The reviewer says “Fans of the Netflix docuseries Fear City, the films Donnie Brasco and The Irishman, or Selwyn Raab’s Five Families will enjoy this insider’s update on of one of the original Italian American crime families.” The full review follows below: In this compulsively readable mix of memoir and true crime, former undercover FBI agent Rocco (a pseudonym the …
Giovanni’s Ring was reviewed by Publishers Weekly on April 12, 2021
Rocco, the alias for a New Jersey cop who infiltrated the Mafia in the 2010s, vividly conveys the challenges and perils of undercover work in this gripping if inadequately sourced memoir. Rocco, the son of a policeman, grew up in Bayonne, N.J., playing with kids whose relatives were in the mob. After he barely graduated from high school, his father’s …
Giovanni’s Ring: My Life Inside the Real Sopranos (Chicago Review Press, June 2021) is slated for review in the May 1, 2021 issue of Booklist. It will go live online on April 29, 2021.
“Giovanni Rocco walked the tightrope of an undercover operative deftly for years, infiltrating the DeCalvacante crime family in New Jersey. Rocco grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey, where the presence of organized crime loomed. Despite some minor rabble-rousing in his youth, Rocco avoided going the way of the wiseguy. A career in law enforcement beckoned as an escape, and kept …
Very few undercover agents (UCAs) have been able to successfully infiltrate the inner sanctum of Cosa Nostra. Giovanni Rocco is one of those UCAs
This page-turner is a must read if you want to experience Giovanni’s dangerous and oftentimes violent journey inside the real-life Sopranos.” –Joaquin “Jack” Garcia, retired FBI UCA and author of Making Jack Falcone
This account of Giovanni Rocco’s many years’ work to infiltrate the ranks of the Jersey Mob drips with authenticity and crackles with tension from the first page to the last
But what sets it apart is Rocco’s unflinching honesty concerning the cost of such work to his family, his marriage, and, ultimately, his very soul. You will likely read this at an unbroken gallop, just as I did.” –Les Standiford, author of Bringing Adam Home
Once again truth trumps fiction in this riveting account of an undercover cop from New Jersey burrowing deep into the confidence of mob killers and made-men straight out of Hollywood Central Casting
Giovanni Rocco, himself a product of the streets of Bayonne, risks his marriage and family spying for the FBI on an assignment where a mere slip of the tongue or discovery of his hidden recorders could kill him. From page one of Giovanni’s Ring, the jeopardy is constant, the stakes high, and the prose pure Jersey.” –William C. Rempel, author …
Giovanni Rocco and Doug Schofield tell a terrific, fast-paced story about Giovanni’s undercover penetration of the DeCavalcante crime family
But what makes the book compelling and different than other Mafia tales is the often chilling incidents in which Giovanni found himself close to being exposed by the Mob, and the psychological torment that put him and his family through. Giovanni’s Ring is a great crime story about a man who rose from the streets of New Jersey to help …
STORM RISING – Loved, loved, loved it!
February 11, 2017. I posted on my Facebook . . . On a scale of 1 – 10, Storm Rising is a 12, just finished about 2 am today. Loved, loved, loved it! By Kathleen S.
Review: Killing Pace by Douglas Schofield
by Kristin Centorcelli Killing Pace by Douglas Schofield is a high-octane, heart-pounding tale set in Everglades City, Florida, and Sicily, Italy, with three important questions: Where am I? … How did I get here? … and most importantly … Who am I? Lisa Green has amnesia. Her “boyfriend” Roland, insists that he’s protecting her in the remote Florida Everglades cabin …
This book will fly off the shelves…A suspenseful mystery that slowly unfolds and becomes a tender love story.
I recently had the opportunity to read a pre-publication copy of, “Time of Departure.” A few thoughts. WOW! I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I finished reading Time of Departure. That’s a good thing because it’s how I rate a book. If I can’t stop thinking about it, and wondering “what if?” and don’t feel like picking up …
A wonderful thrill of a book that takes you to unexpected places and keep you on the edge of your seat to the very last page.
