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Susan Fleet
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ABSOLUTION: A Frank Renzi crime thriller Kindle Edition

by Susan A Fleet (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 925 ratings

A serial killer preys on young women in New Orleans. Is he a priest?

He kidnaps them, berates them for their sins and kills them. When a black journalist claims police only target Black male suspects, racial tensions boil over. NOPD Detective Frank Renzi closes in on a suspect, but the killer persuades a lonely teenager to help him escape. Will Renzi be able to save her?
Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller: 2009 Premier Book Awards
"A killer thriller!" Jan Herman, Arts Journal
"Creole-flavored suspense!" The Sun Chronicle
"...far above the ordinary whodunit. Bravo!"-- Florida Times-Union
"Relentless tempo ... sharp writing." Kirkus Reviews
"Definitely a page turner. Hard to put down, kept me going even after the killer was revealed." Amazon reader

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  1. Book 1 of 12
    Frank Renzi crime thriller series
  2. Print length
    283 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    February 16, 2008
  6. File size
    3.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Relentless tempo ... sharp writing." Kirkus Discoveries
"Creole-flavored suspense!" The Sun Chronicle
"A killer thriller!" Jan Herman, Arts Journal
"Intertwining 21st century issues with captivating characterdevelopment and suspenseful action, Fleet's thriller is set inpre-Katrina New Orleans 2005. A serial killer is on the loose and NOPD detective Frank Renzi must catch him before he claims his nextvictim. Bravo! -- K. G. Hunt, Florida Times-Union

From the Author

When I moved to New Orleans in 2001, a serial killer was terrorizing young women in Baton Rouge, LA. An FBI profiler predicted the killer would be a white man in his thirties, an unattractive man who lived alone and had problems interacting with women. After several more women were murdered, police finally in 2001 arrested Derek Todd Lee, a black man who was married with children and a known womanizer. Lee was convicted of several of the murders and remains on death row in a Louisiana prison. You can read about the case on my blog: DARK DEEDS: serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. 

This was my inspiration for ABSOLUTION. My serial killer is quite different from the Baton Rouge Serial Killer, but the book does include racial profiling as an incendiary element that arouses passions on both sides in New Orleans. Equally contentious is the tipster's accusation that the serial killer is a young white priest. Who is the killer? Will he keep on delivering his twisted idea of "absolution" or will NOPD Detective Frank Renzi stop him?

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003MNH7JY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Music & Mayhem Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 16, 2008
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 283 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0984723515
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 12 ‏ : ‎ Frank Renzi crime thriller series
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 925 ratings

About the author

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Susan Fleet

Susan Fleet

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In her travels, Susan Fleet has worn many hats: trumpeter, college professor and music historian. While teaching at Berklee College of Music in Boston, she began killing people. Fictionally, of course! In 2001 she moved to New Orleans, the setting for her award-winning crime thrillers featuring NOPD Homicide Detective Frank Renzi.

Susan still plays her trumpet every day, but spends most of her time dreaming up new ideas to terrify and enthrall her readers. See more at http://www.susanfleet.com Her other passion is promoting talented female musicians. See them here http://susanfleet.com/morewomenmusicians.htm

See her true crime books here. http://susanfleet.com/truecrimebooks.htm

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
925 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this crime thriller engaging, with a fast-paced plot full of twists and turns that keeps them reading until the end. The book features well-developed characters and is easy to read, with one customer noting the author's good command of language. Customers describe it as a page-turner that's very hard to put down.

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194 customers mention "Readability"191 positive3 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written, with one customer noting it's exciting to the very end.

"...compassion and introspection, she has created a number of interesting personal stories within this one, and an important message about nurturing..." Read more

"...The plot is engaging. The pace is steady and I found myself reading one more chapter, just one more. The dialogue is well written...." Read more

"...Bourbon street and streets nearby are alive with jazz clubs, great restaurants, bars of all sorts interests, houses of prostitution, streetwalkers,..." Read more

"...The book summary does a good job of describing the plot, so I won't go into too many details. In fact, there are little details to give...." Read more

102 customers mention "Plot twists"76 positive26 negative

Customers enjoy the plot twists in this crime thriller, describing it as a fast-paced murder mystery with a great psychological element.

"...I had stumbled onto a much-praised, psychological thriller of considerable socially redeeming value and expert character development...." Read more

"...I recommend Absolution for those who like a good crime story with excellent characterization. Kudos to Ms. Fleet for a first-rate debut novel!" Read more

"A rip-roaring mystery that captures your attention early on. The setting is the exciting, mysterious, foreboding city of New Orleans...." Read more

"...The plot is competent, if formulaic. There are no real twists in the book. Some of the "surprises" aren't that surprising...." Read more

68 customers mention "Writing quality"54 positive14 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read, with one customer noting it's a quick trip read, while another mentions it's hard to put down.

