I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Marko being called to a scene where a vehicle is burning. While he is there, he gets a message that Sister Grace wants to see him now. When talking to Sister Grace he is told about and asked to stop specific drugs being available in the area. He agrees, but unknown at the time, he later learns that thw two items are connected. When he arrives at the station, he is told that the new chief wants to see him. At the meeting Kelly, the new chief, lays the facts of what she expects from him, otherwise he won't be around any longer.

Once Marko begins following leads on the fire killing, he runs into more issues and had a decision to make on how to proceed. He ie is able to talk with a member of the Food and Drug Administration, but before learning the next day what important information the victim of the fire had, that person is killed. He later learns from the assistantant about a new drug that a company was applying pressure to have approved. Using this information, he now had a name of a company that he began looking into. As a result of his search, he was soon targeted. It got so bad that the new chief fired him. However, she showed up at his home and had a request for him. He agree to help her and as a result ultimately came to a conclusion who was the responsible and laid a plan to bring them to justice.

To learn who was behind the killings, what the chief's request was, how the request eventually led to closing the case and what dangers Marko had to overcome, then you need to read this book. The ending will astound you.

It’s been a while since I’ve started and finished a book in the same day. I was hooked by the first couple chapters. Every page kept you on the edge of your seat. Definitely recommend!

‘The car, once a Ford Explorer, is a roaring inferno.’

Washington, DC. Homicide detective Marko Zorn is called to a scene where a rental car is on fire. It is quickly established as a homicide and equally quickly becomes part of a complex investigation. There are a few things to keep track of here. Marko Zorn’s new chief of police, Chief Kelly Flynn, doesn’t like his unorthodox methods. His new partner, Tyrone Clifford, previously worked in Internal Affairs and Zorn is sure that he’s keeping an eye on him. Meanwhile, at the scene of the fire, Zorn is approached by a man named Stryker who tells him that Sister Grace wants to see him. Sister Grace, it turns out, is the most dangerous woman in Washington DC. She wants Zorn’s assistance in getting a new highly addictive narcotic drug off the streets because it is both deadly and interfering with her drug-dealing business.

‘Something strange is going on here.’

All of this unfolds as a first-person narrative, so we see exactly what Zorn does and share his interpretations. Yes, the homicide is connected to the drug. Yes, a Big Pharma company is involved, under the control of two elderly psychopathic twin brothers. The body count continues to grow as both those taking the drug and those investigating the drug become collateral damage.

Zorn, who never carries a gun, is constantly in danger. But then he makes a connection which just might enable him to make both Chief Flynn and Sister Grace happy.

Okay. This story moves at a rapid pace and while I needed to suspend disbelief more than once, I was mostly quite happy to do so. I say mostly because there was an aspect of the ending which had me rolling my eyes so much, I became disorientated.

‘Let’s see where this takes us.’

This is the third novel in the series and while I read it as a standalone, I am intrigued enough by Marko Zorn that I’ve already added the first novel to my reading list. If you enjoy high-octane thrillers and can willingly suspend disbelief, then you may enjoy this as well.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Washington, D.C. homicide detective Marko Zorn takes on a far-reaching, complicated investigation when a narcotic more deadly than fentanyl spreads across the city, causing countless fatalities.

Although Firetrap is the third book in the Marko Zorn series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Otho Eskin is a new author for me and I wondered how British readers would get along with this American thriller set in Washington, D.C. written by an American author living in the same city. Well the way Otho writes his story, British readers will have no problem reading this book as it clearly has global appeal and the locations are irrelevant.

Reading the blurb I was looking forward to a complicated conspiracy around the manufacture, distribution and sale of off-label drugs. Character development of Marko Zorn was very good and he is a cop who routinely bends all the rules. I liked how this is a first person narrative so the reader learns everything through Marko’s ears and eyes putting you at the centre of the action. And boy, there is plenty of action going on. Marko is not a desk bound cop but an all action hero taking daily risks in getting justice.

