No Justice (Book 1 - Michael Sykora Series) by Darcia Helle
Book Description: How far would you go to right a wrong?
For Michael Sykora, killing started as blind rage. Then it became something he's good at. To most of those who know him, Michael is a software designer, a smart but average guy with a workaholic nature. To a chosen few, Michael is a part-time hit man whose specialty is eliminating hard-core criminals.
Michael has managed to keep his two personas separate. Until now. When Nicki, a close friend, gets into trouble, Michael steps in to help. Having lost his fiance to a brutal crime, Michael will do whatever necessary to keep from losing another woman in his life.
About the Author: Author's Website
Where to start? My oldest son once described me as a "tree-hugging, peace-loving, hippie". I suppose that about sums me up!
I grew up in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, a small town south of Boston. I now live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I don't miss the New England weather, though I do sometimes miss the overall feel of "home".
I am married to an amazing man. I have 2 grown sons, though merely typing that sends a shiver up my spine. Time has a way of marching on without me noticing! Anthony is grown up and on his own. In fact, I now have a gorgeous daughter-in-law and the most adorable granddaughter ever! Joseph is at home and still attending school, with no particular direction yet in mind. They are as different as night and day and both are amazing young men.
I was a hairstylist for about 15 years. Back in the late 1990's, health complications forced me to give up that career. I have chronic, late-stage lyme disease, as well as
chronic Epstein Barr virus. It's a constant battle to keep the symptoms under control. On the bright side, it allows me lots of time for characters to roam free in my mind.
I love words. Language intrigues me. Therefore, reading and writing are addictions I hope to never live without.
I'll read everything from the ingredients on a cereal box to a super thick text on medieval history. But there's nothing like escaping into a good novel. I'm partial to suspense and mystery, although I occasionally wander in a variety of other directions.
The novels I write are mystery/suspense. I always seem to have several novels in various stages of completion. I call it writer's A.D.D. The characters that float through my mind can be unrelenting and often lead me in too many directions at once. They become like children who lack discipline. And apparently I lack parenting skills.
Aside from my passion for writing & reading, I am a music addict. I have an expansive eclectic CD collection that includes rock, blues, folk, country, jazz, electronic, and new age. I love exploring new sounds and reminiscing with the old ones.
Then there's my love for animals. From my early youth on, I have always had dogs - and often cats as well. I currently have 2 of each. My dogs are my babies. They keep me smiling, make me laugh, and give me comfort. I talk to them all the time. And while they haven't yet learned how to answer me, they always listen. And sometimes that's all we need.
I had a chance to ask Darcia "What's the back story on the big story?" and here is her response:
Some time ago, I served on a jury for the murder trial of a man accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend. While I had known that our justice system had flaws, this was a close-up view of those injustices behind our justice system. We, the jury, were not allowed to hear anything about the defendant's past. His life as a locked box. The victim, however, had no such privacy. The defense attorney gleefully flaunted the victim's past, including her sexual history from as far back as her teen years. I will never forget the look of
anguish on her parents' faces.
The defense did a great job of spinning the tale and making the victim out to be less than virtuous. After a week of this, when we were sent to deliberate, only two of the 12 jurors initially voted for murder one. I was one of them. The other 10 wanted involuntary manslaughter, citing her behavior and his cocaine use as "excuses". I should mention here that the man had left his dead girlfriend in his bed, while he went out and partied with friends all night. Also, according to witnesses, he was quite sober at the time of the murder. The other juror and I fought for, and eventually won, a murder one conviction. Before we left the courthouse, the judge spoke to us privately. She congratulated and thanked us for the conviction. At that time, she was able to tell us what had been carefully kept from us throughout the trial; the man we'd just convicted had a long history of abusing women. He'd already been convicted of several assaults and one rape. An involuntary manslaughter charge would have been little more than a slap on the wrist. He'd have been out in no time, free to rape and murder yet another woman.My husband and I were discussing this one day; that case specifically
and the justice system in general. That's when the character Michael Sykora was born. In many ways, Sykora is my husband's alter ego. (But, to be clear, my husband does not moonlight as a hit man!)
As for the specific plot, that developed from a combination of the characters' voices and the conversation with my husband. I don't write from an outline. I start with a character and a vague idea. Then I listen and follow where that leads me. About midway through writing No Justice, I realized that I had way too many plots and subplots going on. At that point, I knew that Michael Sykora needed to be a series. He wasn't happy with one book. I stripped down that initial manuscript and told the story of where I thought the series needed to begin. That became No Justice, because Michael Sykora doesn't believe in true justice.
Here's What I Think:
Let me just tell you that I stayed up till 1am to finish the last bit of this book! It is wonderfully written and I cannot wait to start the next in the series - Beyond Salvation. Michael is your average guy, not too ordinary but not exactly exceptional. But then you discover that he is a real-life hero and protector of the innocents. The flow of the writing weaves you through the disgusting underbelly of life while keeping you in suspense. You find yourself totally routing for the hit man - Michael - which seems like a strange thing, but he has all the right motivations. There is a bit of language but it is all contextually accurate. Also there are several typographical errors, but it is to be expected from a self-published book. I really really enjoyed the characters and story line of this book.
WIN IT! Darcia Helle has agreed to give one very lucky winner their own copy of No Justice!
Here's How It Works:
You must be a US Resident. And You must provide a Street Address upon notification of winning (NO PO BOXES)
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All entries must be in by October 15th at 9:00AM PST. I will pick a winner using a Random Number Generator.!
I wish you the best of luck!
Disclaimer: Although, I did receive a copy of this book for review, I received no direct compensation for the post.
If you are an author or publisher and would like for me to review your book please contact me directly: polsen11[at]comcast[dot]net
I want to say thanks so much to everyone that has been listing their book related giveaway on this linky! It means a lot to have people come back week after week and put in their listings! So THANK YOU! 
No Justice (Book 1 - Michael Sykora Series) by Darcia Helle 
