One hacked file.
Three bodies.
Zero time.
Treacherous Hack
A Mike Stoneman Mystery #7
by Kevin G. Chapman
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Police Procedural
From the
award-winning Mike Stoneman Thriller series comes Book #7 — a
gripping crime thriller set in the heart of a frozen New York City.
When electronics store owner Lou Palazzo is gunned down at a snowy Manhattan
intersection, NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson catch a
case that’s anything but ordinary. Back at Lou’s shop, two Chinese nationals
linked to a powerful Shanghai cybercrime ring are dead. The only clue? A
missing laptop computer, possibly containing something Lou was willing to die
to protect.
Meanwhile, NYU student Ryan Gelb is panicking. His hacked laptop held the
stolen university data — data he quietly gave to his Uncle Lou. Now Lou is
dead, and whoever killed him is coming for the file. . . and for Ryan.
Caught between international cybercriminals, New York mobsters, and the police,
Ryan is desperate to recover the file and avoid being expelled — or worse,
executed.
As Mike and Jason untangle a web of secrets, lies, and digital deception,
they're met with stonewalling from all sides: NYU won’t talk, witnesses are
hiding the truth, and even their closest allies are keeping dangerous secrets.
With the body count rising and a deadly showdown looming, the race is on to
solve the mystery, recover the missing file, and avoid turning Lower Manhattan
into a bloodbath.
Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly,
John Sandford, and David Baldacci, this high-stakes police procedural mixes
hard-boiled action, cybercrime intrigue, and unforgettable characters in a
page-turning thriller you won’t be able to put down.
What readers are
saying:
~ S. W. Lawrence, MD, author of climate fiction including Climate
Dragon and Cloud Dragon.
“Chapman delivers another pulse-pounding thriller that seamlessly
weaves cybercrime, organized crime, and family loyalties into one explosive
narrative of how far people will go to protect their secrets. This high-stakes
thriller has non-stop action and suspense that culminates in a riveting
page-turner until the end.”
~ LoLo Paige, award-winning author of Alaska Firestorm and Alaska
Inferno.
“Treacherous Hack grabs you
from the first chapter and doesn’t let go! An exciting police procedural that
makes you feel like you’re on a ride-a-long with the detectives, conspiring
with the bad guys, and hanging out in a dorm room with the young guys caught in
the middle of it all.”
~ Laurel Heidtman, author of The Eden Mysteries.
“A pulse-pounding thriller that seamlessly weaves cybercrime, organized
crime, and family loyalties into one explosive narrative of how far people will
go to protect their secrets.”
~ LoLo Paige, award-winning author of Alaska Firestorm and Alaska
Inferno.
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from Chapter 3 -- On the Scene
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“Jason! Over here.” Mike waved his arm, beckoning Jason
toward the center of the intersection. Since Mike lived in Manhattan, he had
arrived fifteen minutes before his partner. A clot of officers and emergency
services personnel milled about without much urgency.
“Nice night,” Jason said sarcastically.
Mike, dressed in a down parka and a blue-and-orange knit hat
pulled down over his ears, grunted his agreement. Mike was a full five inches
shorter than Jason and twenty years older. Even in their winter clothes,
Jason’s style showed through, with his tailored wool overcoat, gloves, scarf,
and LL Bean duck boots. Mike had long since stopped worrying about the fact
that his partner was taller, better looking, in better shape, and a better
dresser. Mike possessed wisdom that came from experience, which was the one
thing Jason could not have. At least not until he had twenty-five years on the
force like Mike. They had been partners for five years.
A uniformed officer with a plastic cover over his hat
approached Mike as Jason arrived. “Detective Stoneman, the medical examiner is
finished. Can we remove the body now?”
“Not yet,” Mike responded. “I want Detective Dickson to get
a look at the scene first.”
The officer left to give his fellow officers the bad news –
they all had to stay outside their warm squad cars.
As they walked around the intersection, Mike gave Jason the
rundown. “The stiff’s name is Lou Palazzo. His wallet was in his pants pocket
with a driver’s license, so the ID was pretty easy. He’s got a record from
years back. Did three years in Sing Sing in the twenty-teens for conspiracy to
commit murder. He was connected to the Gallata family. Since he got out, he’s
had no arrests. He ran an electronics store and pawn shop over on the corner of
Avenue B, a block away.” Mike pointed to the far end of the block. “He had a
little cash and some credit cards in his wallet.”
Jason looked down at the remainder of the dead man’s head.
“So, not a robbery, then?”