I found Firetrap to be a GOOD 4 star read but felt let down that the promise of a complicated conspiracy did not happen. I found the action and contacts made by Marko Zorn were too far fetched and lacked realism…

I examine the padlock dial and make out faint smudges - fingerprints users have left when they spun the combination dial and needed to stop the rotation when they reached the number they were looking for. I count four of these faint prints on the dial.

…And bingo! Marko Zorn opens the padlock! For all the action Marko stumbled into, my first thoughts were always that this would never happen in real life.

#3 in his Marko Zorn mystery series based in Washington DC

This has an interesting twist right from the start. A member of the Big Pharma club is bringing a new product to market. A fentanyl competitor that is far more potent. Problem is that the product has been leaked and is showing up on the streets before anyone really knows or understands it. A couple brothers run the pharma company and they are ruthless when it comes to their products and bottom line.

Marko learns of this new drug when he is contacted by a DC underworld boss who wants the drug off the street (because it kills thereby cutting into their local sales and profits on less deadly addictive drugs). That means Marko has roughly three ‘bosses’ on his butt for different reasons. The cops (of course), the local gang street marketeers, and the Pharma boys. And a key to the whole thing might be connected to a decades-old art theft.

Now I like Eskin/Zorn so far. DC-based (stomping grounds of my youth), clever and believable characters all wrapped up in a plot that just could happen.

And it's an Oceanview Publishing product, a quality source for well-prepared mysteries. Can’t beat it.

Marko Zorn book #3

A more deadly narcotic than fentanyl spreads across Washington, D.C. homicide detective Marko Zorn search for whom is behind this off-label drug brings him to a Big Pharma company run by psychopathic brothers with killer instincts. Marko will need all his wits and skills to shut down the brothers’ criminal drug empire.

While this novel stands on its own I am told the novels in this series can be read in any order. “Firetrap” is my first experience reading Eskin Otho and it will not be my last.

This story has a little bit of everything: action galore with many twists and turns, police forensics to educate us, lots of suspense and intrigue to keep us on our toes, played out by a compelling and brilliant protagonist who is also witty, wise and eloquent. The story is also filled with clever personalities and shady power players .With its fast and furious pacing, a tempo that never let go it was hard not to stay captivated from the get-go. “Firetrap” is a chilling political drama hard to put down and quite a page-turner. I could go on and on, but no spoilers from me.

Excellently written, entertaining story well played out by great characters. What is not to like....

Firetrap is a fast paced, exciting detective story involving Marko Zorn, a Washington DC private detective. He seeks to stop the sale of an addictive pharmaceutical which is causing numerous deaths. Firetrap is carefully crafted and inventive, It definitely held my interest.

2.5 Stars

Well, this was a hell of a funky ride! All I could think while reading this was what a movie it would make-if it were set in the 1940's. I kept getting a noir feeling from this entertaining and illogical novel!

A cop who doesn't carry a gun it's illogical but unique, so I figure I'll keep on reading. A cop that works with a major drug dealer and helps them to get rid of another dealer...okay, sure! But I kept on reading, and my ability to suspend disbelief wore thin. You may even think of Marko Zorn as a sort of modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from the corrupt major drug dealers (Big Pharma/illegal drug manufacturers) and keeping for himself.

While these books can be read as stand-alone, this book ends on what can almost be called a cliffhanger. I wonder what the major players will be doing in the next novel? I'm not sure if I really feel the need to find out.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Oceanview Publishing, the author, and NetGalley.

This is book three in the Marko Zorn series, but you can jump right in and still enjoy the book, even if you haven't read the first two.

Marko Zorn is a DC homicide detective with stereotypical mulish ways. He plays by his own rules, but gets the job done. While a little formulaic, the story is still exciting and moves along at a great pace. Zorn is asked by the local mob boss to help get a dangerous drug off the streets, an effort that leads him to the very top of a mega pharmaceutical conglomerate. There is a twist at the end that sets the scene for a fourth book in the series. I'll go back and read the first two first though, before jumping into number four, whenever that comes out.

If you like fast paced, detective stories with a gruff but lovable detective, this one's for you!

