The first call comes in just after midnight.
A violent robber has struck again in River City.
No witnesses who saw it clearly. No pattern anyone could agree on. Just another scene of shattered glass, shaken victims, and a city beginning to understand that what it’s facing isn’t random—it’s escalating.
On the streets, patrol officers are the first to respond and the last to leave.
Stefan Kopriva is young, aggressive, and determined to prove himself before the job burns him out.
Katie MacLeod knows she has to be better than everyone else just to be seen as equal.
Thomas Chisolm understands violence differently than most officers ever will. He’s seen what it does to people who underestimate it.
Together, they work the hard streets of a city where every shift could turn into the next encounter with a desperate suspect the department is struggling to understand, much less stop.
As the pressure builds, so do the fractures—within the department, within their personal lives, and within a public that demands answers faster than they can be found.
And somewhere in River City, the Scarface Robber is already moving again.
Under a Raging Moon is a gritty police procedural thriller and the first novel in the River City series. Written by a former police officer, it delivers an authentic, ground-level look at patrol work, criminal investigations, and the human cost of holding a city together.
For readers who enjoy realistic crime fiction, character-driven police procedurals, and long-form series in the tradition of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and Joseph Wambaugh.
Start the River City series with Book #1 today!
Frank became a police officer in 1993. During his career, he has served as a patrol officer, corporal, detective (his favorite job), sergeant, lieutenant, and captain. He has written and taught courses in Report Writing and Sexual Assault Investigation at the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. He has also written several college courses in police subject matter. Many of Frank’s stories take place in the fictional setting of River City, a mid-sized city in Eastern Washington, with recurring characters. His first River City novel, Under A Raging Moon, was originally published in 2006. The second, Heroes Often Fail, was originally published in 2007. Over fifty of his short stories have been published in ten different anthologies, as well as print and online magazines. His story “Good Shepherd” was a finalist for the 2006 Derringer Award. In 2007, his story “The Worst Door” was a finalist for this same award. Most recently, his story “Dead Even” was a finalist for the 2009 Derringer Award. In addition to writing, Frank is an avid hockey player and a tortured guitarist. His wife, Kristi, and his three children are about the only folks who will watch him do either activity.