Mike didn’t laugh. “The snow and slush on the street mangled
any physical evidence here, but there is blood in the snow outside his shop. It
looks like he was shot inside the shop in the shoulder, tried to escape in this
direction, then got caught here in the intersection and plugged once in the
head. No cell phone on him. He wasn’t wearing a coat, so he left in a hurry.
When we finish here, there are two more stiffs in the shop.”
“So, there’s more to see?” Jason asked.
“Oh, yeah. Plenty. We’ll get over there in a minute. The
officer in the first squad car saw two figures in the middle of the street from
a few blocks away and hit his lights. By the time he got here, Lou was dead on
the ground and the other person had fled the scene on foot.”
Jason squatted to get a look at the body without dipping his
knees into the slush. The kill shot entered the man’s head above his left ear
and exited through his neck – a clean kill, likely fired by a person standing
over the victim.
“Seen enough?” Mike asked.
“Sure. Thanks for doing the reconnaissance.”
“Let’s go see the shop. That’s where the action was.” Mike
turned to the west. “Oh, and by the way, was that Rachel I saw over there with
a cameraman?”
“Yeah,” Jason said without stopping. “She got a call from
her network to come work this scene. She’s been bugging them for weeks about
getting a chance to cover breaking news instead of the fluffy studio stuff. You
know, the healthcare pieces and emergency services and such. She’s been on the
on-call list every weekend since Halloween, hoping to get a call.
Unfortunately, tonight was the night.”
“You need to be careful, Jason. You can’t spill any
information to her. I know we talked about this possibly happening someday.
Well, shit just got real. Sully will have your hide if he thinks you’re feeding
her inside dirt on the investigation.”
“I know. I’m not telling her anything. But I can’t stop her
from working. This is a big deal for her.”
“Sure. I get it,” Mike said. “But be careful.”
“You don’t need to tell me.”
Don’t miss the
rest of the Mike Stoneman Mysteries!
Find them on
Kevin G. Chapman is an attorney
specializing in labor and employment law. Kevin has now completed seven books
in the Mike Stoneman Thriller series: Righteous
Assassin (Kindle Book Award semi-finalist), Deadly Enterprise
(Kindle Book Award semi-finalist), Lethal Voyage, (Winner of the 2021 Kindle Book Award, CLUE finalist, RONE
finalist), Fatal Infraction (Best
Police Procedural of the year – CLUE Award), Perilous Gambit, Double
Takedown, and now, Treacherous Hack. In late 2022, Kevin published a
stand-alone mystery/thriller titled Dead Winner (CLUE Award - Best Suspense/Thriller of the year). Then, in 2024
came The Other Murder, winner of the CLUE Award Grand Prize (best suspense/thriller of the year) and
finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award. Kevin is a resident of
Central New Jersey and is a graduate of Columbia College and Boston University
School of Law. Readers can contact Kevin via his website at www.KevinGChapman.com.
Website * Facebook * FB Group * X * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon
* Goodreads
Interview with Kevin G. Chapman
The Mike Stoneman Thriller Series and book #7 – Treacherous Hack
{updated 10.31.25}
How did you get started writing this crime-thriller series?
A long time ago, in the mid-90s, I wrote my first novel, which was a mystery starring a New York Private Investigator named Rick LaBlonde. It was fun and a good try at a first novel. But it was before Amazon and before self-publishing was really a thing. I put it aside in about 1996 when I couldn’t get any interest from a publisher. Then, in 2003, my wife told me that for our 20th wedding anniversary, she was going to pay to have the book published by a new company that had come into existence called Xlibris, which was a division of a big publishing house and which was an early “vanity publisher” that would essentially allow you to self-publish a book. In those days, you had to order a minimum number of copies for printing. It was a lovely present, and I still have a few copies of that first book left on my basement shelves.
But by then I had a new job and three kids and I didn’t do any more real writing for many years. Then in the mid-2000s (the aughts?) as my kids were getting older, I got the itch again and I started working on my version of The Great American Novel. It was very, very loosely based on some autobiographical events in my life, but was mostly pure fiction. It’s about a conservative Senator who must confront his past and make hard decisions about his future. It’s about morality and politics and self-determination and identity. It’s a very serious book, but with some interesting characters and, I think, a compelling story line. It’s called A Legacy of One. It got some great reviews and some book award recognition, but didn’t sell. Part of that was my own lack of understanding about how to market a self-published book, but it’s also because the subject matter isn’t particularly popular unless you’re already a well-known author or celebrity. I spent 10 years off and on working on that and finally published it in 2016.
