pHILADELPHIA iNQUIRER:

TOP 10 sPRING rEADS.

FUNERAL OF LIES:

When Evan O’Brien reluctantly returns home for his grandfather’s funeral, his life littered with failed jobs and relationships, he agrees to work on his beloved uncle’s failing mayoral campaign – but has no idea of the dirty politics and family secrets he is about to encounter. Caught between a buried past and a dangerous present, Philadelphia provides the colorful landscape of violence, racism, and the challenges Evan must face to reclaim his life – before someone takes it.

Kirkus Reviews:
In O’Neill’s novel, a public-relations executive becomes entangled in his uncle’s political campaign and confronts a fraught family history. Evan O’Brien, a jaded PR professional based in New York City, returns home to Philadelphia for his grandfather’s funeral only to be pulled into his Uncle Michael’s unexpected run for mayor. What begins as a reluctant favor becomes a consuming test of loyalty, ambition, and self-preservation. Michael, who’s compassionate to a fault, believes that he can restore dignity to a city plagued by violence, while Evan, who’s both protective and opportunistic, sees politics as nothing more than theater, in which one survives through manipulation. The secondary cast is also sharply drawn, including Betty, Evan’s embittered mother who blames her son for past tragedies; Jane, Evan’s aunt, who resents his closeness with her husband; Father Murphy, a wily family confidant; and Ellen Van De Meer, the head of the local Republican Party and the ruthless keeper of the city’s political machine. They illustrate how family and politics thrive on secrecy and control, and the campaign itself becomes a crucible. Unresolved betrayals from Evan’s past resurface, involving a violent childhood incident with his stepfather and his grandfather’s favoritism: “My grandfather had picked his real favorite,” notes Evan at one point. “And it wasn’t me.”

Tension builds throughout the story by pairing psychological unease with the grind of local politics, and it shows how grief, racism, and ambition collide in a troubled city. Although O’Neill sometimes lingers a bit longer than necessary on backstory, the narrative’s psychological edge is engagingly sharp, as is Evan’s corrosive narration. A dark, jagged, and compulsively readable story that digs deep into grief, politics, and betrayal.—Kirkus Reviews

Even A Pandemic Can’t Stop Love & Murder:

“Get it!”…”While this book offers a solid wrap-up, the author has two more installments in the works. A rousing crime tale with an indelible cast and a sharp, edgy environment.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“O’Neill infuses his series opener with a perpetual sense of unease. Jagger, for example, is a constant menacing presence, and readers know his ferocious search puts him closer and closer to Alby. In the same vein, the mobsters’ deadline ignites the story’s momentum, as each new chapter designates the day and time like a countdown. Even romantic interludes with Alby and Ginger hardly slow the narrative down. Their dialogue scenes pop, and their dates include such winsome bits as Alby’s mostly futile attempts at dancing.

The titular pandemic enhances this story—it creates a brooding atmosphere rather than serving as the plot’s driving force. In this case, the near-future world endures Covid-22. Alby protects himself with the most elaborate mask available, while Jagger, who’s getting his hands dirty for the mob, makes sure to sanitize when mingling with the unvaccinated. Despite the romantic couple’s appeal, Jagger is the standout; it’s not his violent acts that prove the most terrifying but rather his painstaking dedication to his grim assignment. His actions often showcase O’Neill’s stark, concise prose: “He saw an empty garage with weeds starting to poke through the black parking lot tar; an abandoned business, two large bay doors with narrow glass windows near the top. Jagger got out and peered through the windows. The place was half-lit from the parking lot, so all he could see was a mess; trash and oil stains were the main inhabitants.”

—Kirkus Reviews

Writers Digest: “Exemplary!”

“A truly gripping narrative!”

“…This was a truly gripping narrative. When I first read the prologue, I saw a story already, but pulling readers from an already difficult situation with historical accuracy that made me question which parts were real and which parts were fictionalized into a narrative that follows a small life turned large by this huge thriller of a case. The details—down to what each character was feeling at any given moment to—were superb in this novel. I appreciated the nuances in characters’ clothing, the backdrop that situations would occur in, and the little easter eggs that kept me interested in how this mob bank operated. I also appreciated the voice of each character, especially Alby and Ginger. There was a lot of narration of actions that made it easy to distinguish between who was talking or acting, even if there was dialogue tag or a stray pronoun. These distinct voices and actions in the characters also allowed for a great deal of character development, namely on Alby’s part, because of how consistent the core values and traits of these characters were.

