Chicago Sun-Times
"Instantly engrossing...Mack's voice is rough and real, conveying both her tough cookie persona and the authentic emotions behind her street face.... An impressive, gripping first novel."
--Publishers Weekly
"Officer Down is the best crime novel I've read in a long time. Theresa Schwegel captures the soul of Chicago's streets through the eyes of a distinctly vulnerable, if hardened cop. This author has big things ahead of her." --David Ellis, author of In the Company of Liars
"Credible cop background and evocative Chicago scenes add to the pleasures of this memorable first novel." --Booklist
"Tough and dark and wickedly funny . . . Theresa Schwegel is a major new talent." --Scott Phillips, author of Cottonwood
Synopsis
Knocked unconscious during a police sting operation, police officer Samantha Mack awakens in the hospital to discover that her partner is dead, shot with her gun, but when she embarks on her own investigation, she is suspended and must depend on her married lover, Detective Mason Imes, and IA investigator Alex O'Connor to help her uncover the truth. A first novel. Reprint.
Synopsis
Chicago police officer Samantha Mack's gun killed her partner. But who pulled the trigger?
Synopsis
ONE COP LIES DEAD'
The Chicago Police Department says Samantha Mack shot her partner, Fred, during the confusion of a bungled pursuit. Mack says it was their quarry, a violent pedophile named Marco Trovic, who fired the deadly round in that darkened room. But Mack was knocked out and can't really say what happened.
Another cop is HELD suspect'
When no evidence of Trovic is found on the scene and the bullet is shown to have come from Mack's own gun, the Department labels Fred's death as a case of friendly fire.Back at the station, it seems no one believes Mack's account. Not Internal Affairs investigator Alex O'Conner, and not even Mack's lover, whose best attempts at support leave her as cold as the wind whipping across Lake Michigan.
somehow, justice will be served. . .
With the Department looking to quiet the bad press, Mack can't count on anyone to help her track down Trovic. Even if she can somehow find him in the dark recesses of Chicago's underworld, can she prove that Trovic was the shooter? With her back to the wall and her career at stake, now it's time for Mack to take matters into her own hands to clear her name--and avenge her partner's death.
"Readers can at last enjoy a tough-gal yarn with heaps of moral ambiguity and good guys gone bad."
--San Francisco Chronicle
"[A] hard-edged take on the police novel."
--Rocky Mountain News
Synopsis
The Chicago Police Department says Samantha Mack shot her partner, Fred, during the confusion of a bungled pursuit. Mack says it was their quarry, a violent pedophile named Marco Trovic, who fired the deadly round in that darkened room. But Mack was knocked out and can't really say what happened.
When no evidence of Trovic is found on the scene and the bullet is shown to have come from Mack's own gun, the Department labels Fred's death as a case of friendly fire.Back at the station, it seems no one believes Mack's account. Not Internal Affairs investigator Alex O'Conner, and not even Mack's lover, whose best attempts at support leave her as cold as the wind whipping across Lake Michigan.
With the Department looking to quiet the bad press, Mack can't count on anyone to help her track down Trovic. Even if she can somehow find him in the dark recesses of Chicago's underworld, can she prove that Trovic was the shooter? With her back to the wall and her career at stake, now it's time for Mack to take matters into her own hands to clear her name--and avenge her partner's death.
Synopsis
The Chicago Police Department says Samantha Mack shot her partner, Fred, during the confusion of a bungled pursuit. Mack says it was their quarry, a violent pedophile named Marco Trovic, who fired the deadly round in that darkened room. But Mack was knocked out and cant really say what happened.
When no evidence of Trovic is found on the scene and the bullet is shown to have come from Macks own gun, the Department labels Freds death as a case of friendly fire.Back at the station, it seems no one believes Macks account. Not Internal Affairs investigator Alex OConner, and not even Macks lover, whose best attempts at support leave her as cold as the wind whipping across Lake Michigan.
With the Department looking to quiet the bad press, Mack cant count on anyone to help her track down Trovic. Even if she can somehow find him in the dark recesses of Chicagos underworld, can she prove that Trovic was the shooter? With her back to the wall and her career at stake, now its time for Mack to take matters into her own hands to clear her name—and avenge her partners death. Officer Down is the winner of the 2006 Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
About the Author
THERESA SCHWEGEL was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Loyola University there. She received an MFA in screenwriting at Chapman University in California and now lives in Los Angeles. Officer Down was shortlisted for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel.