Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne Series

This series plunges into the gritty reality of law enforcement in Philadelphia, following two dedicated officers as they navigate the city's underbelly. Each installment offers a blend of thrilling action, intricate plots, and complex moral questions. Readers will be drawn into the high-stakes investigations and the personal lives of those fighting for justice.

Recommended Reading Order

The Rosary Girls
Richard Montanari
390 pages
14 hours of reading
This edition includes an excerpt from Richard Montanari's The Echo Man . In his gripping novels, Montanari has made a significant impact in the suspense genre. His latest work features two beleaguered detectives facing off against a cunning serial killer in the gritty landscape of Philadelphia, where downtrodden neighborhoods clash with upscale areas. Amidst this urban chaos, a teenage Catholic girl writes in her diary, another confides in a friend, and yet another prays, all while a man seeks to turn their lives into a horrific reality. Veteran cop Kevin Byrne, grappling with personal demons, is assigned a rookie partner, Jessica Balzano, who is reluctant to accept his guidance. Together, they delve into a chilling case involving the murders of devout young women, found with their hands bound in prayer. As they pursue leads that come and go like nightmares, Byrne's troubled past and Balzano's determination collide. The body count rises as Easter approaches, heightening the urgency of their investigation. With relentless pacing and emotional depth, this novel is a haunting thriller that challenges conventions and lingers in the mind long after the final page.
1
4.0
The Skin Gods
Richard Montanari
544 pages
20 hours of reading
In this electrifying sequel to "The Rosary Girls," Philadelphia detectives Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne are on the trail of a maniacal killer, who is recreating Hollywoods most famous murder scenes and casting real-life victims.
2
3.8
Broken Angels
Richard Montanari
528 pages
19 hours of reading
When the first body is found, mutilated and strangled on the riverbanks, Philadelphia homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano suspect yet another case of random urban violence. Then it happens again. And again
3
4.1
Badlands
A Novel of Suspense
Richard Montanari
416 pages
15 hours of reading
Set against the gritty backdrop of North Philly's Badlands, the story follows detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano as they investigate the mysterious drowning of a teenage runaway. A shocking confession reignites the case, leading the detectives into a chilling web of murders orchestrated by a madman. As the body count rises, they must race against time to unravel a sinister puzzle that threatens the lives of the innocent, while navigating the dark underbelly of the city and confronting a shadowy figure behind the horror.
4
4.0
The echo man
Richard Montanari
It is fall in Philadelphia and the mutilated body of a man has been found in one of the poorest neighbourhoods. When homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano investigate, they soon realise that their crime scene is linked to an unsolved case. Eight years ago, another body was found in the same position, killed in the same manner. Apart from this killer's unusual calling cards, the crime scene photos are identical. As another body appears, then another, it becomes horrifyingly clear that someone is recreating unsolved murders from Philadelphia's past. And the killer is closer than they think ...
5
3.9
The Killing Room
Richard Montanari
434 pages
16 hours of reading
Packed with ingenious twists and relentless excitement, and starring two of the most compelling heroes in crime fiction, The Killing Room is a major thriller event: the best novel yet from one of the world's best suspense writers
6
4.0
The Stolen Ones
Richard Montanari
458 pages
17 hours of reading
Destroyed by fire years ago, the infamous Philadelphia State Hospital was known as a warehouse for the criminally insane. But one man never left. By night Luther walks Philadelphia's backstreets; by day he roams the catacombs beneath the city. Luther is everywhere and nowhere; he's is in your dreams - and your nightmares. Then Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano are called to a bizarre murder scene: a man has been killed by a railroad spike driven into his head. But this is just the beginning of a trail of evil that will lead Byrne and Balzano back to the hospital, to a missing girl and to a horror they could never have imagined ...
7
4.0
The Doll Maker
Richard Montanari
485 pages
17 hours of reading
The terrifying new Byrne and Balzano case from the author of The Killing Room and The Stolen Ones.
8
4.1
Shutter Man
Richard Montanari
Your face is a blur to him. But your body still bleeds. The Farren family has been a plague upon Philadelphia's most dangerous neighbourhood, the Devil's Pocket, for generations. There, row after row of tumbledown houses hide dark secrets - none darker than Billy, the youngest Farren. Afflicted by a syndrome that means he can't recognise faces, Billy must use photographs to identify his family - and his victims. And when your life has bled away, he takes a final, gruesome picture for his wall. But what is the meaning of the horrific ritual Billy enacts with every murder? And is there any connection to a childhood event Detective Kevin Byrne has buried so well it's hidden even from his former partner Jessica Balzano?
9
3.8