Falling Down: A Tale, of Addiction, Betrayal & Murder

James Greco draws on his backgrounds of law and journalism to capture a searing portrait of a sunburnt modern American time and place, from its ordinary citizens to its conflicted warriors who fight our modern monsters. Charged with sex and violence and the soul-searching we all do, FALLING DOWN takes readers on an unforgettable journey. A great fiction debut.



James Grady, author of SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR and MAD DOGS



A serial killer slashes prostitutes and dumps their bodies along the San Diego countryside. SDPD Lt. Robert Acevedo endures mounting pressure to apprehend a suspect. At the same time, Acevedo needs to divert attention from a link between one of the victims and a loosely-affiliated group of civic leaders who conduct upscale swing parties hosted by alluring professional providers. Ricci Penn, a drug addict and petty criminal, seems the perfect solution to Acevedo's dilemma. Crime reporter Nick Lanouette, however, employs his investigative skills and inside contacts to clear Ricci and nurture an affair with Holly Damkot, an exotic dancer, prostitute, and common-law wife of Ricci Penn. Lanouette, who is increasingly warped by malleable ethics and spiraling sexual addiction, commits adultery, jeopardizes his career, and becomes a suspect, along with Ricci and the serial killer, in the subsequent murder of Holly Damkot.



In Falling Down, F. James Greco crafts a lurid tale of sexual addiction, murder, and betrayal within a fact-based portrayal of San Diego in the late 1980s. It is within this factual setting of events, places, and individuals that the characters of Falling Down strive to capture their personal versions of truth, love, wealth, and success. In order to accomplish their pursuits, the characters must avoid succumbing to obsessions of power, wealth, sex, and drugs. Some succeed, despite the odds; others just keep falling down.



F. James Greco, who was born in Washington state, has resided in southern California since 1971. He is a freelance journalist, textbook author, adjunct professor, former attorney, retired partner in a land planning firm, and tone-deaf guitar aficionado. Falling Down is his first work of fiction. You can visit him at www.fjgreco.com.