"...The dialogue is well written. There is a little bit of romance going on too, which I liked. Not so much:..." Read more

"...The writing is competent. The plot is competent, if formulaic. There are no real twists in the book...." Read more

"...down. But what really sets this thriller apart is the characterization...." Read more

"I could not put this book down! This was a fast paced, well written, edge of your seat thriller...." Read more

67 customers mention "Character development"62 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, particularly Frank Renzi, with one customer noting how the author helps readers understand their motivations.

"...thriller of considerable socially redeeming value and expert character development...." Read more

"...Ms. Fleet also developed the character of the killer extremely well. We are privy to many of his thoughts, which help us understand why he kills...." Read more

"...familiar, the rest of the cast is a superb ensemble of brilliantly drawn characters. Mannerisms, motivation, physical presence - it's all there...." Read more

"...I felt like I knew and could relate to ALL the characters. Getting inside the killers head and background really helped to build his character...." Read more

38 customers mention "Pacing"31 positive7 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as a fast-paced police procedural that's a great read.

"...The plot is engaging. The pace is steady and I found myself reading one more chapter, just one more. The dialogue is well written...." Read more

"I really enjoyed ABSOLUTION, the fast-paced story by Susan Fleet...." Read more

"I could not put this book down! This was a fast paced, well written, edge of your seat thriller...." Read more

"...THE UGLY: No real ugliness in the story, but what makes me wonder is how the author won the Best Mystery 2009 Premier Book Awards with a manuscript..." Read more

20 customers mention "Page turner"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, with enough suspense to keep them turning the pages throughout.

"...and crooked teeth, the first tip-off this might be an exceptionally solid page-turner...." Read more

"...turned out to be irrelevant, this book hooked me and kept me turning pages long into the early hours of the morning...." Read more

"...Overall the plot was interesting, it kept me turning pages, I enjoyed the characters and there was enough action and guessing that it was certainly..." Read more

"...killer is quite early she still spins a good yarn that makes one keep turning the pages (so to speak with an e-book)...." Read more

15 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"12 positive3 negative

Customers find the book very hard to put down.

"Super hard to put down, keeps you intrigued...." Read more

"...The story was compelling and hard to put down and I will read another of Susan Fleet's books, but I am all for taking responsibility for your own..." Read more

"Really enjoyed this book, very hard to put down and get anything done. I intend to buy some of Susan Fleet other books, some more of Renzi as well." Read more

"...It was hard to put down, and some parts were very good, but many many parts were repeats, and too much un-needed back ground on characters when it..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Karen J. Dahood
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gets Better and Better As You Rush to the End
    Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is a crime novel I almost stopped reading on my Kindle at 2%. The author seemed to have pandered to the masses with foul language and cheap sex. But I was wrong. "Dawn Andrews" had a limp and crooked teeth, the first tip-off this might be an exceptionally solid page-turner. The second was that the handsome young killer is addicted to chocolate and -- tongues. I had stumbled onto a much-praised, psychological thriller of considerable socially redeeming value and expert character development.

    Susan Fleet says in her acknowledgements: "The creation of a novel is a thrilling process, but the journey is long and arduous." In capturing the essence of this killer's narcissism, and endowing other characters with compassion and introspection, she has created a number of interesting personal stories within this one, and an important message about nurturing children with genuine love.

    Our hero, Frank Renzi, 42, has a sad history that is in some ways familiar: he's a dedicated cop who made a mistake, and is trying to rebuild his life, with an emotionally fragile ex-wife and an estranged daughter in the background. His instincts and insights are not appreciated by his superior, who has unleashed his New Orleans force to find the serial killer he believes is, most certainly, a black man. When Frank wants him to look at another set of facts, he throws him off the task force. Renzi is given the thankless job of finding a runaway.

    Then the media get involved. Goaded on by a gutsy, black, female journalist, angered by the profiling, Frank investigates the serial killings on his own, and finds witnesses who saw victims with a priest. Could it be a priest or someone dressed like one? Of course the Catholic hierarchy is outraged that such a theory should be considered. As Renzi gets closer to solving the case, thanks in part to his suspect's childhood therapist, the killer is losing control and more victims fall. The final chase after the "Twisted Tongue Killer" is on.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Christine Terrell
    4.0 out of 5 stars I love Frank Renzi!!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    What a nice surprise this book was. I pulled this one out from the depths of my to-read mountain for a book group read-a-long. I must say it was very entertaining.
    The story is about New Orleans Police Department Detective Frank Renzi and his efforts to bring down a serial killer and to also find a missing teenage girl. Frank has had his problems and bears his burdens the best he can. The hunt for the killer is complicated by the racial and religious tensions inherent in the Deep South. Also making Frank’s life difficult is the FBI agent in charge of the investigation who doesn’t want to listen to Frank’s ideas, which go against the agent’s own theories.

