Hello there,
I am honored to be able to present this month’s recap of acclaimed author J.L. Hill’s “Killer” series. The series follows the exploits of a mob boss, Bulletproof Morris ‘Mojo’ Johnson, as he and his friend Nicky ’Nails’ Rocci rise in the mafia from low-level enforcers and aspiring mob leaders to international criminals. Twists and turns abound as years go by and their criminal activities lean into fights against terrorism, struggles between loyalty and power, and the ultimate rise of two men to the highest levels of control in organized crime. Below you will find the synopsis for each book, as well as my review of the book and links to the full reviews (as available) and the books purchase links. I hope you will take the time to read each one carefully and take the plunge yourself to read this series and enjoy it as much as I did. Please enjoy.
KILLER WITH A HEART (BOOK ONE)
THE SYNOPSIS
The story begins at daybreak early June 1971. Morris is walking back to the corner hangout, Raven Social Club, reflecting on the events of the past evening. He has just survived an attempted mafia execution and has giving himself another alias, “Bulletproof”, because he survived the shootout in a bulletproof limousine. His reflections lead back several weeks to the plan hatched by Nicky Nails, his friend and self-appointed leader of the gang.
Nicky Nails, as he is called because he claims he can chew nails and spit bullets, is an up-and-coming Mafioso who can’t wait to get his bones. He tells the group of five boys, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years old, about a money drop of a rival mob family at the deli on the corner. The Deliman leaves his teenage daughter, Elizabeth in the shop as the bagmen make their drop-offs. The plan is for Bulletproof to distract the girl while the others sneak in and steal the money.
The robbery, which nets 500 g’s, exposes the Banoa family short-changed the Rocci family and the Godfather. It sets the two mob families on an escalating path of war. The ‘Banana brothers’ (teenage sons of Joe Banoa) rob Nails’ drugs and money. The older of the Banana brothers has a crush on Morris’ girlfriend, Maria, and tries to steal her away from him. Her refusal is the final insult; Joey pulls a hit on the Raven Social Club and kills Maria and a couple of the other gang members. With the death of Maria and her unborn child, Morris sets his sights on the Banoa family.
THE REVIEW
As someone who has read the other books in this series as standalone stories, this first entry in the series not only provides some much-appreciated background info but allows the reader to connect the series into a more cohesive story. The author does a great job of establishing this world of mobsters and gangsters, bringing the seedy underworld of 70s-era New York City to a gritty pulp noir genre setting. The reader will definitely need to know about some of the more abrasive and harsh language used by all of the characters in this book, as racism, sexism, and violence run more rampant than ever before.
The character development was entirely engaging in this book and helped to cement the action and suspense that this crime thriller brought to life. There was definitely a great establishment of iconic storytelling elements within this noir, from the conflict brewing between this gang and mob factions, the beautiful woman who has captured the attention of two rival gang leaders, and the brutality that each leader finds themselves capable of helps to establish the brutal future of these prominent characters in the series.
KILLER WITH THREE HEADS (BOOK TWO)
THE SYNOPSIS
Bulletproof Morris ‘Mojo’ Johnson returns to New York as John Morrison after 10 years absence to find the people responsible for kidnapping his daughter, Maria. After faking his death, Morris went to Aruba and the Bahamas to run the drug business. Elizabeth and Maria join him in Aruba. There he is recruited by the NSA to train commandoes to fight in Colombia in the War on Drugs. He trains Vicky to be an assassin and a commando. He becomes a weapons dealer and develops guided missile and drone technology.
Nicky ‘Nails’ is about to replace his father as the head of the New York Mafia. His ties to the street gangs is strong and even though he hasn’t seen Morris in four years, since he disappeared in Colombia in 1980, the two are still thick as thieves. Nicky’s power is being challenged. The Chicago Mafia is trying to take control by splitting the New York families. Against Nicky wishes Mojo sent gang members to Chicago, a move that threatened both organizations.
Will what Morris has been doing in the past decade cost the life of his little girl?
THE REVIEW
This was quite the loaded and action-packed crime thriller. Although fairly new to the Killer Series by this author, the narrative works in a way that allows newcomers to enjoy the story without sacrificing the callbacks and story components from the first book for returning fans of this series. The book is definitely geared towards a more adult readership, as descriptive and lengthy scenes of violence and sexual activity take place. The vivid imagery the author’s writing evokes conjures to mind the 80’s crime stories that have become a part of our pop culture for years, bringing to life mobsters, drug cartels, shady government agents, and more to the table.
The heart of this narrative was the complexity of the protagonist and the emotional driving force behind the story itself. The kidnapping of the protagonist’s daughter reawakens the seasoned criminal within Morris, and his love and determination to save his daughter is matched by the ferocity and shocking levels of violence he is willing to inflict on others to find her and gain what he wants. The story also highlights the conflicting struggles of women in general, but in particular, this story the women who had to learn to survive in the criminal underworld through any means necessary, becoming both weapon and object of desire alike to not only gain access to information and targets but to survive the violent world that these men had created back then.
