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Speak of the Devil: A Novel
 
 

Speak of the Devil: A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Allison Leotta

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Product Description

Product Description

For readers of Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottoline, Patricia Cornwell, and Lisa Gardner, a new thriller by former federal sex-crimes prosecutor Allison Leotta.

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL—AND HE WILL APPEAR

On the very night she gets engaged to the man she loves, sex-crimes prosecutor Anna Curtis’s professional life takes a shocking turn that threatens everything she holds dear.

While Anna is enjoying a romantic dinner capped off by a marriage proposal, a few miles away two separate groups are gearing up to raid a brothel. A vicious killer known as Diablo—the Devil—leads one group. A few minutes later, Anna’s own investigative team heads in to search the brothel, as part of the fight against human trafficking in D.C. Both groups are caught off guard, with deadly results.

As Anna investigates the bloody face-off, the boundaries between her work and home life begin to blur. Though eager to focus on her new fiancé, the chief homicide prosecutor Jack Bailey, and her soon-to-be stepdaughter, Olivia, this case and the search for Diablo are never far from her mind.

When Anna discovers a web of long-buried secrets and official lies leading straight to her doorstep, the truth about this case threatens to rob her of the happiness she seemed so close to securing. And everything Anna counted on becomes a question mark as Diablo moves in for yet another kill.

Allison Leotta draws on her experience as a D.C. sex-crimes prosecutor to take readers into the back rooms of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the hidden world of the Witness Protection Program, and the secret rituals of one of America’s most dangerous gangs. Universally praised by bestselling authors from Catherine Coulter and George Pelecanos to Lisa Scottoline and David Baldacci, Leotta weaves fact and fiction to create her best novel yet.

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 688 KB
  • Print Length: 289 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 145164485X
  • Publisher: Touchstone (6 Aug 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00A27XE9K
  • Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
  • X-Ray:
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #381,725 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com: 4.5 out of 5 stars  89 reviews
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great crime novel 29 Jun 2013
By K. Blaine - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine Review (What's this?)
I write here as one who has never read a book by Allison Leotta, but "Speak of the Devil" has made me want to read everything she has written. The main character in "Speak of the Devil" is Anna Curtis, a sex crimes prosecutor in Washington DC, who has just become engaged to Jack Bailey, chief of the DC homicide unit. Jack has a six-year-old daughter, Olivia, and his late wife, Nina Flores, had been killed four years earlier by one of the street gangs of Washington DC. Most investigators believe that that the crime was committed by MS-13, a notoriously violent and ruthless DC gang. The leader of this gang is Diablo, accurately named "the Devil." Diablo's skin is completely covered in tattooed hieroglyphs. His nose is two sunken holes; he has long black hair and two fleshy horns protruding from his forehead. Indeed, he is aptly named.

Diablo and his gang appear throughout the book as Anna Curtis and Jack Flores attempt to solve various gruesome crimes occurring in the DC area. There are many twists and turns, and a huge red herring that comes as a total surprise to the reader in the last third of the book. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes true-life crime fiction. The author's experience as a sex-crimes prosecutor for 12 years in Washington DC is evident on every page, and she is a superb writer. If I could give the book more than five stars, I would. Highly recommended.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars "She's a devil in disguise" 14 Aug 2013
By michael a. draper - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
"Speak of the Devil," is a thriller based on a true story. Much of the story is taken from real MS-13 cases. There are villains in abundance and this particular gang reigns havoc in the Washington, D.C. area.

The story tells of a young woman, Anna Curtis who works as a sex crimes prosecutor.

Plot is the key to most well written novels and this story begins with a horrific murder with men charging into a brothel and decapitating one of the employees. It seems like it would be an open and shut case for the prosecutors but witnesses are reluctant to come forward.

A side story involves Anna and her boyfriend, Jack Bailey. He is with the U.S. Attorney's office, chief of Homicide unit and has a personal sadness due to this gang's actions.

This is a social commentary on a legal system that fails to protect witnesses.
We also have a love story between Anna and Jack and deal with a question that the author asks about the ways in which love can prevail over violence.

I don't want to go into the well written plot but I found the story one that I couldn't put down, an excellent read with real situations and mounting suspense.

4 1/2 stars.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Some of the best character writing I have read 2 Feb 2014
By R. Kyle - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine Review (What's this?)
There's a lot already said about this novel. I will honestly say it's worth 5 stars for quite a lot of reasons, but the reason I am choosing to highlight in this review is the skillful hard-hitting drawing of her characters.

It's easy to depict your main character. Writers want the reader to know them and preferably to like them since many in this genre want to write sequels.

Allison Leotta goes where few authors are brave enough to tread. She shows you her bad guys--in this case, a DC-based gang of teenage boys led by Diablo, who are as bad as it gets. She doesn't just hide the bad behind a curtain, she lets you see these dudes and it's chilling.

I remember working for Probation and Parole with an officer who came from DC and what he said about crime there would chill your blood on a summer day. This novel reads like how he described his experience. The sketches of these gang members are so vivid and strong you could use them for a mug shot. Writers, for certain, should read this book. It will teach you about writing memorable story people.

Rebecca Kyle, January 2014
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic 29 Jan 2014
By Shelly Itkin - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine Review (What's this?)
Anna Curtis has decided she is ready for a commitment and so she meets Jack at the Tabard Inn for dinner and accepts his proposal and they are now engaged. Jack is the chief of the Homicide Unit and is ten years older and has a daughter Olivia who is six years old.

The night of their engagement a gang leader known as Diablo leads a vicious attack on a brothel where some have been injured while others have died. This case is given to Anna to investigate and it is a very difficult and upsetting case.

While working on the case Anna is busy trying to become close to Olivia, whose mom was killed almost four years ago. It is not easy to juggle her personal life while trying to get answer to this most disturbing crime, which was committed by gang members. We learn about love, secrets, lies and forgiveness and moving on. I found it a very emotional book.

Ms. Leotta is one of the best writers I have come across recently and she could be a female James Patterson. This is a page-turner and you won’t be able to put down. Her characters are real, the pace is very fast and the plot is one that will keep you rushing to finish the book to find out what happens next
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What, man, defy the devil. Consider, he's an enemy to mankind. - William Shakespeare 19 Oct 2013
By Cheryl Stout - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine Review (What's this?)
"Speak of the Devil" is the third book in the Anna Curtis series, following Law of Attraction and Discretion and this is my favorite to date.

Anna Curtis, a sex crimes prosecutor in Washington DC, is a savvy, sassy protagonist. She is prosecuting members of the MS-13 gang, said to be one of the worst (if not THE worst), in the United States. Leading up this gang is Diablo, tattooed and embellished to look like the devil.

I'm a big fan of "Law and Order SVU" and "Criminal Minds" on television so this book was right up my alley. Great characterization; strong, well-spelled-out plot; good sense of place - all these pieces fit together very well and made this a super novel. Oh, and a totally unexpected plot twist caught me totally off guard.

I thought this was a great book and I highly recommend it - if you have a strong stomach.

NOTE: There is strong language and violence including sex crimes in this book.
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