"Tuck Matson gets more than he bargained for when he begins to investigate the death of an ex-girlfriend. Quick, explosive, full of plot twists — René Smeraglia doesn't let up the pace in Quiet Desperation. An exciting debut with an unexpected twist at the end."

Connie Shelton,
author of the Charlie Parker mysteries

"René E. Smeraglia has proven himself to be that rare kind of writer who can execute both a page-turner plot and a classy, literate writing style. I hope to see more from this promising author."

Paula Carter,
author of Red Wine Goes With Murder,
published by Berkley

"When someone you once loved dies, it's sad. When that someone was murdered, it's disaster. But, in Quiet Desperation, that's just the beginning of a plot twisted like a run-over slinky, a cast of characters every reader will love — or hate, and a climax that explodes like a swamp full of hungry alligators. In René Smeraglia we may just have another Jonathan Kellerman on our hands."

Mary Lynn,
author of The Tavera Legacy,
published by Forge (a division of St. Martin's Press)

"René Smeraglia's new mystery series has it all; gritty dialogue, a cleverly twisted plot, and a tough angst-ridden hero, Tuck Matson, who is reminiscent of a SoCal version of Travis McGee."

Richard Bamberg,
co-author of the Charlie Rogers mysteries,
published by Books in Motion