Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy. All opinions are honest and my own.

When a friend of attorney John Coleman is murdered, the entire Cleveland, Ohio, community recoils at the similarity of the killing to the unsolved torso murders from decades earlier. John agrees to help his friend's beautiful daughter by handling the estate, which includes finding her estranged brother. When the brother is found...murdered...John becomes the suspect, and his case isn't helped by the fact that he's been sleeping with Jennifer. Can he solve the torso murders, defend himself in court, and repair his family?

A solid debut by Cleveland native Michael Jordan.

My apologies for not reviewing this book. I was unable to download it before the archive date. I would in the future really like to read it

I wrote the author and told him I impressed I was with his debut. A tightly wound suspense novel with page turning twists. I love the Cleveland setting and surrounding areas. Nice work, highly recommended.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to young readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

A truly diabolical premise with tension crackling off every page. A must-read for all who enjoy intelligently-written stories with great characterizations, and who enjoy surprise twists at every turn. A great addition to this genre, and highly recommended. I'll be reading more from this author!

*My sincerest thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing an ARC at no charge.*

Absolutely loved this. Couldn't put it down!

Have recommended this to everyone!!

It was a first time read for this author but I am sure I will read more of him.

A great suspense that just when you think you have figured it all out throws you down another rabbit hole!
Definitely recommended reading!

Though I liked the book, I made the decision at the time I finished not to review it on my site. Maybe in the future I will include it in a book list post or another article.

The perfect book to bring with you to Jury Duty! Who would have ever thought demons would make good company while in a courthouse?

From the very first chapter, the reader is whisked into a world of murder and mayhem. Through the eyes of our main character lawyer, John Coleman we uncover a string of murders tied to not just one but two serial killers, a Mexican cartel and a Black Widow. As each chapter unfurls, the suspense mounts and John falls deeper into bed with his demons. But how deeper will his demons go? Will they in danger his family and friends? Or will he become victorious ?

Set in Cleveland, the reader is met with a haunting past, a game of cat & mouse, fear, anger, a search for answers, relationships, betrayal, consequences, manipulation and the desire for justice. Buckle up, buttercups – this is one hell of a ride!

Right from the start, the reader is pulled into the story when a grisly murder had me asking questions and wanting answers! Everything we learn, we learn mainly from the protagonist – John Coleman, and I thought the narrative was great, even when I wasn’t sure if what I was being told was true or not. There was a nail-biting intensity to this story which went into overdrive in the second half of this novel! OMFG did it soar!! It was almost as if the author was playing a game with the reader, teasing us, taunting us and then BOOM! I was left wondering what the hell was going on…in a good way!!

There are so many intriguing and captivating characters that move this story forward, but I will just focus on a couple that really stood out for me. First being, the protagonist – John Coleman. We learn quite early on a bit about the demons that haunt this character and from then, I wanted to know more. However, when I did learn more, I changed from really liking this guy to actually thinking “Man, this guy is a…” You’ll know what I mean when you read the book! Alcohol helps him cope, but to the detriment of others – it also plays a part in some really bad decision making! John is a lawyer, a risk-taker, selfish at times, a bit of a charmer but overall, a decent guy.

Jennifer 😱 Well this gal threw me from the start. I won’t go into too much detail except to say that she will definitely confuse the reader! Is she a reliable narrator, or one we need to keep our eyes on? She seeks out John after the brutal murder of her father.

I absolutely ADORED Jack. Ex-cop-turned-PI but now retired, he worked the original Torso and Butcher murders alongside John’s father. Haunted by his own demons, he is the one constant in Jack’s life who forgives his many faults. I thought his character was believable and likeable. I was absolutely invested in him as the story progressed.

The Torso Killer and The Butcher – well holy sh*tballs! A gruesome pair of killers -one from the early years -pre 1940 and the other seems to have returned after a long spate of hiding. I really don’t want to say much about them for fear of spoilers but they were brutal, unforgiving and enjoy taunting the police and victims.

