MP - A Novel of Vietnam
PrequelAs Vincent Torelli stepped off the plane at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, in June 1967, he was almost overwhelmed by the stench in the hot, humid air.
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A Vince Torelli Mystery Series, Book 4: The List by John Schembra
A former soldier who becomes a San Francisco police homicide investigator after the war, Vince Torelli is dedicated, intelligent and highly principled--all skills that serve him well given the difficult, almost impossible murder investigations he's assigned to handle that force him to the razor edge with equally resolute, extremely ruthless masterminds.
A recently mutilated, naked corpse is found in an early 19th-century tunnel under San Francisco. With no forensic evidence, solving the crime seems impossible.
After San Francisco Homicide Inspector Vince Torelli begins investigating, notes from the killer, addressed to him, start showing up. Vince realizes this murder may be the first of several, leading Vince on a deadly multi-state investigation.
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Chapter 1
He liked it down there. Yes, it was damp and cold, but without the constant wind off the ocean, it was tolerable, even comfortable. He liked the quiet best of all. No horns beeping, sirens, engine noises, or human babbling. He could think clearly. All that noise distracted him, and set off his panic attacks. It was peaceful. There was no one to make fun of him, bully him, hurt him. He would live here if he could.
He walked through the tunnel, guided by the beam from the headlamp he wore, struggling to drag the man's naked corpse behind him. He wore a cheap set of coveralls over a sweatshirt--the hood pulled up and tied snugly under his chin--rubber gloves, and plastic bags over his shoes. He duct taped the sleeves around his wrists and the legs around his ankles. A headlamp provided the only light.
His favorite TV show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Las Vegas, had taught him how to best prevent leaving trace evidence behind. Though canceled a few years ago, he religiously watched all the re-runs. He was confident the police would find no evidence of value on or around the corpse.
Reaching his destination, he placed the man in a sitting position against the wall across from a small access panel. Taking a jar of honey from his pocket, he poured it over the body, replacing the empty jar in his coveralls to dispose of far from the scene. He smiled, thinking--the rats will eat well tonight.
He opened the access panel to the Bay Area Rapid Transit tunnel enough to reach through to tape an envelope on the outside, addressed to Homicide Inspector Vince Torelli, SFPD, 850 Bryant St. He would monitor the panel each night and if not gone in three days, would make an anonymous call from a pay phone to the BART Police Department advising them of the envelope's location.
Looking at his watch's luminous dial, he saw it was after ten p.m. He knew no one would be on the other side of the panel, having spent several days watching it from the BART tube five hundred feet past the Embarcadero Station. All the time he watched from a niche just large enough to conceal him, he never saw anyone that far in, and only occasionally saw the small electric inspection cart drive by.
He found the panel by accident, as he usually kept his wanderings to the tunnels that branched off through Chinatown. He would come up into the neighborhood and break into the shops, stealing only food or small amounts of money. Having explored those as much as he could, he took to wandering through the BART tunnels in the early morning hours. When he found the access panel, he was curious about its purpose. He managed to get it open and discovered this other tunnel, constructed decades earlier for an unknown purpose. He quickly realized it was exactly what he needed to carry out his plans. The body in the tunnel, Alex Chesterson, was the first of several victims in those plans.
His task completed, he strolled to the exit and changed into the clean garments he'd stashed in a black plastic garbage bag--levis, socks, underwear, t-shirt and a zippered sweatshirt--placing the other clothes, gloves, and shoe coverings into the bag, he exited onto Judah Street near 19th Avenue, through a small basement door of the Calvary United Methodist Church. Few people were walking the streets at that time of the night, and none paid any attention to an ordinary looking man strolling along carrying a garbage bag. It was not unusual to see such a sight on the streets of San Francisco.
At some point, the church had used the tunnel as a storage area. The boxes and old furniture were moldy and crumbling from the damp air. It was apparent no one had been inside the tunnel for years. Rats had chewed holes in the cardboard boxes and made nests inside.
He walked the few blocks to Elk Glen Lake in Golden Gate Park, put several large rocks in the bag and sealed the top with several wraps of duct tape. Using his small pocket knife, he cut a few small slashes in the bag and threw it as far as he could into the lake, and watched as the bag sank beneath the dark water.
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Continue the Series
Retribution
Book 1There's a vigilante killer loose in San Francisco, and when the justice system fails, he doles out his own brand of justice.
