First of four books about TV investigative reporter Michael Carolina set in Providence, Rhode Island. The title comes from what the original colonists used to call Rhode Island. This is a very enjoyable series with humor laced among the mayhem.
TV reporters and anchors are easy targets for satire. In this series Carolina is not an object of fun. He’s a pro who does his job without all the celebrity garbage of the real world.
Local boy Frankie Falcone runs the private bank he inherited from his father. Through illegal manipulations he embezzles fifteen million dollars and takes off.
Channel 3 News Director Shirley Tempelton hires Carolina after a tour on his charter boat. His back story tells why he went from reporting to sailing. The state shuts the bank down leaving depositors out in the cold. That same day the body of the state Banking Commissioner is found. His daughter is Channel 3’s assignment editor.
A shadowy trio behind the events is called the Business Club. Falcone is a member along with Tommy Flannery, The Speaker of the State House and one member not identified. They hire an IRA enforcer to do their dirty work. Tommy’s brother Jimmy is a big time New England mob boss.
A hit is ordered on Carolina as he’s digging up too much information. Thinking she can get ahead with minimum work is station reporter Tisha Billings. She’s all beauty and no brains and allergic to hard work. She’s angry the new guy got the big story.
She decides to break into his boat and steal whatever info he has. Hunting Carolina down for an interview is local talk show host Reverend Rasmus aka/Sol Herskowitz. He’s a former Amway salesman who contrived the character for station WAIL. Unbeknownst to each other they both head for the boat. Only one barely gets out alive.
Along the way are ATF agents Bert and Ernie and friendly local cop Sgt.Donald Corvese. The book is very entertaining and even though the Rev.Rasmus is too over the top for believablity it doesn’t get in the way of a good story.
The three other books in the series are “Rogue’s Justice” (1996), “Rogue’s Wager” (1997) and “Rogue’s Regatta” (1999).
Thomas Gately Briody
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