Something else I really LOVED about this book is that the first half read like a suspenseful serial killer thriller while the second half was an intense legal thriller type read. Almost like Thomas Harris meets John Grisham – and I love both genres/authors so felt like I was onto a winner!

Up into just past the halfway point, this was a 4⭐ read for me, but I have to say that the author pulled out all the stops towards the end and with the mind-blowing tension forcing me to read until the very end, I soon changed my mind and this ended being a 5⭐ read! I also enjoyed how everything was explained and tied up at the end, it wasn’t quick and sharp, nor was it drawn out – it was just right!

Would I recommend this book? Hell yeah, I would!! If you enjoy fast paced, tense, creepy and compelling reads, The Company of Demons is a definite must! This badboy is easily added to one of my #TopReadsOf2018. Michael Jordan is definitely on my rador now!

I had a hard time with this one. It was on the scary side and John was a bit of a jerk. He was not a good husband in my opinion at all. Even when he was suppose to have turned things around and be good he was checking out women. I just had a hard time believing he was sincere about anything. Not my kind of book. It was intense I’ll give it that. Kept me on edge and wonderfing what was coming in lots of places. But I just could not connect.
Reviewed Via NetGalley. #NetGalley

Very fast paced and very intriguing. I enjoyed how it kept me hooked and it was an original story. Nowadays so many books read the same. Highly recommend

I appreciated the overall amount of research that took place to piece such a book together. I found the switching between fact and fiction to have transitioned very well. What ruined it for me was the main character, John. I thought he was horrid, a tainted character that continued to disgust me through out the book. The book itself made me feel like I was reading a murder/horror version of Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book and some of the story itself but hated John so much. I had to drag myself to finish this book. I appreciated the debut and thank you Greenleaf Book Group Press and Netgalley for the e-copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I'll start with a positive: The writing is good, with moments that shine with promise.

But I didn't like the book.

This story is written in first person, from John Coleman's perspective. His character is not the least bit likable. He's a womanizer, a cheat, a drunk, and he's a pro at shirking responsibility. He has an excuse for all of this and more. He treats his wife like crap and, despite proclamations of love, is never around for his daughter. The worst part, perhaps, is that it doesn't feel like the author's intention was to create such a jerk of a character, but more like we're supposed to feel some compassion for this loser.

The female characters are ridiculous. John's wife Cathy is little more than a squawking mouthpiece. Jennifer is the stereotypical male fantasy, and John's blindness to her manipulation is maddening.

Then we have the plot, or plots, which lack focus. The story is all over the place. What is supposed to be the main plot actually ends about midway through the book. This weirdly early climactic scene didn't move me at all, because the main character elicits no sympathy for his situation. The subplot then takes over, which is way too obvious from the start. Mostly, this story is about John's bad decisions, his indecision, his cheating, his drinking, and his incessant justification for his behavior.

