The Penthouse on Park Avenue

Houses of Crime, #2

by

Jenny Dandy

Another intriguing operation with complex characters in this crime fiction tale set in New York City.

The Penthouse on Park Avenue is the second book in author Jenny Dandy's smoothly delivered and complex New York City-set crime fiction series, Houses of Crime,* and features the return of FBI Special Agent Frank Jankowski and the former homeless and street-wise Ronnie Charles. In this adventure, the two work together to expose the money laundering of a high-society financier on behalf of a dangerous drug cartel. While working to disrupt the cartel's operations, they also search for any word on Frank's runaway, drug-addicted daughter and end up mired in morally compromising situations. 

Under the surveillance and with the assistance of the FBI, Ron gains employment as a butler in the home of wealthy former Wall Street financier John Anthony, whom the FBI has long known directs the money laundering aspects of Mateo Rosas de Flores, the New York head of the Mataderos drug cartel. Her reluctant mission is to gather irrefutable evidence of Anthony's involvement and specific activities. Ronnie is torn between keeping a good position and working with anyone or anything related to illegal drugs. On the other hand, Frank is pushed into participating in compromising activities as he works a relationship with a drug dealer with a connection to his missing daughter. He's morally tested when he's thrown into situations he's obligated to stop. 

The author's storytelling is absorbing, and readers who have not read the previous book in the series will be able to pick up enough backstory to understand and enjoy this second novel as a standalone. I recommend THE PENTHOUSE ON PARK AVENUE to readers of crime fiction, mysteries, or thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

*See my review of Book One in the Houses of Crime series, The Brownstone on 3. 83rd, HERE!