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Lethal Impulse
He’s riddled with guilt. She’s annoyed with the status quo.
The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder.
Tess Fleishman’s pale skin and extreme weight loss portrays a disease she wants others to see. While inside, a compulsion for Neil fuels her passion to have him or destroy him.
As Neil delves into the heart of the town's secrets, will truth deliver solace? Or will Tess prevail?
The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder.
Tess Fleishman’s pale skin and extreme weight loss portrays a disease she wants others to see. While inside, a compulsion for Neil fuels her passion to have him or destroy him.
As Neil delves into the heart of the town's secrets, will truth deliver solace? Or will Tess prevail?
267 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2024
5,341 people want to read
About the author
Steve Rush
11Ìýbooks212ÌýfollowersSteve’s book Kill Your Characters; Crime Scene Tips for Writers was named finalist in the 2023 Silver Falchion Award for Best Nonfiction and Honorable Mention in the 2023 Readersâ€� Favorite Awards.
Steve won joint first prize in the 2020 Chillzee KiMo T-E-N Contest and longlisted in the 2022 Page Turner Awards. 2022 Public Safety Writing Association Writing Competition first and third place award for two unpublished manuscripts, and first-place tie for Kill Your Characters.
Steve's experience includes tenure as homicide detective and chief forensic investigator for a national consulting firm. He was once hailed as “The best forensic investigator in the United States� by the late Joseph L. Burton, M.D, under whom he mastered his skills, and investigated many deaths alongside Dr. Jan Garavaglia of Dr. G: Medical Examiner fame. Steve has investigated 900+ death scenes and taught classes related to death investigation. His specialties include injury causation, blood spatter analysis, occupant kinematics, and recovery of human skeletal remains.
He lives in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Sharon.
Steve won joint first prize in the 2020 Chillzee KiMo T-E-N Contest and longlisted in the 2022 Page Turner Awards. 2022 Public Safety Writing Association Writing Competition first and third place award for two unpublished manuscripts, and first-place tie for Kill Your Characters.
Steve's experience includes tenure as homicide detective and chief forensic investigator for a national consulting firm. He was once hailed as “The best forensic investigator in the United States� by the late Joseph L. Burton, M.D, under whom he mastered his skills, and investigated many deaths alongside Dr. Jan Garavaglia of Dr. G: Medical Examiner fame. Steve has investigated 900+ death scenes and taught classes related to death investigation. His specialties include injury causation, blood spatter analysis, occupant kinematics, and recovery of human skeletal remains.
He lives in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Sharon.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 3, 2025
Engaging characters and a compelling mystery of murder, revenge, and obsession.
Lethal Impulse by Steve Rush is a compelling thriller and whydunit mystery featuring a serial killer targeting sweet high school girls in a small Georgia town. With its engaging main characters and race-against-the-clock pace, I was completely immersed in the suspenseful search for the killer, so much so that I was annoyed by any interruptions to my reading.
Main character Neil Caldera, the disgraced former NYPD detective, has a genuine and dedicated servant’s heart. His law enforcement career was sidelined, and he was left emotionally affected by the death of an innocent bystander by one of his bullets during his righteous shooting of a serial killer in self-defense. Pursuing a new life as a man of the cloth, Neil accepts a ministerial position at a church in the small town of Madison, Georgia. Welcomed into the community, he keeps his former life as a detective to himself. However, the local police chief, also a deacon at his church, is aware of his academic degree related to crime and law enforcement, as is the chief’s wife, who had developed an uncomfortable and open sexual interest in Neil that she just won’t let go.The story unfolds from multiple points of view, including Neil’s, crime scene Sergeant Sloane Azevedo’s, and several supporting characters. Neil is drawn into the murder of a popular local high school student at the behest of the police chief, who wants to use his expert insight into the gruesome murder to gain an advantage in solving the case before he must call in the state officials. Neil and Sloane share a mutual attraction from the start, and their increased proximity and the story’s suspense soon ignites their formerly slow-burn romance into a wonderfully passionate love story.
The action moves quickly as the pair follows up on clues while the case’s lead detective does his official investigation, working in concert and sharing information. The author creates a horrifically ritualistic-style murder and an evocatively terrifying crime scene, including some unique and bloody clues left behind as a taunt. Realistic details of what is seen, heard, and even smelled bring the crime scene and the subsequent investigation to life. When the murderer is uncovered, the plot shifts to finding concrete evidence to arrest them and answering the ultimate question of why.While the story was mesmerizing, and I really didn’t want to put it down; I did have some quibbles with the execution of the story, such as continuity issues; some stilted, unnatural feeling or cryptic dialogue; overly descriptive passages of random physical movements by characters that were not critical to the plot; small plot holes; and questions left unanswered by close of the book. None kept me from wanting to dive back into the story.
I recommend LETHAL IMPULSE to readers of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers who are not sensitive to graphic scenes of murder.I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.
December 4, 2024
Lethal Impulse is a compelling noir thriller about Neil Caldera, a former NYPD investigator turned small-town pastor. Caldera, haunted by his past, becomes involved in a murder case, shattering his temporary serenity. The narrative is a well-written, character-driven exploration of forensic inquiry, supplemented by author Steve Rush's background as a murder investigator and forensic specialist. Fans of murder mysteries and noir are going to enjoy this genuine, classic, gripping story, which seems like a ride-along with an experienced expert. Highly recommended.