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Diplomatic Immunity
Book 2There are sixty-six Consulates and Embassies in San Francisco and a very talented, deadly sniper is targeting the Consul Generals seemingly at random.
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Blood Debt
Book 3San Francisco Homicide Investigator Vince Torelli strives to clean up the violence in San Francisco but, after a suspect in a double murder is killed during attempted arrest, he finds himself also pro…
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Southern Justness
Book 5When his uncle, a Superior Court Judge in Georgia, is killed in a hit-and-run accident, San Francisco PD Homicide Inspector Vince Torelli travels to Augusta for the funeral.
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★★★★★a page turner
This was a fascinating and informative read, set in the San Francisco area and highlighting the system of tunnels that once existed beneath the city, and which are now largely obliterated. The murder victims in this mystery have been posed in various tunnels to which the police have been directed. The murderer is challenging SFPD's chief detective, Vince Torelli, to find him; his victims are those who taunted him years back when they were all in school. Who's going to win?
Reviewed By: Margaret Roche
★★★★★Fantastic
Another fantastic Vince Torelli Mystery. This time the reader is taken to the complex network of tunnels underneath San Francisco, as Vince chases down a creepy, sadistic killer. Unfortunately for Vince, the killer is smart and stays one step ahead of Torelli while teasing him with notes he leaves behind. If you like a good mystery and suspense novel, you’ll love this.
Reviewed By: Deborah G
★★★★★Great Read!!
Another stellar book by John Schembra.. The List....Love the series following Vince Torelli...Can't wait until his next book...A must read....highly recommend!
Reviewed By: Kindle Customer
★★★★★Twists and Turns Highlight This Excellent Police Procedural
I really liked this realistic portrayal of a serial murder investigation. I'm sure the author properly described how police work because he was a police officer before his retirement. The story itself is interesting, and you might even feel sorry for the ruthless killer because childhood bullying apparently changed his life enough for him to become violent and an outcast from society, a loner.
The cat and mouse game played between the police and the killer has plenty of twists and turns. How it plays out sort of reminds me of a chess game. This is definitely a must-read. You won't be disappointed, and there isn't a dull moment when you dive into this novel. Schembra's writing is excellent.
Reviewed By: Sheryl
★★★★★A Cop Book Written By A Cop
I once heard that the best cop books are written by cops, and John Schembra certainly proves that to be true with his fourth Vince Torelli mystery, The List. Vince Torelli, once a military policeman in Vietnam, like his creator, John, becomes a San Francisco policeman and ultimately a detective. In The List, he is chasing down a perp whose goal is to murder all the people who taunted him verbally and physically in grade school. He also wants to let the great Vince Torelli what he is doing to prove that he is the smarter man. John Schembra's knowledge of police procedures comes from being a 30-year police officer, retiring as a sergeant. As the chase continues, Torelli must figure out the clues John Bruber leaves, to keep him from killing again. The author whets the readers appetite with each Torelli novel, beginning with the first book, MP. I had the pleasure of serving with Mr. Schembra in Vietnam, and I am not only a friend, but I am also a huge fan of his work.
Reviewed By: Larry L. Deibert
★★★★★Five Stars!
This book is FANTASTIC! My son received “The List” as a gift and we read it out loud together. It’s extremely well written with authentic characters and accurate descriptions of places we know in and around San Francisco. Reading it is like being there alongside the homicide inspector, Vince Torelli, as he deciphers clues toward resolution of his investigation. Additionally, it advances one's understanding of the hard work and dedication it takes to make our American Justice System work in the “real” world.
“The List” is an excellent read propelling us to seek more by John Schembra. We’re already reading and enjoying another of his books “Retribution”.
Reviewed By: Kristen
★★★★★A very knowledgeable killer uses the tunnels under San Fransico to elude the police hunting. Excellent story.
Reviewed By: Joseph HAGGERTY
★★★★★This was a fascinating and informative read, set in the San Francisco area and highlighting the system of tunnels that once existed beneath the city, and which are now largely obliterated. The murder victims in this mystery have been posed in various tunnels to which the police have been directed. The murderer is challenging SFPD's chief detective, Vince Torelli, to find him; his victims are those who taunted him years back when they were all in school. Who's going to win?
Reviewed By: M.E. Roche
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