His father has a very shady past but now is a prominent figure in New York City, he was a football player who became an NYPD detective, and his forgotten brother is gay and works the NYC streets. He fears becoming a violent man like his father and is afraid to open up to the ones he loves and let them see who he really is. Everything starts to change when his brother is found violently killed, Phee realizes he did not know his brother because of his preconceived ideas that made him put a lot of distance between them. The search for the killer brings the involvement of a Satanic cult leader and an incredible development of actions that might lead to the death of most of those involved. Great story, and plot, is fast-paced, and well written that accurately describes how NYC was in the '70s. A must-read for lovers of the genre!

The Laws of Wrath starts out at breakneck speed and doesn't let up until the end. Combining corruption, satanic occultism, extreme violence and revenge, it's up to Detectives Phee Freeman and Quincy Cavanaugh to figure out if the bodies piling up are random, an act of an occult, or if revenge is at hand.
When Phee Freeman's transgender brother dies at the hand of a sadistic murderer, Phee's own need for revenge is ignited. The tale of what and why is happening covers multi-generations and many characters that can be a bit confusing. This is book two of the Martyr Maker series but can be read as a stand alone.

**The action is heavy as is the violence and readers need to be forewarned it is not an easy read.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for access to an early e-copy. All opinions are my own.

L̲̅a̲̅w̲̅s̲̅ o̲̅f̲̅ W̲̅r̲̅a̲̅t̲̅h̲̅ b̲̅y̲̅ E̲̅r̲̅i̲̅q̲̅ L̲̅a̲̅ S̲̅a̲̅l̲̅l̲̅e̲̅

I received this as an arc from NetGally and Poised Pen Press.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
3.5/5


This book was a bit too violent for me. This is a fast paced story, which I did enjoy. Some of the twists I saw coming, but a few I did not.

AJ is killed and their estranged brother is assigned to solve the murder, along with his partner Quincy.

Dr Darla Zibik is Iocked up in a women’s maximum security prison. She quickly gets known for her callousness, and brutal nature. The authorities use her to try to help them solve the murder.

Recommended if you’re looking for a fast paced, twisting, and very violent thriller.

This novel was a fast-paced thriller that had me sitting on the edge of my seat as I flipped through the pages. There is so much action and I loved it. I loved the plot and the characters were interesting to follow. I highly recommend this book.

This was a pulse pounding thriller that had me guessing. Satanists, cults, revenge, gangs, The African. This book had it all. Some things I saw coming a mile away, which is why I rated it three stars, but it was still a wild ride. Thanks to poisoned pen press and the author for the arc of this book. Releases May 2/2023! If you love Patterson, you will devour this book. This book had so much gore I felt dirty by the end of it! But in a good way.

Wow, this book had my heart racing because it was scary and gritty. Phee and Quincy are trying to solve the case of Phee’s estranged brother AJ’s murder. Clay, his father is devastated but quickly realizes it has to have something to do with his shady past. Maclin from the FBI comes back to assist the guys and together they discover a satanic cult of people who are shielding and assisting the killer to wreak havoc on people Phee knows. Impetuous and cold Phee will do anything to protect and avenge his family. I love the page turner writing style. The author’s attention to details and descriptions of criminal acts are spot on and draws you in. Character building led me to root or chastise their actions as the situation became more critical. These are some truly cold blooded folks in this book. The funeral, oh my, I broke down too. Truly a rich and powerful book; It is like watching a movie. Bravo and I hope there will be more after that ending! I am providing this honest review and thank NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC of the book.

"Laws of Wrath" by Eriq La Salle is a riveting crime thriller that takes the reader on a gruesome journey through the streets of New York City. The story centers around the investigation of a series of ritualistic murders that have taken place in the city, with Detective Phee Freeman and his partner Quincy Cavanaugh leading the charge.

The opening scene sets the tone for the entire book as the reader is immediately plunged into the brutal murder of Phee's cross-dressing brother. The author's vivid descriptions of the crime scene and the victim's injuries are not for the faint of heart, but they effectively convey the horror and shock that the characters feel throughout the investigation.

