MANHATTAN PLAGUED BY TERROR: RED RIBBON KILLER RAMPAGES! In the riveting third installment of the Mancuso-O’Brian murder mystery series, prepare for an intensely personal case that will captivate and enthrall, Dr. Watson. Meticulous NYPD cop-turned-private eye Joey Mancuso is summoned to assist the Midtown South precinct in unraveling a harrowing string of savage murders targeting young professional women. These chilling acts of violence echo the haunting words of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, who once proclaimed that murder is not driven by lust or violence, but by possession —a notion that now haunts the NYPD as three perplexing strangulation cases leave the midtown unit at a loss. Initially, Case #1 appears to be a tragic outcome of an evening entangled in unconventional desires gone awry. However, when the second and third victims emerge, their bodies bearing the disturbing mark of a cross carved into their breasts, New York's finest recognize the telltale signs of a serial killer at large. The timing couldn't be more critical to enlist the aid of the wry private investigator Joey Mancuso and his brother, Father Dominic O’Brian. As Joey desperately grasps at straws and pieces together a psychological profile of the killer, his FBI agent girlfriend provides crucial insights. Why the macabre carving of the crucifix? And why are all the murders strikingly close to the NYPD's Midtown South Precinct? The deeper Joey delves, the more he realizes that his victims are not merely casualties of calculated sex crimes, but targets of a narcissistic psychopath driven by an unknown agenda—one that may have ties to the precinct itself. With the support of his former partner, the audacious and elegant Detective Lucy Roberts as well as the unwavering wisdom and guidance of Father O’Brian, Joey and his unconventional team of investigators race against the relentless ticking of the clock. From their new headquarters nestled behind the walls of Captain O’Brian’s Irish Pub, they are determined to apprehend the killer before he strikes again—because it's only a matter of time before he shatters the sanctity of their own homes. Author Owen Parr skillfully channels the spirit of Holmes and Watson, adorning these pages with all the enigmatic and adrenaline-pumping elements of a head-scratching puzzle. Enthusiasts of Holmes will relish the homage, while fans of gritty police procedurals by literary giants such as Raymond Chandler, Joseph Wambaugh, Lawrence Block, and Rex Stout will devour this series with equal fervor. Likewise, admirers of no-nonsense legal procedural protagonists, à la Dennis Carstens' Marc Kadella and Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason, will find themselves immersed in this gripping tale of suspense. Reviewed By Darryl Greer for Readers' Favorite The Manhattan Red Ribbon Killer by Owen Parr is the third book in a crime mystery series featuring unlikely brothers, Italian-American Joey Mancuso and Irish-American Father Dominic O'Brian (don't worry -- the relationship is explained in the story). This time, New York City is being terrorised by a serial killer preying on young, professional women who seem to have a lot more in common than first meets the eye. As the bodies pile up and NYPD's Midtown South Precinct cops are no closer to finding the killer, they enlist the services of a private investigative team, Mancuso & O'Brian Investigations. Joey Mancuso, a former member of the precinct's homicide squad, has both friends and enemies there, but he is not one to be intimidated by those who resent an outside consultant being recruited into their investigation. With the aid of his brother and partner, Fr. Dom, Joey puts his Sherlock Holmes' style investigative skills to good use and sets out on a dangerous path to find the perpetrator of these heinous crimes. His hunt for the killer almost costs him his life, but he's not about to give up and eventually he discovers the shocking truth. At first, like an Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie novel, a slow burner, the pace of Owen Parr's The Manhattan Red Ribbon Killer picks up along the way. Then it becomes a real page turner, a true crime thriller. The device of using a character who isn't actually a homicide squad detective and casting him alongside a Catholic priest is unique, for me at least, and adds a dash of spice to the story's flavour. The dialogue is script-like and believable, the scenes easy to visualise. In fact, at times the scenes are so graphic they are too easy to visualise -- this book is not for the faint-hearted. Just as I was hyperventilating and the narrative edged towards what I thought was its dénouement, it took an unexpected and dramatic ninety-degree turn and went off in another direction. One surprise followed another. I was almost glad to reach the end so I could catch my breath. The Manhattan Red Ribbon Killer is indeed a killer of a story. Reviewed By Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite In The Manhattan Red Ribbon Killer, Owen