Wow. That was my first thought when I put this book down just after midnight last night. I have to admit, about halfway through the book I was beginning to wonder where all of the five star reviews were coming from. I knew there was a twist and I even had a pretty good idea of what it would be, …
I couldn’t stop…I was hooked from the beginning
Wow! What a great book and what a surprise. I was hooked from the beginning by the story of young, state prosecutor Claire Talbot who is the newly appointed felony division chief. She is tough as nails and has to prove herself daily to many old school cops. It didn’t help at all when a newly discovered grave linked back …
Intriguing and absorbing, Storm Rising is a suspenseful read from start to finish.
Reading a new author is almost akin to visiting a new place. You need to adapt, familiarise and learn the groove of things. Though I’m new to author Douglas Schofield, I quickly adapt to his style of writing, drawn into the story by the gutsy characters and their suspenseful stories. Storm Rising: A Mystery by Douglas Schofield is much more …
Schofield writes female protagonists better than most in the business
Loved this book! Schofield writes relatable characters in situations that keep you completely engaged- the storm at the center of the story is Hurricane Sandy. It has a sense of urgency that keeps the story moving, and you really care what happens to Lucy and everyone around her. Schofield writes female protagonists better than most in the business, and his …
Time of Departure review by James Renner
“If Michael Connelly and Audrey Niffenegger collaborated on a story and then sent it into the past to be edited by Rod Serling, that novel would be Time of Departure. A hard-boiled detective thriller with a dash of fantasy, Time of Departure is a clever read. Daring, even. It risks angering readers who thought they knew what they were in for, only to …
Les Standiford – author of Bone Key and Water to the Angels
Douglas Schofield’s Time of Departure is the fictional equivalent of a carefully crafted set of Chinese boxes, with a gripping police procedural nested within an engaging character study, enveloped by an overarching narrative that grapples with this world’s essential questions. The investigation undertaken by driven state’s attorney Claire Talbot takes readers to chilling, uncharted territory and reminds us that “whodunit” …
Pre-publication reaction – “Time of Departure” by Douglas Schofield
Pre-publication reaction from editors and proofreaders– – Simply couldn’t put it down so I finished the novel last night!! Brilliant, genius, superb, excellent! Words are inadequate. I now see why your friend got goose bumps reading it. I love the way you used a legal who-dunnit as a vehicle to tell a very different and heart-rending love story. Really fantastic …
A Royal Tale
Bymelody pietyon November 19, 2017 It was exciting, fast paced and I had a hard time putting it down. I got very involved with the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Flight Risks
ByAlfred Humphreyson April 17, 2012 Wow! What a great read! Flight Risks reads like an action film. Mr. Schofield draws you into the story with a cast of rich and well developed characters and you feel like you’re right there in the middle of the action. You just have to read this book then hope it does out as a …
MOVE OVER PATTERSON & SHELDON!
Bydeb mctaggarton April 18, 2012 Brilliant,believable and a real page turner! Once you start it you won’t put it down s before you do… CLEAR YOUR CALENDER! Schofield does a fantastic job of reeling you in and developing the characters so well you feel you know them and you CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM. Move over Patterson and Sheldon. You …
Incredible Read! Highly Recommended.
ByDDon April 15, 2012 To be blunt, I loved this book. Schofield writes with the easy confidence of a master and it’s hard to believe this is his first book.Don’t let the book’s cover or title fool you; the story is about an international manhunt (womanhunt?) for Grace Palliser. Grace’s already out of control life gets even messier, after …
Not since Silence of the Lambs have I felt such a rush!
ByJayne Wayneon April 14, 2012 Reading Flight Risks became my obsession. This was a thrilling, suspenseful, gut-wrenching adventure. I couldn’t stop rooting for Grace and worrying about her like a dear friend. She’s dangerously intelligent, strikingly sexy, and tragically human. She just can’t get a break, but she was never broken. It triggered many of the same emotions as Silence …
Excellent!
ByAlex777on December 11, 2012 a taut narrative which moves at warp speed, an appealing heroine, and a clever re-imagining of a bit of royal history. first class!
