Book ~ "Secret Rage" (2012) Brent Pilkey

From Goodreads ~ A predator is stalking the streets of downtown Toronto. Haunted by a tortured past, he preys upon sex workers, leaving carnage in his wake. 

Officer Jack Warren and his partner, Jenny Alton, join with the Major Crime division to hunt down this dangerous madman. But when Jenny is targeted as the next victim, the chase becomes personal for Jack. A violent confrontation reveals horrifying secrets and Jack’s own bloody link to the monster.

Jack is a cop working in 51 Division in Toronto.  It's a rough area to work in because of the drugs and the prostitutes but he loves it.

Someone is brutally beating prostitutes and Jack, Jenny (his partner) and the rest of 51 Division are trying to find out who that is.  Plus to clean up the area and send out a message, Jenny poses as a prostitute so they can arrest the johns.

In the meantime, tension at home is increasing as Karen, Jack's wife, and her parents are pressuring Jack to quit 51 Division and the police force.  The only thing welcoming for Jack at home is his newly adopted dog, Justice.

This is the third book I've read by this author (it's the third in a series) and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action is taking place, not just from Jack's perspective.  As a head's up, there is violence, adult activity and a lot of swearing.

The author is a cop and had spent many years in 51 Division so writes from experience.  Even though the story is fiction, it was interesting to get the insight into the life of a cop, both on the job and at home. 

Jack could take the easy way out and quit his job to make his wife and in-laws happy but he doesn't because he's good at what he does and he wants to make the city a better place.  Karen seems totally unreasonable but I can see it from her perspective.  Yes, Jack was a cop when she married him but she doesn't want to get a call that he's been killed in the line of action.  Too bad she hadn't thought of that before she married him ... or too bad she thought she could change him once they were married.  Jack met Jenny when he transferred to 51 Division last year.  There has always been a spark between them but they've never acted on it because he's married, though unhappily.  It was nice to to know the supporting characters more in this book which made them more human ... like Jack's father-in-law's experience driving through 51 Division so he could see for himself the area that Jack takes care of every day. 

I'd recommend this book and look forward to reading others by this author.  

Book ~ "Savage Rage" (2011) Brent Pilkey

From Goodreads ~ Transferred to 53 Division - known as the “Sleepy Hollow of Toronto” - after the murder of his partner, officer Jack Warren yearns to return to 51 Division, where his former colleagues are busy pursuing a criminal mastermind. 

Randall Kayne has been committing violent, bloody crimes that are hitting close to home in 51 Division, yet he manages to stay just one step ahead of the police. 

Although Jack’s wife wants him to leave the force entirely, an old enemy soon drags him into the Kayne case against his will, forcing a confrontation with Kayne that only one of them can survive. 

Masterfully entering into the hearts and minds of the cops of 51 Division, the second book in this exciting series propels Jack Warren deeper into the dangers of underground Toronto. 

Jack is a young police officer in Toronto.  His wife didn't like him working in 51 Division so she pressured him to transfer to a less dangerous one.  He finds 53 Division extremely boring and jumps at the chance to return to 51 Division.  There's been a change there, though ... there is a new staff sergeant who is a huge pain for everyone.

Kayne is an ex-con who has been brutally beating up drug dealers to build up his reputation ... his signature is carving a "K" in his victims' foreheads.  He is convinced by a weaselly small-time thug that the ultimate would be to do the same to a cop ... and he has his eye on Jack.

Things are still tense at home between Jack and his wife, Karen.  She doesn't want him to be a cop anymore and is plotting with her mom, who is being unusually civil to Jack, to make that happen.

This is the second book I've read by this author (it's the second in a series) and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action is taking place (on Jack or on Jesse and Kayne).  I thought the pace moved along well.  The author is a cop and had spent many years in 51 Division so writes from experience.  Even though the story is fiction, it was interesting to get the insight into the life of a cop, both on the job and at home.  As a head's up, there is violence, adult activity and a lot of swearing.

I liked Jack.  He is driven to make the city a better place, especially if it involves protecting the rights of children and animals.  Some of his colleagues from the first book are back like his good friends, Manny, Paul and Jenny.

I'd recommend this book and look forward to reading others by this author. 

Book ~ "Lethal Rage" (2010) Brent Pilkey

From Goodreads ~ When an organized drug gang starts selling crack dyed black, Division 51 of the Toronto Police gets the brunt of the action and street cop Jack Warren and his partner face the ugly realities of crime in their city.

To gain experience, Jack, a young Toronto police officer, has recently transferred downtown to 51 Division, known for its drugs and prostitution.  A new crack (Black Crack) has been introduced by a drug dealer who is trying to take over the area.  It becomes the mission of the officers of 51 Division to find and stop him.

51 Division is a lot different than what Jack is used to but he's loving it!  His wife, Karen, and her parents, though, aren't.  Karen thinks 51 Division is too dangerous and wants Jack to transfer out of it.  Her parents have never made it a secret that they don't think Jack is good enough for their daughter.  Needless to say, this causes tension at home.

What attracted me to this book is that it's set in Toronto and makes no secret that it is.  As Jack and his fellow officers were racing around the east end of the downtown core, I knew exactly where they were.  Plus I like mysteries.

This is the first book I've read by this author (it's the first in a series) and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective with the focus on Jack.  I thought the pace moved along well.  The author is a cop and had spent many years in 51 Division so writes from experience.  Even though the story is fiction, it was interesting to get the insight into the life of a cop, both on the job and at home.  As a head's up, there is violence, adult activity and a lot of swearing.

I liked Jack.  Despite what his in-laws may think, he is intelligent and driven.  He enjoys being a cop and making the city a better place.  It was interesting to watch him evolve to become more hardened the longer he was in 51 Division.  There are officers who are supporting characters and despite their different personalities and quirks, most were hardworking and loyal to each other.

I'd recommend this book and look forward to reading others by this author.