** Thank you NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. **

Marko Zorn is back with a new problem to solve, there's a new drug on the streets of Washington D.C. Firetrap by Otho Eskin is the third book about this different homicide detective. He usually doesn't carry a gun because he is afraid of what he would do with it. He don't do things by the book and he has a close contact with some of the worst criminals in the city. I really love the writings of this author, he has created a unique character and the books are filled with solutions we normally don't see when it comes to solving crime. Marko Zorn has his own take on justice and he has a conscience with a lot of room. I found this book filled with hilarious situations and some great twists. Don't forget some really great characters. If you have missed this author there is time to rmedy it before this one is out in stores. I must thank the author for writing this and the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read it.

This is the first book I've read by Otho Eskin. It's fast-paced, and full of intriguing characters, perhaps too many of them. Marko Zorn is a rough and tumble detective in Washington DC, and when he is called to a horrendous murder marked by a charred body encased in an automobile, the chase begins. Two geriatric and powerful brothers who are involved with Big Pharma in attempting to put a powerful but toxic opioid-like drug, (cleverly named Speedball), on the market are also tied to the theft of a famous (and expensive) painting from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This plot combination seemed a bit far-fetched, frankly. Other characters include diminutive Sister Grace who backs Zorn, and Stryker, whom I liked, who is a reformed criminal who assists Zorn in his escapades and eventual success in solving all of the aforementioned crimes. The other featured character is Zorn's new chief, who eventually realizes and acknowledges his excellent problem-solving skills.

This book is a fast read and keeps the reader's interest.

Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and Net Galley for allowing me to read a this mystery.

So happy to see homicide detective Markus Zorn back in Firetrap. Thais is the 3rd book in the series but can easily be read as a stand-alone. If you are a fan of police procedurals then you need to pick up this book. It is a fast paced thrill ride from start to finish.

So much going on in DC. when does this man sleep!! Zorn is rebel who does things his way and screw the consequences. But he has a big heart, mess with him or anybody close to him and he will get his revenge. In this instalment we have a roller coaster ride of big pharma, fires, suicide, kidnapping, extortion, murder, murder, murder. And that is just to begin with.

A great series that I am happy to have discovered. Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for the advanced copy of this book to read. Published on January 16th.

action, extortion, local-law-enforcement, local-politics, murder, murder-investigation, police-detectives, Washington DC, drug-trafficking, drugs-issues, art-theft, crime-fiction, thriller, suspense, threats, psychopath, unputdownable, snarky*****

Homicide Detective Marko Zorn of the DC Metro Police is a kind of Lone Ranger who won't carry a gun, avoids bureaucracy like the plague, and has very useful connections in the underworld of DC crime. The story takes direct aim at Big Pharma and addictive pharmaceuticals (YAY for the good guys!). The plot is complex and I didn't want to put it down. Excellent read!
I requested and received an EARC from Oceanview Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

This OUTSTANDING third thriller in the Marko Zorn series has you on the edge of your seat the entire time cheering maverick D.C. homicide detective Zorn on as he investigates what starts with a murder of a man set in fire in a rental car. It quickly turns into complex and dangerous investigation into a major pharmaceutical company, run by two psychopathic twin brothers. Prepare to stay up late finishing it!

First, Detective Zorn has to navigate a skeptical, tough new female police chief who wants things done by the rules and threatens to fire him. Next, she assigns to him a new police partner, Tyrone Clifford, formerly in the Internal Affairs Bureau, who’s clearly out to keep tabs on him and report back to the chief. While Zorn’s beloved by his homicide chief and the police staff, his completely unorthodox way of solving huge cases gives him a troublemaker reputation with the brass. There’s also his m.o. in that he refuses to ever carry a gun, and personally sees through any promise he makes.

On top of all that, Zorn gets tapped by Sister Grace, a tiny older black woman who’s a behind-the-scenes D.C. community powerhouse, to get a new drug called Speedball off the streets as it’s proving both highly addictive and causing untold deaths. The drug dealers turn out to be heavily guarded and highly trained. She assigns him a partner Stryker, who’s an older former convict turned neighborhood protector and vigilante.

