Luck of the Draw: A Crime Novel

By Anthony J. Cardieri

When Detective Deke Durgess finds himself at the scene of a brutal murder in Lower Manhattan, he has no idea that it's just the beginning of the most prolific murder spree in New York City history, one where entire families will be wiped out by a vicious killer dubbed The Daily Killer. The murders are being meticulously committed, with no forensic evidence left behind except for the killer's callous calling card, a short note left on the body of the victim. The mayor and police commissioner are coming down hard on Deke to make progress, but Deke and his team of detectives and FBI agents are at a standstill until a series of events, and one misstep by the killer, leads them toward cracking the code in the victim selection pro - cess. Believing he knows where the killer will strike next, Deke sets up a sting operation, only to be slapped back down as the killer turns the tables on him, forcing the police department to take a good hard look at its own finest. Anthony J. Cardieri's first crime novel is an adrenaline-charged ride through the streets of New York.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 031256502X
• ISBN13: 9780312565022
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 261 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Luck of the Draw

I never liked reading crime novels; each time that I read such a book, I put it down after a while. Not until I came across "Luck of the Draw," did I truly fall in love with this category. I started reading it, and was not able to put it down until I got to the last page. The story runs smoothly, the characters seem to be real, there are many unexpected twists and turns and I found myself hypnotized and needing to find out what would happen next. The author pays attention to small details, and he knows when to "cut off" or where to "jump" from one scene to another. With writing talent such as this, who needs creative writing classes? I myself am an author, and I can predict that Anthony Cardieri is going to be a shining star in the sky of literature. I cannot wait to start reading another novel of his. R.B. Sommer author of "That day in September"

WOW!

I can't believe this is a first novel. I was blown away by this story. It sucked me in right away and I didn't want to put it down. I can't really comment about the story line without giving anything away but if you like crime novels, you will like this.

Excellent Read

This was an excellent read that had thrills and chills from beginning to end. It was filled with suspense and great twists. The author uses his vivid imagination and sense of humor to create interesting characters. It's a definite page turner sure to keep you entertained.

This book is INTENSE!!

This book is so intense that I had to put it down a few times and then pick it back up again after a bit. I'm a mystery fan (and love the fast-paced over-the-top crime dramas) and Luck Of The Draw totally delivers. The lead detective in this novel is a character I quickly became interested in and his hunt to uncover the psychopath serial killer took me on a wild and unexpected ride! It's not a book for young readers as it is very graphic and triggers some basic intuitive fears that can be disturbing. But for an adult murder-mystery fan, this one had me hooked! Totally worth the read but the story will stick with you. The killer is the most maniacal, cold-blooded nut imaginable and after reading so many detective fiction novels the realism of this book (procedural and police/forensic work) made it all come together in a believable and chilling way. Two thumbs UP!

(3.5) "Someone out there right now is about to have a last Christmas."

The Daily Killer has hit lower Manhattan right before the Christmas holiday. Leaving no discernable pattern, this rampaging murderer has hit unsuspecting victims in their homes and offices, often groups of coworkers or entire families, including children. It is the children who are the most difficult to process at crime scenes, even for the seasoned detectives of the NYPD. Separated from his wife and children, Detective Deke Durgess is married to the job, his wife unable to live with a man who always brings his work home at the end of the day. Durgess is top dog in his department, with a solid reputation and a high number of successful case resolutions. When a young FBI agent arrives on the scene to coordinate with Deke and his superior officer, Deke is ready to put this vicious criminal away. With agent Kurt Joseph ("Ku-Jo") by his side, the two combine skills in a relentless and frustrating search for a killer who leaves not a trace of evidence behind. This thriller starts out strong, as a family of four prepares to escape the city- and the recent spate of murders- for the warmer weather of Florida. Cardieri writes his thriller from a personal perspective, focusing on regular folks who never think that it can happen to them to hardworking detectives who agonize over the heaps of dead bodies left in the wake of the ubiquitous Daily Killer. After the first burst of action, the story becomes pure police procedural, as Durgess and Joseph interview suspects and search databases fro a connection between the murders. Each new murder brings more outrage, from citizens to screaming newspaper headlines to the police commissioner who demands results. The ploy line gets a little crazy as it builds to a final, shocking denouement, a pastiche of potential suspects, much male-bonding between agent and detective and Deke's surprising attempt to reconcile with his estranged wife. By the last chapter the action has increased, from murders to suspects to detectives processing gruesome crime scenes. Even the killer is finally, tragically revealed, his motivation, while clear, is confusing- at least to this reader. Often uneven, the story is violent and emotionally brutal, verging on exploitative, the killer almost a parody of himself. I think the author is trying to do everything in this one thriller, unable to discipline his characters and make them more realistic. In any case, this is no bedtime story to read on a snowy Christmas Eve. Luan Gaines/2009.