THE FLOWER MAN

The Flower Man: Vincent Zandri

Steve Jobz no relation to the former Steve Jobs is about to Ho on a whirlwind ride that will take him within the clutches of the Russian Mob, a wife looking for attention and a man whose business is called the Flower Man and who gives Janice discounts and more for her own arboretum. The Flower Man or Anatoly offers her major discounts and gives her access to their workshop to create wonderful bouquets and floral arrangements. Sometimes he even offered free products. But, Terry McGovern has a lawsuit against this man’s daughter for making false accusations against him, getting him on probation without pay and not allowed unemployment insurance. Did he really send pictures of his organ to this man’s daughter?

Add in Detective Miller who wants Jobz there to babysit or watch over theses two but a short trip to pick up clothes and more finds him racing back having been followed by someone who manages to get to the McGovern’s while he’s gone and shoots Terry. Is it Anatoly?

Added in he buys a special app for his phone to be able to survey and watch the McGovern’s when he’s our doing something else like meeting with Megan Barker the lawyer representing Natalia Brezinski an assistant producer at a local network affiliate TV station. How would Terry think he’d get 50 million dollars? The Flower Man and Tsvesty Enterprises. The lawsuit against Natalia and the death threats and the dead rose head he received. However, Megan might be talking with him and doing much more to distract him and throw him off guard.

The Ring App he installs helped to alert him of intruders but things get out of control when he gets a private tour of the hot house of Janice’s private flowers some even toxic. But, meeting with Megan Barker and then Janice coming on to him little did he note or suspect that Megan would be the victim of a brutal murder and the end result was more rose heads covering hers.

Detective Miller wants him to infiltrate The Flower Man’s organization and his creative plan well you have to read it and experience it for yourself.

Things spiral even more out of control when Jobz is brought in as a suspect in Megan’s murder. Just who killed her and how deep into the mob are Terry and what about Janice?

Jobz can’t seem to get his mind off of Kate his new assistant and at times dreams about her but what she has on him might turn things in a different direction and at times he loses sight of what he’s supposed to be doing and the end result of his short stint with Megan might cause him more than he’s willing to admit or lose.

Janice provides what he needs in order to get inside the Flower Man’s business but what he does is hilarious as some poor unsuspecting driver has to give up his truck, then getting inside and praying that Anatoly does not recognize him takes a lot of smarts, ingenuity and one Detective who somehow has his back until he does not.

What will happen when he’s questioned about Megan and will the truth about their time together come out and how will that play out with the police?

While Terry has his own stable of women and Janice is aware and puts up with it, she is messing astound and in fact she appears to be sleeping with Anatoly Brezinski aka , The Flower Man. Plus, Janice and Terry are broke and in serious debt. There’s a lawsuit against Anatoly’s daughter and phone death threats yet Terry won’t call the police. A black sedan registered to the parent company of the Flower Man called, Tsvesty Enterprises followed Jobz and then used that same car to transport Megan’s remains to the McGovern’s front lawn. How can they live high on the hog and be in debt? How can they pay for the glass repair and electric bills when their accounts are depleted? But, when Jobz checks out the phone records sitting on Janice’s desk a startling revelation comes to light and the relationship between Anatoly and the McGovern’s changes direction. Terry crossed the ethical line with those text messages and Janice services the father as often as possible, so where is the money coming from? Is it drugs?

Author Vincent Zandri sets a high pace and keeps readers and Jobz moving in many directions with the help of Miller and Kate who comes through at many times as he hopes to solve the case and keep her in his sights even longer.

Each character has his/her own flaws and yet they are unique and cleverly created adding mystery to their personalities and allowing the reader to wonder what they will do next, why they seem consumed with taking advantage of other people and why for some reason they need to feel wanted, loved and accepted.

Things get more out of control when Jobz realizes that Terry has videos of Natalia as a child and thinking more about what she might feel about Terry and Janice did someone try to hurt her? Going to get apartment she’s gone and telling Miller he realizes that they are missing something as the Russian thug that he met at the Flower Man has been following him and now he knows who killed Megan. A ride that is pain full and his poor mustang the casualty the end result you won’t believe and his justification for his actions well he does deserve to be compensated even if it’s kind of illegal.

Some endings are explosive and not everyone plays by the rules. Confrontations and harsh realities as Jobz comes face to face with a conspiracy of a sort where power, money, deceit, prostitution in a sense and pure revenge and greed on almost everyone’s part. Natalia was porn in her father’s rise in power and Terry and Janice used her to line their pockets. Good intentions turned into pure greed, drug trafficking and originality in flower or plant growing as Janice might appear dense but her morals were anything but ethical. Watch the videos on the old fashion Super -8 film projector but don’t be too astonished when you see what’s on the screen.

An ending so revealing, so intense and startling you’ll feel pain, see the bodies ripped to shreds but who will remain alive to see the light before the darkness sets in?

Truths lies and unexpected twists as the final scene will blow your mind. What was behind Anatoly and Janice’s alliance? What happened to his daughter? Who lives? Who dies who had the final word?

Roses are red

Their heads cut off

Underneath you’ll find a gruesome sight

Move them apart and you’ll feel the killer’s wrath and might

Roses are red but other blooms are deadly

Beware you don’t come in the crosshairs is the flower Man and his poison medley.

Only Vincent Zandri can create a character so diverse so original and definitely so hot. Can’t wait to see what Jobz is up to next!

Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ magazine/MJ network