    What I liked:
    Ms. Fleet does a great job with the New Orleans backdrop. I have never been to that city and appreciated the detail she includes to nicely set the mood of the scenes. I also really liked Detective Frank Renzi, who is fleshed out wonderfully. He is troubled as most protags are, but he is honorable and does the very best he can. Ms. Fleet also developed the character of the killer extremely well. We are privy to many of his thoughts, which help us understand why he kills. Priest Sean Daily and reporter Rona Jefferson are also very well written characters. Though it becomes clear early on who the baddie is, that did not lessen my interest in the storyline. I remained keenly interested in how this guy was going to be brought down. The plot is engaging. The pace is steady and I found myself reading one more chapter, just one more. The dialogue is well written. There is a little bit of romance going on too, which I liked.

    Not so much:
    There are a couple of scenes that are over the top in my opinion, but I was able to roll with it. I also rolled with Frank getting away with breaking a lot of rules. My worst criticism is reserved for the total disregard for HIPAA when Frank seeks out a psychiatrist and receives a lot of info on one of her patients.

    In summary, I greatly enjoyed Absolution. I have a keen interest in revisiting Frank Renzi and have purchased 4 of the remaining 5 books in the series. I recommend Absolution for those who like a good crime story with excellent characterization. Kudos to Ms. Fleet for a first-rate debut novel!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Susie Morrell
    5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTION (A Frank Renzi mystery). by Susan A Fleet
    Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    A rip-roaring mystery that captures your attention early on. The setting is the exciting, mysterious, foreboding city of New Orleans. A serial killer is actively at large seeking young women to lure them into his company or bamboozle them onto trusting him, leading them to follow into the dark horror he creates ...tormenting and mutilating their bodies by cutting out their tongues. He preys on insecure women who are lonely and unloved, disfigured or feel unlovable. He approaches them in bars or parks or malls where he can observe their weaknesses, then poses as a psychologist who can help them. What is difficult to believe is he is strongly suspected of being a young Catholic priest. Heavily populated with Catholics, it is difficult for them to fathom the Tongue Killer being a Man-of-the-Cloth. Frank Renzi, a talented detective, and his partner, along with the sharp police department keep the respective areas they are responsible for safe and secure. The story moves along with much action taking place along the way. Bourbon street and streets nearby are alive with jazz clubs, great restaurants, bars of all sorts interests, houses of prostitution, streetwalkers, bar girls, much excitement to keep everyone entertained. The action heats up as the law closes in on thr Tongue Killer. A woman who believes in 'the sinner' as The Tongue Killer calls himself, stays with him while the police have him surrounded. Their relationship comes to a sad tragic end as the law closes in. Bullots began firing. People are hurt. The end becomes desperately tragic. Many issues still remain unsolved. This is a well developed, well written mystery. I am looking forward to reading more of Detective Frank Renzi's novels. A good mystery I highly recommend.
    Carole Beighey

    .
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Top reviews from other countries

  • TheNikitaGirl
    3.0 out of 5 stars Great Debut
    Reviewed in Canada on January 12, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    3.5 Stars for sure

    I liked the character of Detective Frank Renzi. His strengths and weaknesses. His good nature and love for the job. I enjoyed his back story and complicated family life. Very realistic and believable characterization here. Not just with him, but with Evelyn and Maureen. Excellent portrayal of challenging relationships based on life circumstances.

    The author did well with making a disgusting villain and all his psychological hang ups. I hated him and wanted to murder him myself. Not for his sadistic self but his annoying one. I definitely enjoyed the secondary character of Sean Daily and that small intersecting storyline. Felt that there was lots of original stuff here but also a lot of cliched things.

    Which brings me to the stuff I didn't like...
    I felt that there was lots of redundancy and repetitive sentences. Especially near the end.
    I didn't like the Rona character for some reason, whereas I've seen me enjoy characters similar to her before. Not quite sure why, but maybe because she hung a lot of people out to dry with her own agenda.
    I felt like there could have been more of the Miller character in the book. Renzi definitely could have included him more in his investigating.

    I felt hope for the Dana and Renzi pairing and enjoyed their initial meeting. However, I didn't enjoy her conflicting opinion with Renzi near the climax and her sudden change of heart after the fact. Although maybe it is true to life as is women can be wishy-washy. I believe I'm doing it as we speak. Lol I felt their chemistry for sure at the beginning but maybe because of the repetition near the end started to care less. I liked Renzi, so I wanted to see him happy again. He has a real honesty about him. A characteristic he also admired in Daily.

    The story flowed well for the most part. Although I found myself near the end of the book just wanting it to finish.