—Judge, 32nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards.

The Great Reviews are Coming in!

“Romance fans will enjoy the Alby-Ginger dynamic, which illustrates the stops-and-starts of nurturing a relationship amid the distraction of running for one’s life…

…Alfred O'Neill's EVEN CLIMATE CHANGE CAN’T STOP LOVE AND MURDER (the second in a series) is a literary thrill ride full of sharp social commentary wrapped in a mystery with a touch of romance.”
—IndieReader (4.8 out of 5)

“Character descriptions are clear and often clever, as in the noirish line, “She did not like guns, but they seemed to like her.” Things take a potentially deadly turn in the feverish final act, which ends with a hint of another sequel. A quiet but effective novel that slowly rises in intensity.” — Kirkus Reviews

"The book's setting in the period of the climate crisis gives this exciting tale a new level of suspense. I suggest this book to people who like slow-burning thrillers with a touch of romance, contemporary world issues, and American politics.”
—Manik Chaturmutha, Pacific Book Review, 5-Star Review

"Weaving such a human and real love story into a thriller was a perfect way to hook the audience...Highly recommended."
—JJ Barnes, Editor at The Table Read

Press for Volume 2

Full Pacific Book Review

Alfred O'Neill's Even Climate Change Can't Stop Love and Murder Vol.2 Paying the Price is a sequel to O'Neill's Even a Pandemic Can't Kill Love and Murder Vol.1 Break the Bank. The book is a pelleting of the psychological, political, and crime thriller sub-genres. The writing is spiced with observations on catastrophic climate change.

The book picks up the story right where the first book left off - Alby and Ginger escaping. It begins with Alby and Ginger preparing to run, helped by 'The Handlers.' They receive new names, vax ID cards, driver's licenses, and Social Security cards, as well as details about their families, education, the high school they attended (including Ginger's favorite teacher's name), jobs, and how they met and got married. Next, Ginger and Alby begin their road trip in a truck. Their destination is Sedona, where they secretly have to start a new life.

Since the book is the second in the series, the plot starts right with the action and builds it further in a well-structured manner. In addition, readers glimpse the inner lives of the central and supporting characters through the narration of the story's different points of view. Each character is provided with flashbacks which add depth to their significance. Also, Ginger's personality and her troubled past have been fully developed. Jagger's childhood trauma and complex relationships with his father are well-written, offering more profound insight into Jagger as a person. The chemistry between Alby and Ginger develops as they gradually learn about each other's personalities and grow closer. The initial trip serves their relationship as they are forced to let themselves be vulnerable in front of each other.

The book's setting in the period of the climate crisis gives this exciting tale a new level of suspense. The connection between Alby and Ginger and key storyline twists keeps readers interested in the characters. Whatever the case, the book closes on a suspenseful one-liner cliff-hanger that could reveal more about Alby and Ginger's complex relationship. I suggest this book to people who like slow-burning thrillers with a touch of romance, contemporary world issues, and American politics.

…and press coverage…

New Book In The Exciting “Love And Murder...” Series | The Advance-Monticelloian (advancemonticellonian.com)  

Reader Reviews for Volume 1

Stephen S of WV
★★★★★
Suspense, humor, romance, and South Jersey, too!
November 28, 2021

A close friend from Philly put me on to this amazing mystery which moves like a speeding freight train rumbling down the side of a mountain. The story put me under its spell from the opening pages and never let go. With crisp dialogue, vivid descriptions, and a plot that unfolds under the unforgiving weight of the current pandemic, O'Neill masterfully allows the building suspense to take the reader into the minds and motives of the characters whose lives collide in the shabby shadows of South Jersey. As a reader whose tastes run to historical nonfiction, essays, and biographies, I rarely delve into mysteries. I'm glad that the tip from my hometown friend prompted me to dive into this engaging page-turner. I highly recommend it!

Reiki Master
★★★★★
You won't be able to put this one down!
December 27, 2021

“On the ride to Marlton, he kept things silent, his head empty. They had given him eight days; he did it in seven. Was this what they had called a new life? It felt phony and hollow; the Jersey Turnpike didn’t help. Their words rang in his ears: “Your job is to hide. You are now going to live a small life.” He was beginning to suspect a small life meant no life.”