When the dust cleared from that project, I decided I still wanted to write, but I needed to get into something more fun, less serious, and hopefully something more marketable. Along the way, in 2012, I had written a short story for a writing contest where the subject had to be crime or law. I created a character named Mike Stoneman, an NYPD homicide detective. The short story, called Fool Me Twice won first prize in the contest. So, in 2016, I decided to take that character from the short story and work him up into a full-blown crime fiction novel. The short story is now available for free on Amazon and other sales platforms (and on my website), and I included it as an extra feature at the end of the first book in the novel series, Righteous Assassin.
Can you describe your main characters?
Mike Stoneman is a veteran homicide detective in the New York Police Department. In addition to being the senior detective on his team, he also teaches classes at the police academy and separate night classes for cops studying for the detectives exam. His classes are on things like evidence handling, crime scene protocol, witness interrogation, and how to testify in court. He typically gets assigned to work with the new detectives, so he can show them the ropes. He likes that work – teaching the younger cops and passing down his wisdom. He loves it when other cops come to him for his opinion on a tough case.
He’s also a Mets fan and likes classic rock music (both traits he shares with his creator). He wears plain slacks and sports jacket combos with non-descript ties and comfortable (old) shoes. He’s not flashy – he’s not trying to impress anyone. He’s just turned 50 (in book #3) and is a little overweight, but trying to work out more and get into better shape, especially since he has become romantically involved with Michelle McNeill, the county medical examiner. (Spoiler! -- By book #6, they are married.) But, he likes his pasta. He also appreciates a fine single-malt scotch.
Mike’s partner, Jason Dickson, is an African-American detective with a military background. He’s young and smooth and confident – but a little too cocky sometimes for Mike’s liking. There is some tension between them in book #1 (Righteous Assassin), but by book #2 (Deadly Enterprise) the partners fully have each other’s backs. In book #3 (Lethal Voyage), Jason takes more of the spotlight along with his girlfriend, Rachel Robinson. Their romance, which was briefly mentioned in book #2, becomes the emotional core of book #3. Then, in book #4 (Fatal Infraction), Jason decides to propose. In book #5 (Perilous Gambit), Jason and Rachel travel to Las Vegas to get married, with Mike and Michelle along as their friends and witnesses. In book #6 (Double Takedown), Jason is studying for a masters degree and is thinking about changing careers, while he and Mike face a crisis of confidence about their police work.
The dynamics between Mike and Jason and their relationship, as well as the relationship between Mike and Michelle and between Jason and Rachel, are the heart of the stories.
What makes them original?
Mike and Jason are both complex and “real” people. Neither is a super hero who takes on multiple attackers barehanded or outthinks an evil mastermind, or smoothly seduces the female spy. They are vulnerable and awkward and emotional. Their comrades in the precinct are similarly “normal” people who banter and argue and yell. They are very much New York-based people and I try to give an authentic feel to their surroundings and stories. Mike’s status as the mentor and senior detective give him a unique persona and perspective.
The relationship between the middle-aged couple, Mike and Michelle, starts out slow and then settles into a very comfortable ongoing romance, but they deal with their own issues. Jason and Rachel are younger and the discussion about whether to get engaged is a big topic, along with what it means to be married to a cop – and what it means for Jason to be a cop and also a husband and father. They are murder mystery stories, but the characters draw the reader into a real world, not a big-budget movie fantasy.
What makes them tick?
Mike is a very by-the-book guy for the most part, but we learn in all the stories that he’s willing to bend the rules when he feels that it’s necessary or justified. He also is concerned about his relationship with Michelle and how to keep that going, without putting her in danger. He’s also (surprisingly) concerned about Jason and his future and well-being. So, he’s both a crusty jaded cop and a sensitive, concerned person. He’s also now concerned about his own mortality and his own future to a degree that’s new to him, after 24 years on the force.
Jason has a chip on his shoulder about being a Black detective. He demands respect, although he comes to understand that he has to earn it. He’s also facing a cross-roads in his life where he must decide if he wants to be a career cop. He’s not sure he wants to be like Mike at age 50 – single. But, he and Rachel are married, with one child (JJ) and another on the way. Does he want to continue his rather dangerous occupation? This question, as well as Rachel’s career aspirations, are central to the story in books 6 through 10 (yes, there will be ten).
What is their biggest fear?
Now, Mike’s biggest fear is that something bad will happen to Michelle because of one of his investigations. It nearly happened in “Righteous Assassin,” and it became an issue between them in “Deadly Enterprise.” Unfortunately for Mike, there is more peril ahead for Michelle.
Is there a consistent bad guy in the books?