As the investigation progresses, the team discovers that there are multiple similar murders taking place throughout the city, and they must work with a deranged Satanic cult leader, Dr. Daria Zibik, to try and uncover the killer's identity. The author does an excellent job of building tension and creating a sense of unease as the characters begin to realize the true extent of the killer's depravity.

The characters in "Laws of Wrath" are well-developed and complex, with their personal lives and struggles adding depth and nuance to the story. Phee, in particular, is a fascinating character with a unique perspective on the investigation due to his personal connection to the case.

Overall, "Laws of Wrath" is a gripping and well-crafted crime novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. La Salle's writing is sharp and precise, and his ability to create vivid and visceral images of the crimes and investigations makes for a truly immersive reading experience. Fans of the genre won't be disappointed by this thrilling and disturbing tale.

This book was a true thriller. I loved how it hit the ground running and didn’t stop. Very layered and kept me guessing until the end. I will look for more works from this author. Highly recommend.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

The story its self I thought was great. However, this reader found some of the graphic details were not necessary to get the point across. I do not consider myself a "prude" by any means but found some of the text offensive. I have given a rating of 3 stars because it truly was a great story.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I listened to it as an audio book and the author narrated. I love when that happens most of the time, but even the author is also a very talented actor, that experience gets ramped right up. La Salle was a fabulous narrator and really brought his characters to life for me. The book was a lot more graphically gruesome than I typically prefer, but the narrated format made it much more palatable.

When I saw the second book available, with an emphasis on AJ, I requested it straight away. It turns out, I need narration to manage gruesome though - I had a much harder time with this one reading it than listening. I did still enjoy the story but found it a tougher read than expected. The high points for me were definitely the character descriptions, particularly the relationship between Clay and his children. I also was absolutely moved by the funeral, and really enjoyed seeing Phee come to terms with his feelings about AJ throughout the course of the two books.

It was certainly not for the faint of heart but if you can manage the grisly, there's a fantastic storyline and set of characters here that I do hope will continue in future books. But for me, I will definitely seek out narration in the future!

I think I'm in the minority in not liking Laws of Wrath by Eriq La Salle. The story and how the book developed felt slow for me. The characters were okay, and there were some good scenes and twists, but I just could not get into the book. The funeral scene was a tear-jerker, though.

I will try another book by this author because I really wanted to like it, and maybe it wasn't the right time for me to read it or not the right fit for this story.

I am rating this a 3.5 (rounded up to 4) out of 5 stars.

#NetGalley @PPPress

352 pages

5 stars

This book is not for the faint of heart. If extreme violence and gore are not your thing, you may want to pass on this novel.

Mr. La Salle continues his brilliant writing with this latest book. He has a remarkable talent for creating characters who, in spite of their actions, are likable. .None of the people in this book can be labeled as “good,” but they are interesting, engaging and entrancing all the same. I found myself rooting for them to succeed. How off is that? Antiheroes, all of them.

I felt strongly for AJ. For her life - all of it - and her demise. I really wanted her killer caught and punished. I agree with another reviewer that the funeral scene was touching and created a good feeling in me. I could picture every moment via Mr. La Salle’s wonderful ability to tell a story.

The character descriptions in this book are well written and colorful. The reader gets a complete picture of who the person is and what they are about. There are no wasted words. The plotting is linear in structure and all scenes are well described.

I cannot say enough good things about These books and Mr. La Salle’s writing ability. I am sold. I certainly hope he plans to continue the “Laws of…” series. I will gladly wait for the next in this series.

I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Yet another fantastic story from Eriq La Salle! I really like this series. I was so sad for A.J. Not just for her death but her life too. The author did a great job making me want retribution for her, and I even got a little teary at the funeral. The funeral scene was the redeeming scene that I absolutely needed with this story. I am curious if the author will continue the series though, as it is left open to accommodate it. I know there is a third part to this series which is another rerelease of a prequel, but I’d love to read future installments as well!


Huge thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!