I highly recommend this book! Do you know the name Hannibal? If so (or if not..) read on.

It’s the mid-2020s. Much of the world’s population has become resigned to the rules resulting from the pandemic, although the anti-vaxxers still angrily protest them. Two years before, back in his hospital room in Baghdad, Alby O’Brien’s “Handlers” had informed him that he was on a militant Iraqi hit list after having been set up by some part of the US government as the bait for a “cleansing” mission of a leader of one of Iraq’s terrorist groups. One of his Handlers told him that he could “disappear” anywhere in the world, yet the only place he could think to go was Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where his estranged sister and her adult son Stephen live. Alby O’Brien is about to start a new life in South Jersey that will have him living in his garage “cave” where he deals with PTSD nightmares and stays away from any situations where he might be recognized. Until...

Although an experienced building contractor, Alby has been forced to take small jobs just to stay under the radar. Now two years after his disappearing act, he hears about some renovation work at a local bank that pays well and all he has to do is gather up some men who are willing to remove asbestos from the upper floors of the bank after hours while he goes home and sleeps. It seems like a no-brainer to Alby. What he doesn’t know is that this bank is owned by the Mob and one of his crew is about to pull off a heist that will very quickly put Alby and just about everyone else in this story in the gun site of an obsessively methodical and completely terrifying mob hit man.

Added to this line-up of suspense is a woman named Ginger who puts him somewhere between scared and seduced, a sister who he blames for the death of their mother, a nephew who works his jobs with him but has to be kept in the dark about his Iraq debacle (and has his own secrets), and his constant battle to maintain his sanity in a situation that just keeps getting tighter and tighter.

Even a Pandemic is based on a true story told to author O’Neill years ago by his father. Keep that in mind as you live one terrifying and life-altering week in the life of Alby O’Brien.

Ms. Shreve
★★★★★
A titillating tale of family life that includes war, mobsters, murder and love.
November 22, 2021

This novel gripped me from the start, from Iraqi to New Jersey, what a journey and the ending…that is the beginning for volume 2. There are really bad guys doing their thing, entangling hired day workers, families and lovers. Great dialogue brings you into the narrative and characters leaving you wanting more. I can’t wait to see where Ginger and her new dance partner go in Vol.2.

green genie
★★★★★
Well written
December 16, 2021

Mr. James
★★★★★
couldn't put it down
October 28, 2021

Read it twice; couldn't put it down. A real thrill-ride, with a lot of heart and a really delicious villain.

KNubs
★★★★☆
Great story!
December 30, 2021

I really enjoyed this - what a great story! - and I can’t wait to read more about Alby and Ginger and their adventures. Great fleshed-out characters and really good writing…

Terry M. Cullison
★★★★★
Action thriller with a splash of romance
November 18, 2021

Great action adventure with a hint of romance. Cant wait till book #2. AES O'Neill has a gift for descriptive language. Positively worth a read. I liked the setting.

Victor O Morrison
★★★★★
A Classic Page Burner!
November 30, 2021

The author paints an intricate tapestry of the cast of characters, landscape, cultures, businesses, and interrelationships that make up Southern New Jersey. His obviously very intimate vantage point enabled him to project four or five years into the future and offer a very realistic and compelling story about life, love, war, business, surviving, and NOT surviving in one of the more corrupt and dangerous parts of the country against the backdrop of an ongoing never-return-to-normal pandemic. Well Done!

Lisa W
★★★★★
Even a pandemic couldn't stop me from reading this book!
November 19, 2021

Even a pandemic couldn't stop me from reading this book! I needed to find out what was going to happen to Alby ASAP. I don't usually read "thrillers" but the dialogue and insights into human nature throughout the narrative made it suspenseful and thoughtful. Loved the love intrigue as well.

Helene
★★★★★
Clever plot, riveting dialogue and a surprising romance
December 9, 2021

This novel offers the reader a clever, thrilling plot that keeps you wondering what might happen next. The dialogue is ingenious and both captures the characters and aids in their development. The ending is full of surprises both as a thriller and a romance. The characters are so memorable you will be anxiously awaiting the next novel in the series.

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