The Schwarzschild Radius

A Thriller

Fiction - Thriller - General
292 Pages
Reviewed on 10/22/2014
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Gustavo Florentin was born in Queens, New York and received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic University of New York. He spent a decade in the defense industry working on the F-14 fighter jet and classified electronics projects. After the fall of the Soviet Union, many thought America wouldn't need weapons anymore, so while others waited for the peace dividend, he moved on to the financial sector in New York where he is currently a network engineer. His passions include violin, travel to exotic places and exploring worldwide conspiracies. He lives in New Jersey where he is working on his third novel. His thriller, In the Talons of the Condor, won the following awards:
WUACADEMIA--Prix d'Or Best Novel
The Verb First Chapter Contest--First Prize
Mount Arrowsmith Best Novel 4th place
The Writing Show--Second Prize best first chapter of a novel.
Second Prize--16th Annual International Latino Book Awards

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Schwarzschild Radius is a crime thriller written by Gustavo Florentin. Rachel Wallen is a brilliant science student at Columbia University who's embarked singlehandedly on a mission to rescue her missing younger sister, Olivia. Olivia volunteered at a mission for homeless kids which was run by the charismatic priest, Evan Massey, before she disappeared. Rachel is working undercover, posing as an underage runaway who knew Olivia, and she enters Transcendance House seeking shelter. She's told that Olivia was dismissed after her stripping and sex work was exposed. Rachel joins forces with a young woman who caters to men who like underage girls and child pornography in her attempt to find the man who's taken Olivia. The detective on the case, John McKenna, a veteran sniper whose marriage had floundered after his return from service, is unaware of Rachel's efforts.

Gustavo Florentin's crime thriller, The Schwarzschild Radius, is an awesome read. The Webmaster is genuinely scary, and Rachel is filled with naive optimism and determination that the reader just knows is going to get her in trouble. The New York City setting for this novel is inspired; I loved the chases along the highways that connect Long Island to the mainland of New York and shivered at the scenes that took place in the abandoned subway tunnels. John McKenna is a marvelous character. I'm hoping that this book is the start of a police procedural series featuring this complex and multi-faceted detective. The action in The Schwarzschild Radius is riveting and filled with suspense, and the ending is not at all predictable. I really enjoyed reading The Schwarzschild Radius and highly recommend it.

Kathryn Bennett

The Schwarzschild Radius by Gustavo Florentin takes us into the life of 18-year-old Rachel, a student at Columbia university who is looking for her sister Olivia. Olivia disappeared suddenly and Rachel is determined to find her, even if that means going into the city's darkest places where you will find runaways, predators and a great deal of other unsavory types. Rachel gets a job at the strip club her sister worked at and branches out into private shows in clients' homes - that's when she finds out that her sister has been taken by a killer who auctions off the deaths of girls on eBay.

Wow, this is a gritty book that really takes a hard look at what can happen in life if you aren't careful. Heck, even if you are careful things can happen! I felt for Rachel right from the beginning; she got frustrated with how the investigation was going in her sister's disappearance. You can hardly blame her - sometimes the wheels of justice are slower than slow. The writing flows well and you find yourself turning every page and wondering what is going to happen next. I could not set this one down and ended up reading it in one day flat. Fair warning: as a thriller this is a dark novel and it is full of themes that some might not like. However, it is well written and if you like the genre you are going to love this book. I highly recommend it.

Mamta Madhavan

The Schwarzschild Radius by Gustavo Florentin is a thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Eighteen-year-old Rachel finds her world tumbling down one fine day when her sister Olivia disappears. Rachel is unhappy with the police investigations and she decides to find out the cause of her sister's mysterious disappearance. She encounters a wide range of events and people while searching for her sister that expose her to many bad things. From abuse to prostitution to pedophilia and more, Rachel sees the negative side of life. She finds out that Olivia has been kidnapped by a killer who auctions the deaths of young girls. But that makes her the killer's next target. Will Rachel be able to get out of the mess and will she be able to rescue Olivia?

It is a gripping plot that is mysterious, powerful as well as scary. The story is unique and it exposes the dark side of human nature. The portrayal of child prostitution, pedophilia and sadism is chilling and disturbing. The character of Rachel has been portrayed with a lot of depth and strength. The book is fast paced and scenes flow effortlessly. Every clue in the plot intensifies the suspense and mystery angle for readers to find out more about the following sequences. The story is heart wrenching and at the same time scary with all the dark elements. It's a great depiction of the evil that exists in humans.