The Deuce by F.P. Lione                                                                                      reviewed by Sara Mills

The deuce is NYPD code for 42^nd street, and that’s where all the action happens.  Tony Cavalucci has the midnight shift on the Deuce, and in his ten years as a cop, he’s seen it all. 

Changing partners, having his house sold out from under him, and the daily abrasion of dealing with poverty, violence, and misery, are grinding his soul to dust. He tries to lose himself in booze and women, but he sinks further and further into depression.

Joe Fiore, his new partner, is the only one who notices Tony is drowning under the weight of all his problems.  Fiore is different than any partner Tony’s ever had, he doesn’t drink or smoke, he reads his Bible on shift and he treats everyone with respect.

Fiore is the only one Tony can turn to when Tony starts to dream about eating his gun, and he's the only one that seems to have any of the answers to life's questions.

This is a gripping tale, full of realism and grit. I was also impressed by the shadows in this book.  The rough edges of life aren’t smoothed away in an attempt to be more Christian.

The backbone of the book isn’t about a case the characters had to solve, or a problem they have to fix.  It is about life.  Life as someone with no hope, life as a Christian, and life as a cop.

I like cop stories and I read a lot of them. Most of them are secular- Michael Connely’s Harry Bosch series being an example. But when I read The Deuce, I discovered a story that easily competes with the well-known secular bestsellers.

The Deuce has the abrupt realism of Dragnet, mixed with the relationship issues of Third Watch.

I offer my congratulations to husband and wife author team F.P. Lione for creating a story of faith and crime that fills a gaping void on Christian bookstore shelves.  This book is highly recommended.

Click here to buy The Deuce by F.P. Lione