An Alternate Royal Reality
ByDDon October 4, 2012 I read and loved Schofield’s first book, Flight Risks, and looked forward to reading his latest effort, which did not disappoint. Like Flight Risks, the protagonist is a woman with a messy personal life (although not as messy as Grace’s in Flight Risks). In the midst of losing at love and possibly losing her job, a …
Extremely Enjoyable!
ByJansenon October 6, 2012 I didn’t know what to expect when i started this book. I’m not sure I would have purchased it if I had just downloaded the sample. I’m glad I just hit the “buy” button. I enjoyed the characters. I LOVED the premise and the story. I like books that move along and this one did. The …
Best Author Ever!
Best Author Ever! Byjeezlouiseon April 29, 2016 My first introduction to Doug Scofield’s books was Time of Departure. It was such an amazing book to read that I couldn’t wait to read more of this author. Succession is also a fantastic book! I can’t wait for the next one in this series which I believe is coming out later this …
A five-star rating for Time of Departure
A five-star rating! Wow! What a great book and what a surprise. I was hooked from the beginning by the story of young, state prosecutor Claire Talbot who is the newly appointed felony division chief. She is tough as nails and has to prove herself daily to many old school cops. It didn’t help at all when a newly discovered …
IN EXALTED COMPANY…
Succession among bookstore manager’s top ten picks for 2012… http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Megan-s-Top-10-Novels-of-2012.html?soid=1100733890068&aid=MQRIPBqAUpg
“BETTER THAN ICE CREAM” says Oscar nominee Graham Greene…
I downloaded the digital version of Succession and it kept me up nights. Mr. Schofield should be charging more for it! It’s better than ice cream – the way the story unfolds is excellent, the characters are wonderful, the story is like a basket of delicate gourmet treats! – Graham Greene, film actor (Oscar nominee, Dances With Wolves)
THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL!
Be warned! Start this book and you will not be able to put it down. It’s like reading an action movie – a very smart, well written blockbuster. This book made me late for dinner! I’m not a mystery/thriller reader usually but this book has it all – mystery, murders, car chases, illegitimate royal weddings, poisoning, kidnappings, handsome bodyguards…even Queen …
A ROYALLY THRILLING READ!
It’s a rave for Succession on Pink Julep Abroad! http://www.pinkjulepabroad.com/2012/12/succession-by-douglas-schofield-royally.html
A CLIFF HANGER!
I didn’t know what to expect when I started ‘Succession’. I’m not sure I would have purchased it if I had just downloaded the Kindle sample. I’m glad I just hit the “buy” button. I enjoyed the characters. I LOVED the premise and the story. I like books that move along and this one did. The only thing that I …
AN ALTERNATE ROYAL REALITY
I read and loved Schofield’s first book, ‘Flight Risks’, and looked forward to reading his latest effort, ‘Succession’, which did not disappoint. Like ‘Flight Risks’, the protagonist is a woman with a messy personal life (although not as messy as Grace’s in ‘Flight Risks’). In the midst of losing at love and possibly losing her job, a phone call begins …
FELL IN LOVE WITH GRACE PALLISER
Flight Risks was such a great read! I couldn’t wait to get back to it every time I was forced to put it down. The plot not only kept moving but it kept me guessing. I ended up falling in love with Grace Palliser even though at the beginning of the book I wanted to despise her for her faults. …
‘FLIGHT RISKS’ MADE ME LATE FOR LUNCH!
This is a great read – a cross between Patricia Cornwell and John Grisham. Towards the end I quite literally was unable to put this book down and consequently turned up nearly an hour late for lunch one Sunday. It was worth it though (particularly when you get to the clever twist that will make you go, “No …., surely …
BOOKSTORE MANAGER COMPLAINS ABOUT ‘SUCCESSION’
Two quick things, Douglas – you, Carl and Emma have made me late for dinner. And, “His name is Rex” may be one of the best final lines I’ve ever read. Outstanding book!!! Megan McCluskey, Manager, BOOKS & BOOKS, Camana Bay, Grand Cayman.