This was an interesting debut by Attorney Michael Jordan. It alternates between fact and fiction; it's very cleverly done.
Back in the 40's, there was a serial killer dubbed "The Torso Murderer" who left a string of bodies brutally slain around the Cleveland area. He even alluded the famous Elliot Ness; this is fact.
A generation later another serial killer "The butcher" enters the scene with the same M.O. as the earlier "Torso Murderer".
This murderer, "The Butcher" strikes Cleveland and it almost destroys John Coleman as a young teenager. His father happened to be the lead detective on the case.
Fast forward to an almost sixty-year-old man, attorney John Coleman who finds himself face to face with what could only be "The Butcher" or a copycat killer that sends John's already unstable life into a tailspin. He's still struggling with "The Butcher" did to his family years ago.
It doesn't get any easier when he is present when it looks like "Butcher" or a copycat murder has struck again when the body is found in the dumpster behind his favorite neighborhood bar. The body they learn turns out to be one of his casual drinking buddies, Oyster. This hits John hard, he's already on the edge of an implosion; his marriage is shaky, his drinking is out of control and he's financially strapped.
It gets worse when Oyster's beautiful daughter, Jennifer Browning approaches John to help settle her father's estate. He’s hesitant at first but he really needs the business, it shouldn’t be that big a deal but he was shocked when he learns of the sizable estate. He had no clue that his buddy who he only knew as Oyster, a nickname that was given to him because of his gelatinous eyes had that kind of money! He finds himself drawn to Ms. Browning, she's s widow, whose only other living family member is her drug-addicted brother who she claims she’s not in contact with. Her brother is already making waves regarding his father’s estate.
John is finding it harder to resist the temptation that Ms. Browning is sending his way; he's full of Irish Catholic guilt, but nothing seems to help him as he self-destructs.
As the body count rises he also finds himself drawn to the crime scenes; his obsession doesn't go unnoticed by the authorities. John eventually finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time not only once but several times which has taken a severe toll his marriage, it's compromised his longtime friendship with the lead detective who is working these cases as well. Between all these missteps plus the tempestuous Ms. Browning, how could it not cost the already self-destructive John everything he cares about?
This is no-doubt a thriller, one that has a lot of twists and turns. The flawed character of John Coleman is one that is not that uncommon. Mr. Jordan does a suburb job in weaving this thriller together, from the pain that John suffered as a young teenager due "The Butcher" who terrorized his father. To the damage that the very same or copycat killer is costing him now as an adult. Could history be repeating itself? There are several flawed characters in this novel. They are quite believable and play a major part in pulling this thriller together.
It has an explosive ending that took me by surprise that’s for sure. It does contain some graphic violence, but nothing a thriller fan couldn't handle.

Disclosure: I received this e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion, the opinion I expressed above are my own.

I really enjoy a legal thriller. Give me a John Grisham or Michael Connelly novel and I am one happy camper! So, when I read the synopsis of The Company of Demons, the psychological legal thriller by Michael Jordan, I dove right in. Meeting a lawyer, John Coleman, who discovers the corpse of his friend behind their neighbourhood bar sending shockwaves through the city and bringing back painful memories of a killer who dismembered and taunted police decades earlier and vanished. As John tries to cope, he is hired by the victim’s daughter, Jennifer, to handle her father’s estate and soon finds himself entangled with a biker gang, dirty cops and romantic feelings.

Truly fast-paced, I sat down and finished this book over the course of an afternoon. I could not put it down as I watched our protagonist, John, get himself deeper and deeper into trouble. The ultimate anti-hero, I actually found myself hating him. It almost felt completely unbelievable how many terrible choices he made!! Page after page, I read (pretty much in horror) as he continued down the wrong path. I was so mad. However, kudos to Jordan who was able to create a character that made me feel so many emotions!


One feature that I enjoyed about this book was how it felt almost like two totally different reads from the first and second part of the novel. In fact, the author probably could have published both separately and started a series! I liked that I was able to get a full story and then continue on a totally different path.

Like I said, I binge read The Company of Demons over the course of a few hours and feel like any crime fiction lovers will too! This novel is out now, so, be sure to add it to your TBR piles!! I know that I will absolutely read more from this author and will be on the lookout for his next work!

The Torso Murderer had brutally killed twelve victims in the forties and evaded capture. The legend of him was etched into the mind of the residents and history of the town, so when the body, yes literally just the body, of a man was found behind a bar in a skip with all the rubbish, it instilled fear in everyone. The victim, Oyster, was a drinking buddy of Lawyer John Coleman who had been in the bar when his friend was discovered.
John Coleman isn’t the most likeable guy that you could meet, in fact he is quite shallow and selfish. He is alcohol pickled and easily lead, well with very little resistance, to the temptation of a pretty woman even though he has a wife at home and a daughter that he adores. He thought that he had known Oyster pretty well but when Jennifer, Oyster’s daughter hired him to handle her father’s estate he was shocked at the amount of wealth he had left to be divided between her and her drug taking brother.
Now this story takes off in a direction that really made me sit up, I mean I know that I said he wasn’t my favourite sort of bloke but talk about a wake up call for him! Gawd damn it how much can one man take? not to mention his poor wife and daughter. When I thought things just couldn’t get any worse, they just multiplied. I ended up really wanting this guy to get through everything in one piece, like that was going to happen, OMG it is so intense!
This is my sort of book, very dark and violent with suspense that makes my skin crawl like finger nails down a window pane. This is the debut novel of this author and he has smashed it. Just one wicked story from beginning to end. Bring it on Mr .Jordan!