There’s also a senior FDA investigator who turns up dead as she’s looking into a new pharmaceutical drug that turns out to be the same as the new illegal Speedball. And, there’s the kidnapping of the Chief of Police’s teen daughter and the need to rescue her. Oh, then there’s the missing stolen paintings from the Isabel Stewart Museum thrown into the mix. Add in a heiress and a spectacular suicide, and the action keeps ratcheting up.

All this converges under Zorn’s unstoppable courage and clever bravado to take on Big Pharma behind all the murder and mayhem. The plot twists abound and crescendo into one heart-stopping thriller. Simply amazing!


Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

I just loved this book, it was pacy, smart and the lead character was so well thought out. Zorn is an off the wall Detective with his own way of doing thing mostly legal, but gets the job done.
The plot is obviously well thought through, bringing in some side characters that could do with a book of their own.
If the story hasn't come from real life - it could have done, really plausible and punchy.
Yes I liked the book, will I read some more by the same author, heck yes.

I stopped reading thrillers a while ago because they got repetitive.

However, I picked up this one because (and I am being honest) the cover caught my eye despite the fact that the cover is in black and white on my tablet. Yes, I am THAT person who loves covers and will based my reading on the look.

After said all of that, can I tell you how thrilling this book was?

The problem is an altered drug that is attracting a lot of users, except that they are dying at an alarming rate. Enter Marko who needs to stop this drug.

Pacing is everything in a book and the author did a great job setting the stage - so much so that I could feel as though I was (safely) right next to the problem as it grows.

Marko is flawed, but still makes a great main character.

This book is well written and very interesting and entertaining like the rest of the series. The main character doesn't follow any rules except his own, and is basically a good guy, but this time it's a little too much nonsense going on, so better not ask yourself too many questions.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I didn’t realize this was a series but I felt like I could read it as a standalone. The main character Marko was a police officer that found himself in one dangerous situation after another. He witnessed a car crash that catches fire and the danger keeps going from there. He is not one to follow the rules and his superior has his new partner keeping an eye on everything he is doing. He ends up getting fired for his actions but when she. needs him to find her missing daughter he doesn’t hesitate to help her. It gets a little crazy at that point. He is once again in a dangerous situation. I won’t say anymore to avoid spoilers. This book is a little over the top in the different situations that transpired.

Firetrap is an indictment of the drug companies and, in this case, the evil that can lurk behind it.

The book is #3 in the Marko Zorn series, but stands alone just fine.

Marko must stop two brothers looking to put a dangerous drug on the market. To do so he explores many avenues - one of which takes him to an old painting.

Lots of twists and turns and an enjoyable thriller

I truly have enjoyed all three of the books in this series. Otho Eskin is one of my favorite modern day suspense
writers, He keeps his protagonist, Detective Marko Zorn (DC Homicide) on the front lines of current events with
extra side stories that really keep the suspense / thriller genre very strong in his books. When he blends a new
deadliest yet fentanyl derivative with money laundering, art thievery and murder it’s a very interesting ride from
every angle. It must be said that the fentanyl driven epidemic is not solely street drugs~ the pharmaceutical companies are dug into the problems deeper than the D.C. Police have been able to crack. And the money
being generated is linked to the theft of a painting worth millions of dollars that has not been seen in decades,
But is tied to the criminal enterprise run by the two brothers who run the company that pretends their drugs are
not killing people.
Marko Zorn is not having any more of this, but his methods are just a bit outside the lines and the Chief fires him…Until she needs him to find her missing daughter, which opens this whole mess wide open.
This is a fantastic book, full of everything you could want from murder to mayhem! The Author reminds me just
a bit of a Daniel Silva book, or perhaps a David Baldacci. I recommend that while it is a stand alone story,
It would be best to read the first two books, I recommend it to anyone who loves Police Suspense novels.
My thanks to Oceanview Publishing via NetGalley for this free down;load in exchange for my honest review.