KILLER WITH BLACK BLOOD (BOOK THREE)
THE SYNOPSIS
The third novel in the adult urban crime fiction Killer Series is Killer With Black Blood. Nicky ‘Nails’ Rocci is head of his Mafia family. He takes Sal, who has been institutionalized after he killed his father and mother, to see their mausoleum. Snipers kill Sal and critically wounds Nicky. MoJo gets the news and, on his way back to New York, recalls Nicky’s fake assassination that started an inter-family war. MoJo forces Nicky to confront his depression and together they will track down Nicky’s assailant. Adding to Nicky’s problems, Nathan surfaces in the hands of the FBI and Nicky goes on trial for the murder of the two detectives and Joseph Banoa in the Bella Rosa Massacre.
THE REVIEW
This was yet another visceral yet compelling crime thriller from the author. The gritty tone and language of the characters really brought the reader to the imagery and feelings one often imagines when thinking about the rough and tumble settings of 1970s New York. The violence and cruel nature of the world the characters are immersed in are underscored by the life-and-death stakes of the jobs they take on and the emotional connection these characters not only form but are driven by in their quest for revenge and their own form of “mob justice”.
As with the previous book I reviewed in this series, the book excels at really growing and developing the cast of characters. The sheer size of these crime families and the twisted battles they commence with one another are appreciated when the author hones in on the more subtle moments of interaction between Nicky and MoJo, as their bond, since childhood is both tested and grows in the face of the tragedies they’ve faced in life. No matter what paths their journey has taken them down, they always find their way back to one another in a brotherhood that knows no bounds.
KILLER WITH ICE EYES (BOOK IV)
THE SYNOPSIS
1997 – Maria is twenty-two years old. She is leading the Bright Skies Agency, an anti-terrorist/mercenary group, which combats human trafficking around the world. Barry Thomas, a government intelligence agent, working with Maria and her father MoJo objects to her tactics of letting herself be captured, then using the GPS within her to direct the BSA mercenaries to their target.
Maria is driven to finding Sgt. Warren whom neither her nor MoJo is convince died in the rocket attack on D.C. MoJo tells her and Barry the only way to be certain of death is to look a man in the eye and shoot him in the head. He also tells them the Sargent will not show himself while he is alive. Maria takes control of the businesses which includes arms dealing, money laundering, kidnapping/rescues.
Nicky tells Maria he is stepping down as the Godfather and she is going to head both organizations. She has plans to rebuild the mob as a legitimate business after the Commission Trials had decimated the five families. At her request, Nicky puts out a contract hit on her as if she is performing a hostile takeover. She thinks it will bring Sgt. Warren out of hiding. It brings out more than they bargain for. Maria kidnaps Warren’s daughter to use her as bait, as he had kidnapped her, to force him to face her.
Sgt. Warren will face off with Maria and her iron fist, the Ball Buster, in a fight to death.
THE REVIEW
This was a compelling thriller that delved into organized crime in a unique way. The harsh, gritty settings and events of the story set the somber tone of the narrative, while the action and world-building build upon the events of previous entries in the series to give readers a more well-balanced experience. The dynamics between the characters felt real, and the author’s writing style made this feel like a gritty indie suspense thriller film in the reader’s mind.
The balance of character growth and suspense was astonishing, to say the least. The tension could be felt throughout the book, and Maria’s evolution as a protagonist gave readers an emotional hook to hold on to as the story progressed. The manipulations and tricks the heroes of this story use to lure their target out of hiding were well developed, and the exploration of the depths of organized crime itself and what they are capable of has always made this series such an honest and gripping series to get into.
FINAL IMPRESSION
A gritty, adult crime thriller series like no other, the author isn’t afraid to get into the depths of chilling crime action with suspenseful and atmospheric tones that evoke great crime dramas and hone in on what life inside of an organized crime family can truly be like. A story of power, control, and the levels in which a person is willing to go to in order to gain that power, the author infuses elements of action thriller storylines as well as international mystery and more modern military-driven missions for an anti-terrorist organization that take the story to all new heights. This is one book fans of organized crime thrillers will not be able to put down, and evokes the tone and tension of late 80s crime thrillers at the same time. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of these books and check out this series today!
RATING: 10/10
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James L Hill is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Fort Apache, the South Bronx’s 41st precinct during the 60’s, a time when you needed a gang to go to the store. Raised on blues, soul, and rock & roll gave him the heart of a flower child, and educated by the turmoil of Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Sexual Revolution produced a gladiator.James has a successful forty-year career as a software engineer designing, developing, and maintaining systems for the government and the private sector. He returned to his first love, as a prolific storyteller with a slant on the dark side of life. Killer With A Heart, Killer With Three Heads, and the latest release in the Killer Series, Killer With Black Blood, a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award, published July 2021, are adult urban crime fictions. The final novel in the series, Killer With Ice Eyes, is a finalist for the Killer Nashville’s Claymore Award of 2022. While Pegasus: A Journey To New Eden is a dystopian science fiction, and The Emerald Lady is the first book in the fantasy Gemstone Series.The next step on his journey led to the business of publishing. He started RockHill Publishing LLC not only to publish his own work, but to give others access to the literary world. His computer background and experience in word-processing gave him insight into what it takes to create good books.
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