Love, Death, and Other War Stories: Tales of Crime and Punishment in the Wild West [Paperback]

Victor Cass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2005

Pasadena Police Detective Roy Gildard finds himself on a collision course with the ruthless gangster, Johnny "One Shot" King. Roy is determined to catch Johnny, whose vicious gang, the P-9s, gets involved in a turf war with the Squiggly Lane Gangsters.

In the meantime, Roy finds true love and a deeper meaning to his life when his cop friend and ex-lover, Mary Eloyan, sets him up with the pretty but troubled LA Sheriff’s Deputy Laura Reel.

Helping Roy battle the gangsters is veteran training officer, George Denney, a suspected racist who gets a soft spot for his rookie trainee, the beautiful, mixed African-American officer, Ingrid Neilson. Together, their efforts to catch Johnny are almost thwarted by the German-Mexican siblings, Karl and Noemi Bernau, whose red harvest has struck terror in the immigrant community.

What the beautiful people don’t know can hurt them, as the bodies pile up in Pasadena.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Victor Cass was born in 1968 in Kingsville, Texas, and raised in Pasadena, California. He is a 12-year-veteran of the Pasadena Police Department, having been a street cop in the Northwest neighborhood, and a detective, assigned to Bunco-Major Theft. He lives in Pasadena.

Product Details

• Paperback: 703 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (March 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595332927
• ISBN-13: 978-0595332922
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,786,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars policeman's chronicles of the Northwest, September 4, 2009

By 

Elizabeth Smith "Liz" (Monrovia, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love, Death, and Other War Stories: Tales of Crime and Punishment in the Wild West (Paperback)

Tales of a seasoned policeman; written with different perspectives, dramatic, funny, compassionate and blunt. Victor Cass does not disappoint and neither do his detailed characters of life as citizens and police officers in the City of Pasadena. Enjoyed the detailed descriptions of each character and City were events take place. Although fiction I'm sure much of what is told in this novel is based on true accounts of experiences that Mr. Cass and colleagues have had while on duty; makes for interesting and delightful reading. Chupacabra, gang bangers, seasoned officers, rookies, loves, friends and family all make for enjoyable and interesting reading.
Victor Cass is a true storyteller able to get and hold your attention to the end, and leaves you wanting and waiting for more.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun, Unpredictable Read, March 5, 2009

By 

H. George (Monrovia, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love, Death, and Other War Stories: Tales of Crime and Punishment in the Wild West (Paperback)

Love, Death and Other War Stories is a fun and interesting read for anyone who enjoys crime or action novels. However, it isn't all about the action. Cass does a great job of developing his characters. The more information you read about a character, the more your opinions and feelings about them change. Cass also does a good job in setting the scene and taking the reader through all of the action, as if you are in the passenger seat of the police car. If you are interested in law enforcement, you will enjoy this book. However, it is not all police drama. The book follows the characters in their personal lives as well. Overall, a very good read.

4.0 out of 5 stars You wont find me walking alone at night anymore!, September 1, 2005

By 

Tracy Maxwell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love, Death, and Other War Stories: Tales of Crime and Punishment in the Wild West (Hardcover)

The three sections of this book could stand on their own as stories, but instead they interwine gracefully. Although I didn't immediately like the main characters, once they were completely revealed I found myself empathizing with them. Having grown up in the more affluent part of Pasadena it was exciting to read about what really happens just a mile or two away from my neighborhood. I suggest this novel to anyone who's curious about the gang underworld and also enjoys some surprising twists.