Royal Family Thriller ‘Succession’ Attracts Hollywood Attention
Attorney Douglas Schofield’s second novel, ‘Succession’, takes genre fusion in all the right directions, melding political thriller, medical drama, legal drama, and historical romance into an exciting, fast–paced adventure. Attorney Douglas Schofield’s ‘Succession’, a novel that has already grabbed Hollywood interest, has all the right stuff to grab the attention of a much wider audience than the typical political thriller due to Schofield’s …
PRESS RELEASE – ‘Flight Risks’ is a realistic page-turner with delicious twists
Attorney Douglas Schofield’s Debut Novel, ‘Flight Risks’: A Realistic Page-Turner With Delicious Twists Grace Palliser—legal secretary, recovering addict, and divorced mother who lost custody of her daughter—is the focal character in Douglas Schofield’s novel ‘Flight Risks’. Clearly, she’s a woman with a past, but when she uncovers a plot to make false claims on dormant accounts of Holocaust victims, the …
The Victoria Times-Colonist, a leading daily newspaper in British Columbia, calls Flight Risks “a fast-paced, snappy thriller”
Douglas Schofield is a Canadian-educated lawyer who lives in Grand Cayman. Flight Risks is a fast-paced, snappy thriller that hurtles through the worlds of law, finance, politics and family. The main character, Grace Palliser, works for a law firm in Victoria, and while she is battling an ex-husband for custody of her five-year-old daughter Sherry, Grace is also trying to …
“When I had to put the book down, I couldn’t wait to get back to it” says Oscar nominee Graham Greene
Graham Greene reviews Flight Risks: “I spend most of my time reading screenplays, and I very seldom take the time to read novels. But this novel is an exception. The way Mr. Schofield writes is refreshing. His choice of words… the way he uses words… just astonishes me. I kept re-reading sentences just to enjoy them. And what a fabulous …
Miami Book Club: “We are fans!”
Dear Mr. Schofield: Thank you very much for a most entertaining gift to our Book Club. “Flight Risks” a wonderful surprise and having signed copies made it special. We lived ever so adventurously with Grace, meeting her internal demons, external foes, friends, and loves. Our heroine, with the help of several good friends, manages to overcome many difficulties. Her journey …
JP says Flight Risks “will take you on a wild ride and you will not want it to end”
This thriller will take you on a wild ride and you will not want it to end. I loved the tempo of this book, going from the heights of suspense to a moment of calm for the heroine and then picking up again. The story kept me on the edge of my seat and I cannot wait to read future …
“You won’t want to put it down!”
You won’t want to put it down! I finished it over a few days and thoroughly enjoyed it, I would strongly recommend it, well written, great plot and a captivating heroine. Lis September 28, 2010
“Suffice it to say, I highly recommend this book. Don’t be surprised if you see it on the big screen sometime in the future! “
To be blunt, I loved this book. Schofield writes with the easy confidence of a master and it’s hard to believe this is his first book. The story is about an international manhunt (womanhunt?) for Grace Palliser. Grace’s already out of control life gets even messier, after her natural curiosity and sense of foul play lands her in the middle …
“My heart was racing from start to finish with no let up in sight”
I have finally found the girl of my dreams, Grace Palliser in a first rate book called Flight Risks but sadly it is fiction. A friend gave me this terrific bit of writing by Doug Schofield because I live in Victoria and the plot kicks off here, and what a start it is. Mr. Schofield plays with our emotions setting …
Deb McTaggart of the Grand Cayman calls Flight Risks “Brilliant, believable and a real page turner”
Brilliant, believable and a real page turner. Once you start it you wont put it down so before you do… CLEAR YOUR CALENDER! Schofield does a fantastic job of reeling you in and developing the characters so well you feel you know them and YOU CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM. Move over Patterson and Sheldon. You have some serious competition …
“I found the ending thought-provoking. I’m looking forward to reading more from this talented author”
This first novel by Douglas Schofield is a real page-turner. Reading it, I was surprised that it was a debut novel – that’s how accomplished the writing is. The main character, Grace, is a gutsy, intelligent girl – a very human and sympathetic character, complete with a handful of flaws and problems – who rises to every challenge the author …
“Flight Risks is a thoroughly absorbing read!!”