January 23, 2025
Lethal Impulse by Steve Rush is a gripping detective mystery/thriller with intriguing psychological twists. Neil Caldera is a NYC homicide detective who is on the trail of a serial killer. Upon hearing of his location, Neil rushes to the scene and follows him through the crowded streets. Rather than let his suspect escape to kill more victims, Neil takes what he thinks in a clear shot, resulting in the death of the assailant, and the unfortunate death of the innocent daughter of a crime boss. Disgraced and under investigation, Neil takes a job as a minister in a rural town in Georgia to find solace and deal with the overwhelming guilt. When a young high school student turns up brutally murdered, Neil is asked to consult with the small-town sheriff and his staff. With the help of police Sergeant Sloane Azevedo and a local detective, they begin to put the pieces together to vicious and bizarre murder with no viable suspects.
I thoroughly enjoyed the intense pace Rush sets as the clues unfold, secrets are revealed, and the violence escalates, often adding more confusion than clarity to the detectives. I was baffled right alone with them, as I tried to sort through the suspects and motives. The plot was expertly woven. There are several subplots that added suspense and helped us get to know the characters and really care about them, especially Neil and Sloane’s budding romance. I truly admire Rush’s ability to give the just right amount important details about the characters and the scenes to put the reader squarely in each moment. I could hear, smell, taste, see, and touch right along with them. When I read Rush’s expertise and background included tenure as a homicide detective and a chief of forensic investigator, it made perfect sense.
I highly recommend for lovers of mystery/thrillers, a touch of noir, and a bit of romance.
I thoroughly enjoyed the intense pace Rush sets as the clues unfold, secrets are revealed, and the violence escalates, often adding more confusion than clarity to the detectives. I was baffled right alone with them, as I tried to sort through the suspects and motives. The plot was expertly woven. There are several subplots that added suspense and helped us get to know the characters and really care about them, especially Neil and Sloane’s budding romance. I truly admire Rush’s ability to give the just right amount important details about the characters and the scenes to put the reader squarely in each moment. I could hear, smell, taste, see, and touch right along with them. When I read Rush’s expertise and background included tenure as a homicide detective and a chief of forensic investigator, it made perfect sense.
I highly recommend for lovers of mystery/thrillers, a touch of noir, and a bit of romance.
December 3, 2024
A completely involving crime novel � one of the best!
Georgia author Steve Rush has experience as a Homicide detective and forensic investigator. He has published six novels to date � KILL YOUR CHARACTERS: CRIME SCENE TIPS FOR WRITERS, HARD LIES, BLOOD RED DECEIT, AFTER HER DECEIT, CAUSE OF DEATH: A PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY OF JESUS and now LETHAL IMPULSE. He brings to his novels a rich understanding of crime that adds credibility to his novels.
Ripping into a thriller like an autopsy, the author brings to stunning life the principle characters as the novel opens: Neil Caldera, NYPD detective in the midst of his involvement in the murder of a crime family resulting in his removal from the force, and the leukemic Tess Fleishman, wife of Madison, Georgia police chief in dark action. As the synopsis outlines well: ‘He’s riddled with guilt. She’s annoyed with the status quo. The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder. Tess Fleishman’s pale skin and extreme weight loss portrays a disease she wants others to see. While inside, a compulsion for Neil fuels her passion to have him or destroy him. As Neil delves into the heart of the town's secrets, will truth deliver solace? Or will Tess prevail?�
This enthralling and immersive novel ranks Steve Rush with the finest authors of the crime genre � exceptional interplay of victim, investigator, and suspect roles in the persona of Neil Caldera brings a new level of understanding to the psyche of detectives. Excellent!
Georgia author Steve Rush has experience as a Homicide detective and forensic investigator. He has published six novels to date � KILL YOUR CHARACTERS: CRIME SCENE TIPS FOR WRITERS, HARD LIES, BLOOD RED DECEIT, AFTER HER DECEIT, CAUSE OF DEATH: A PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY OF JESUS and now LETHAL IMPULSE. He brings to his novels a rich understanding of crime that adds credibility to his novels.
Ripping into a thriller like an autopsy, the author brings to stunning life the principle characters as the novel opens: Neil Caldera, NYPD detective in the midst of his involvement in the murder of a crime family resulting in his removal from the force, and the leukemic Tess Fleishman, wife of Madison, Georgia police chief in dark action. As the synopsis outlines well: ‘He’s riddled with guilt. She’s annoyed with the status quo. The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder. Tess Fleishman’s pale skin and extreme weight loss portrays a disease she wants others to see. While inside, a compulsion for Neil fuels her passion to have him or destroy him. As Neil delves into the heart of the town's secrets, will truth deliver solace? Or will Tess prevail?�
This enthralling and immersive novel ranks Steve Rush with the finest authors of the crime genre � exceptional interplay of victim, investigator, and suspect roles in the persona of Neil Caldera brings a new level of understanding to the psyche of detectives. Excellent!
October 23, 2024
A noir thriller about a murder mystery in a small town with an interesting and well-developed main character named Neil Caldera. I loved the concept of Caldera's character—an NYPD detective who falls from grace and moves to a small town where he becomes a minister. I found it rang true for me considering all the horrors a police detective encounters. I also liked how he finds himself invested and embroiled in a murder investigation that shakes his sense of safety and serenity in his new home. All and all, a well-plotted, character-driven thriller that fans of noir and murder mysteries will love.
October 16, 2024
Told with rich and rhythmic prose reminiscent of David Baldacci’s, Lethal Impulse was a fascinating look into the world of forensic investigation. The author, Steve Rush, was a homicide detective and the chief forensic investigator for a national consulting firm, which made the reading experience like a ride-along with a seasoned law enforcement professional in the midst of a risky case. Five stars!
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