John is a lawyer with a wife and child and an average legal practice in the city of Cleveland. He was only young when his father committed suicide and John has never really recovered from the traumatic memory. At the time, his father was a police officer investigating a series of murders dubbed the Torso Murders with the killer never caught. John seems set to go down the same path as his father using alcohol and affairs as some sort of coping mechanism.
When the body of a man is found in the dumpster behind the bar he drinks at it reopens old wounds and John feels compelled to conduct his own enquiries. This will be the first of several bodies found with the same trademark as the Torso Murders ie brutalized with surgical precision and still alive at the first cut.
The daughter of the murdered man engages John to handle the family estate and he feels a growing attraction to her while neglecting his own family. It will not be long before his life becomes a lot more complicated.
John was definitely not the sort of guy to impress me. He justified his infidelity by making excuses and blaming his wife. It takes him a long time to sort his priorities out. Also reading that a guy is having a graphic vision of someone’s Brazilian wax doesnt do a thing for me. Even though I didn’t like John he did have the balls to admit he had stuffed his life up and I give him credit for that.
My favourite scene was in the basement where The Butcher holds John and tortures him. The writer really pulled everything together to make a great setting and it really hit the right spot for me.
There was a fair bit of what I would call minor swearing in this book. The language gave the story more of a vintage detective feel to it rather than being offensive. In addition, I was a little surprised a cop would discuss so much about a case with a member of the public even if he had known his father.
The title/cover really appealed to me. Keeping the background simple made the title pop. The downside to that was it led me to assume the storyline would have a different slant and it would grab me right from the start. The sex scenes were great although I would have preferred more crime scene details.
I would describe this as a mystery/thriller/courtroom drama with a slight vintage feel to it, which should appeal to a cross section of readers.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a digital copy of the book via Netgalley and the opportunity to provide a review.

When I read the description of this book I have to admit I was intrigued at first by its location. This was due to the fact that my son moved to the Cleveland area of Lakewood last year so I had some idea of the location. The deeper I got into the description though the more interested I became so I decided to give it a read.

John Coleman is a lawyer trying to get by when he learns about a recent murder in the Cleveland area. The method of the murder is reminiscent of the famed Torso murders made famous due to the fact that Elliott Ness was brought in to find the killer and failed, his identity never discovered. But Coleman has ties to this latest victim. He was a drinking buddy and his body was found at one of the establishments Coleman frequents.

Those ties increase when the daughter of the victim, Jennifer, walks into his office requesting his help. She wants to hire him to handle the estate of her late father. A drug addicted brother could be a problem and she wants things handled as quickly and easily as possible.

Coleman is drawn into helping her for several reasons. One is how attracted he is to Jennifer. Another is that the fact he knew the man, not a close friend but someone he was aware of. And lastly because the methods being used to kill, because more die after, are similar to those seen even after the Torso killer, methods that his father was aware of. Coleman’s father was a policeman who tracked down the killer and failed, a failure that haunted not just him but his son as well.

The book is an easy read and moves along at a well set pace. The way Jordan writes is such that you find yourself turning pages and not noticing the time as it passes. It keeps you interested from start to finish. Too many authors try to overuse words and descriptions to lengthen their books but this one doesn’t do so.

On the downside there is the character of John Coleman, a flawed one at best and one of the dumbest at worst. While there are moments you feel for him and the issues he has there are others where you wonder why he isn’t aware of the most blatant things taking place before him. That issue means that as a reader you can see things coming from far ahead before the character realizes what is happening.

On the whole I’d say the book was well written, well paced and entertaining. Fans of mystery novels and crime fiction will enjoy this one. It’s worth picking up and giving a read.