I’ve not had the pleasure of reading any of Dennis Koller’s previous books, but his latest crime thriller, The Rhythm of Evil, was a great introduction to this talented author who deserves the many positive reviews he has received for this and his other novels. In this new series, in response to a favorite nephew’s request, coupled with a Twitter post critical of local police work, Homicide Inspector Reg Decker looks into a 13-year-old cold case. The victim, a good-hearted female cab driver, was shot in her kitchen. The lead detective on the case put it down to a drug-related murder, but when “Deck” begins reading through “the murder book” on the case in the police archives, things don’t add up. Decker’s initial reluctance to take on the case is replaced by his determination to get to the truth. Eagerly following Decker’s brilliant deductions along a complicated and convoluted trail, readers may find they’ve been holding their breaths for those last few chapters when they finally find out who did the deed. Koller does such a great job of throwing us off the killer’s track that I didn’t pick the real perp. Will you?

I’m a sucker for a good crime thriller but The Rhythm of Evil is so much more than that. The characters in this novel really come alive. While Decker is a highly skilled homicide detective, he is also a reliable friend and a loving and considerate husband. It’s refreshing to see an author take as much care with making his characters human as Dennis Koller does with structuring a complex plot and maintaining suspense from beginning to end. Add to these writing strengths Koller’s ability to lighten the tension with some real humor...Decker’s almost juvenile pleasure at receiving an iPhone 11 for his birthday, or later, trying to sit on a donut cushion when he ends up with a bullet in his behind...and you know you’ve discovered another engaging author you’d like to get to know better. Start with The Rhythm of Evil. It’s a winner in every way.

The Rhythm of Evil by Dennis Koller is a thrilling murder mystery. A tweet on Twitter accuses the San Francisco Police Department of being homophobic and racist because the murder of a Hispanic female, Poppy Garcia, remains unsolved thirteen years on. Inspector Reg Decker is on the case, needing to prove that the department is in the clear but things are never quite as they seem. The more Decker digs into the case, the more puzzling it becomes and the conclusions drawn by the original investigating officer are thrown into serious doubt. Soon, with drug cartels, teenage sex trafficking and politics involved, it's clear that the clues point straight back to Decker’s Homicide unit

The Rhythm of Evil by Dennis Koller is fantastic. It’s a twisty, heart-stopping, action-packed cold-case mystery that has you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think it's all solved, the story is off and running again at breakneck speed towards a stunning conclusion. I thought I had it all figured out at one point but I was wrong and it wasn’t until very near the end when I clicked who it was. The characters are amazing; you truly get to know them all intimately, what makes them tick and you might just find yourself rooting for the wrong person at some point. The plot is unique and the story flows smoothly with plenty of twists and turns. It will drag you in right from the start. The frightening thing is, you know this sort of thing goes on today and that makes the story even more real. You will not want to put this book down and I rather hope this might be the beginning of a series. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and I am looking forward to more.

Featuring Dennis Koller’s newest character, SFPD Homicide Inspector Reggie Decker, a grand opening chapter lays hold of the reader and pulls them into a fascinating journey through a world of conspiracy deception and corruption as Decker seeks to unravel the clues and bring to justice the ‘perp’ of a 13-year old cold case.
Simply put… A great read