No. Each book has its own villains and challenges. Not every situation is clear-cut, which makes it fun. There is no super-villain who keeps coming back to terrorize the City. Each story is very unique. There is an organized crime family in New York – the Gallata family – that shows up a few times (including in book #7). And in Las Vegas there was a different organized crime boss named Freddy Costanzo, who has a link back to the Gallatas, but they are not consistent villains. Look for one villain in Treacherous Hack who might come back again in a later story.
Can the books be read in any order?
Yes. Each book is a fully stand-alone story. I’ve had many readers pick up the series at each point and nobody has had any problems enjoying the books separately without having read the earlier ones. But, there is some development of the characters going on, and there are references in each book to events that happened in the earlier books. Some are necessary for later readers, and some are Easter eggs for readers who will get the “inside” jokes. There’s not much of that, but enough to make my audience happy. But they definitely can be read in any sequence. I would not recommend reading book #5 (Perilous Gambit) before reading the first four, since there will be some spoilers about what is going to happen to the man subplots.
What is Treacherous Hack about?
The story centers around a data hack engineered by a Chinese organized crime syndicate called the Corporate Dragons, which is a de facto arm of the Chinese government. They break into sensitive data inside the servers at New York University through a student, Ryan Gelb. Ryan is dating Star Albertson, Michelle McNeill’s niece. Ryan and his friend, Will, realized the hack was happening and disconnected Ryan’s computer before the hackers uploaded the critical files. The file downloaded to Ryan’s computer by the hackers is encrypted, so Ryan takes it to his uncle, Lou Palazzo, who is a whiz at decrypting files – which was his primary value as a soldier in the Gallata organized crime family a decade earlier. Lou no longer works for the family, but he has connections, and arranged to sell the data file to an old colleague of his, Lloyd “The Cannon” Cannon. Uncle Lou didn’t know that his old Gallata friends were in business with the Corporate Dragons. When the Chinese boss finds out that Lou has the hacked data file, they want it back.
When the Chinese come for the file, Uncle Lou breaks out his trusty shotgun, but he ends up shot in a snowy intersection by his old friend, The Cannon. When Mike and Jason arrive on the scene, they have three bodies – Lou Palazzo and two unidentified Chinese goons. They think Lou killed the two Chinese agents, and a witness saw a large bald man leaving the scene of Lou’s execution. Mike and Jason must try to trace the killer, which seems unlikely if it was a mob hit.
Meanwhile, Ryan and his best friend, Will Scarano, need to hide the hack from NYU. They are terrified that the university will expel them, or at least revoke their scholarships, if it comes to light that Ryan and Will were responsible for the data hack. Their only chance to vindicate themselves is to recover the file, turn it over to the university, and prove that the hackers never uploaded the data – so the hack never actually happened. There’s one problem – they don’t know where the file is. But Ryan gets a cryptic message from Uncle Lou, telling him that Lou stashed the file somewhere before he died so that only Ryan would be able to find it. Now, Ryan and Will need to find the file. But the Corporate Dragons are watching Ryan, and want to steal the file back.
Everyone in the story has information they don’t want to share. But keeping secrets could get them killed.
If you and your character met in real life, do you think you’d get on?
Oh yes! I have given Mike many character traits from my own backstory. We would definitely go to a Mets game together and then share a high-end single malt. Mike’s a little younger than I, but we are both Boomers and share a lot of common experience. I’m not a cop, but that wouldn’t stop us from being friends.
Who would you like to see play them if your books were made into a film or TV show?
In the movie version of Righteous Assassin, if it were made soon, Michael B. Jordan would play Jason. For Mike, I think John C. Riley would be perfect. Maybe Brad Pitt. The casting director would have fun with the rest of the characters. I personally want Annaleigh Ashford to play Mrs. DiVito (only my biggest fans will understand that reference!)
How many books do you have in the series so far?
Books 1-7 are now published and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook editions. I narrated the audiobooks myself. That makes it a 7-book series plus two stand-alone mysteries (Dead Winner and The Other Murder) in just about seven years. Not bad for somebody with a day job.
What’s in store for them next?
Book #8 in the series (tentatively titled Killer Pace will put Mike and Jason in the middle of another serial killer investigation, after several women runners are assaulted and strangled while running in New York parks. The killings put the running community on edge. Finding the killer is a priority for the Commissioner. The FBI will send in a serial killer profiler – Special Agent Angela Manning (who my readers will remember from book #1, Righteous Assassin). But Angela has doubts about the direction of the investigation. Readers will have to guess who the killer is, while Mike and Jason keep up a Killer Pace.
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