Book Review - "A Dangerous Man" by J. L. Engel

This superb and powerful novel is utterly relentless in its brutal and thrilling action from start to finish: one of those reads that literally has your adrenalin pumping.  I loved every moment reading it and was again stunned by the quality of storytelling by an indie author who I hadn’t read before.
Mr Engel confronts the reality of organized crime and police-cum-government corruption without fear or restraint, and I know from my own experience he does so in a way that would make the Establishment squirm with severe discomfort: they can’t handle the truth, to borrow a great line.
This is a classic tale of vengeance, with our protagonist, Ghost, having lost everyone he loved and cared about.  And he is a consummate expert in the arts of violence and killing.  Not that you’re going to feel sorry for anyone he deals with and dispatches from this world, because they all deserve their fates.  There’s a deeply visceral enjoyment as the reader as you witness the scum being eradicated, and the scenes are not for the faint-hearted.  But, damn, they are so well written.
Being ex-law enforcement myself, I thoroughly enjoyed, albeit with a twinge of bitter experience, the depiction of decent cops versus corrupt cops.  Mr Engel has that subject nailed to a fine point, and his ability to paint the harsh ethical realities is one of the highlights of his writing.  He also vividly depicts the nature of power, predators and prey in human society.  This is a tale with suffering and tragedy underpinning everything and the blunt reality of this is starkly presented.
Aside from master storytelling, Mr Engel can sure as hell draw memorable characters as well.  I was on team empathy with the main man, Ghost, from the start, and then with his reluctant detective sidekick, McCrary.  The Russian mob boss, and his son, are perfectly drawn as the ruthless, narcissistic monsters they are, and so typical of organized crime.  But the real treat in terms of unforgettable characterization were the psychopathic twin contract killers.  As despicable and horrifying as they were, the brilliance of their depiction left me with a fascination for them, although one that required a bottle of sanitizer afterwards.
Mr Engel, you are a hell of writer and you epitomize the value of indie writing that transcends the routine and bland offerings of mainstream publishing these days.  I look forward to a lot more of your fine work.

Cheers,
ABP