    Overall, I feel like the author had a good grasp of her characters but just that the story had small weaknesses. I'll definitely read the next book in the series to see where the writing takes us.
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  • Tom Bryson - writer
    5.0 out of 5 stars First rate crime thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Young women with physical or psychological flaws who lack self-esteem and need love are the targets of the warped perpetrator in this excellent crime thriller.

    Cop Frank Renzi investigates and as the murder tally grows so do the tensions within the New Orleans police department between Renzi and his nemesis Special Agent Burke Norris and investigative journalist Rona Jefferson who publicly shakes the department with racist allegations of targeting black male suspects. Their characters all collide putting more pressure on Renzi as his obsession with finding the killer induces guilt over his neglect of his daughter's feelings and his ex-wife's mental decline. The "Big Easy's" oppressive heat and atmosphere are compounded by the killer's horrific mutilation of his victims - he takes trophies.

    Susan Fleet's first novel has pace, insightful character portrayals and a compelling need to know 'what happens next?' Damaged minds, dysfunctional upbringing and aberrant religious views are captured in this gritty, streetwise crime novel. A great read - let's have more please!
    Tom Bryson author TOO SMART TO DIE (Matt Proctor novels) Sarcophagus
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  • healthysean
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Taut, Gripping and Powerful thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Thanks to Susan Fleet for offering her book free to my group " A Good Thriller".

    Also a great thanks Susan for doing our popular "Read a Long" for the month of May, what a great success, and what a great book.

    Set in one of the most provocative cities in America, New Orleans, Susan has created a nasty killer of similar proportions. The Sinner stalks his victims with a relentless attention to detail that one begins to wonder if he’ll get away with his crimes.

    In spite of his checkered past, Frank Renzi is a good cop. He’s hardworking, conscientious, dedicated, honorable–just the sort of person any city would want out on the streets hunting criminals. But this time Renzi may have met his match in the" sinner.” The serial killer is a Catholic priest, warped by a dark childhood of torture and humiliation at the hands of a cruel nanny, unable to resist a compulsion to inflict his inner pain on innocent women. The sinner commits a series of ritualistic murders he refers to as absolutions,” which always end with the post-mortem removal of his victim’s tongue. But he covers his tracks thoroughly, leaving the police with very few clues., a cunning and clever nasty serial killer.

    That doesn’t stop Burke Norris, a rather nasty character, the overbearing and publicity-hungry FBI agent in charge of the investigation, from looking for an African-American suspect. The city’s seething divisions rise to the surface when reporter Rona Jefferson insists the search for a black suspect is racially motivated. For reasons of her own, she repeatedly and confrontationally uses her column to urge the police to look for a white priest, putting the Catholic community on edge. Into these treacherous waters steps Renzi, a dedicated cop with dark secrets in his past.

    The book shows to me Susan Fleet's love of Noir Crime films, as I could see Frank Renzi, as the 1940's black and white crime thriller film noir detective, and would make a great film.

    Some very well crafted characters, from Miller, Renzi's partner to Rona Jefferson to our nasty sinner and also Dana.

    A taut, gripping, well paced and well written crime thriller, and a great start to this series of books.

    Thanks again Susan
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  • Saffron1623
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good ...... but a little too much content I feel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I read this as part of our readalong group read in A Good Thriller. Set in the city of New Orleans, young women are being murdered and left positioned as if wiping out their sins.

    'The Sinner' is our bad guy that is revealed some way through the book. The read itself has a noir feel about it which I initially liked. Something a bit different and not what I would normally go for but as the read went on certain aspects started to niggle. Aspects like repetitive language of what the sinner did when he felt the urge to kill (namely in the groin area). I felt that particular angle was repeated a little too often. And occasionally whilst the story started off well it felt like too much was thrown at it as the book went on, especially towards the end. A shame because had the steady pace remained throughout I personally felt it would have been a better read. Ms Fleet writes well for the most part which is what hooked me in in the first place. Her ability to capture the sense of New Orleans is terrific and has no trouble in creating vivid characters whether likeable or not. I especially loathed FBI boss, Burke Norris but really like our hero, Frank Renzi. Easy to feel for him given his personal circumstances which shows I really appreciated the fleshing out of his character.

    It's just at times the overall storyline felt at little too over the top which is ultimately what let it down slightly for me but on the whole it's not a bad read at all. It's an accomplished debut and certainly good enough to warrant reading more in this particular series, if only to see how Renzi's character develops.
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  • Shaun Peare
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read...............
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Frank Renzi is a brilliantly portrayed character that follows the threads of the case in a wholly believeable way which makes this story a really gripping page-turner. A well written tale by a writer that knows her craft and how to weave an excellent storyline. For me: I just had to keep reading once I started and found the twists and turns great right through to the end. Better than many "made for television" thrillers!
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