So it’s been a while since you’ve read a really great book, right? One that you can’t put down? One that keeps you up past bedtime because you just have to know what happens next? If you’re looking for such a book, Flight Risks by Douglas Schofield is the one. This reader was captured from the early pages by the …
Robin McMillan says Flight Risks is “highly recommended as a book that one cannot put down”
Douglas Schofield has written a most accomplished and well-crafted first thriller novel. It has drama, plot, structure and character development. Spanning 3 different countries, it introduces us to a troubled young heroine and her perilous journey, while also educating us on a number of technical matters, which become central to the unfolding of the story. It is highly recommended as …
“And to think that “Flight Risks” is Douglas Schofield’s first novel ?! I can’t wait for his next one!” raves Alfred Humphreys
Wow!! What a great read. And to think that “Flight Risks” is Douglas Schofield’s first novel ?! I can’t wait for his next one! Flight Risks reads like an action film. Mr. Schofield draws you into the story with rich and well-developed characters and you feel you’re right there in the middle of the action. You just have to read …
“Flight Risks is an astonishingly assured and accomplished debut novel”
Flight Risks is an astonishingly assured and accomplished debut novel. Its fast-moving plot has many twists but all are deftly handled and the reader is kept thoroughly entertained from start to finish. But this is not just a rollicking good read. The characters are well-rounded and convincing and the settings complement the plot. Highly recommended! MG London, U.K. December 14, …
Flight Risks is a “polished and exciting thriller” says Elise Hattersley, Chief Editor at Hirst Publishing
Elise Hattersley is Chief Editor at Hirst Publishing. Flight Risks was the second book she edited after joining the company. In Hirst Publishing’s “Showcase 2010”, Elise discussed some of the books she had edited. “Next came Flight Risks by Douglas Schofield, which is a polished and exciting thriller. It kept me riveted until the end, and sucked me in well beyond the …
Jim Grady of Nova Scotia calls Flight Risks “a hit!”
This book is something else! I stayed up all night reading it. It’s a hit! Keep up the good work and keep them coming! -Jim Grady, retiree, Nova Scotia [Personal message to author]
Cynthia Chan raves “What a great story, I really enjoyed it!”
I just finished reading your book and just wanted to say – WOW – they don’t call it a “thriller” for nothing! What a great story, I really enjoyed it! The ending was such a surprise – I did not expect that either! I hope one day I get to see a movie based on this. -Cynthia Chan, legal secretary, …
“The novel reads like a Hollywood blockbuster thriller, creating suspense and mystery at every turn…” says David Dinner
I’ve been meaning to write to you for a while to tell you how much I enjoyed Flight Risks. I’m not much of a thriller reader, being mostly a non-fiction reader, but I found the book simply impossible to put down and finished it over the course of an otherwise busy weekend, sneaking in a few pages whenever I could. …
“What a thrilling journey you took me on!” says Alister Ayres of the Cayman Islands
What a thrilling journey you took me on! I never wanted the rollercoaster to stop and when it did it left me hungering for the next trip! -Alister Ayres, realtor, Cayman Islands [Personal message to author]
Actor Alf Humphreys calls Flight Risks “a wonderful and exciting story!”
Sadly, but completely satisfied, I finished reading FLIGHT RISKS. I arrived on the set of Diary of a Wimpy Kid two hours before my call time. I wanted to be alone without any interruptions and just sit down with all the characters in the novel. What a wonderful and exciting story! I just could not wait to pick up the book to continue on …
“It’s a page turner and sure to hit the Bestseller List” raves Stephany Cull of California
Finished your excellent first novel yesterday… it’s a page turner and sure to hit the Bestseller List. I mean that. It’s really good! – Stephany Cull, businesswoman, California [Personal message to author]
Larry Fernandez calls Flight Risks “a fantastic read! Thanks for such an enjoyable escape.”
I just finished Flight Risks three minutes ago. What a fantastic read! Thanks for such an enjoyable escape. It will be a smash!! Larry Fernandez, attorney, Florida [Personal message to author]