New Novel Exposes the Roots behind a City's Tragic Demise and A Madman's Quest for The Ultimate Revenge

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Nov. 25, 2019 - PRLog -- "Payback – Tales of Love, Hate, and Revenge," is the second book in the Passaic River Trilogy by award-winning author, Steve Bassett. The setting is 1946 and the world is still reeling from the aftermath of WWII. It's no different in Newark, NJ, where the homicide task force is investigating a series of bizarre murders that reek of retribution. The victims are all identified as members of the German-American Bund, a pro-Nazi organization. The murders send a clear message, crimes against humanity will be avenged.  Detectives soon find themselves immersed in cover up, ambition and power struggles. Complete with racial tension, corporate greed, adultery, child abuse, mob activity, a madman set on revenge, and a church on the take, "Payback" exposes the darkest sides of urban corruption.

Bassett said his primary objective was to keep the plot unpredictable and characters authentic. "I did not want to dumb-down the narrative. In Newark, so many forces had come into play immediately after the war, joblessness, poverty, crime, housing shortage, official corruption and racist slumlords. I had to tell the story without sanitizing 'Payback' and turning it into a populist manifesto."

Early reviews reveal Bassett hits the mark with "Payback." Christine White, author of "Uniquely Felt" says, "Bassett…has a way of distilling the essence of a character in just a phrase or two: 'a tall blonde, blue-eyed Prussian lawyer with the rare ability to combine vapidity and arrogance without a hint of apology.' These are characters that suck you in…" Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite says "…the story had me hooked from the opening scene….I enjoyed the pace and I especially enjoyed the development of the story. It is a riveting story that gives you everything you crave from crime fiction." Ray Simmons of Readers' Favorites adds, "I loved these characters...because they are rare. That is, they are rarely written about."

"Payback - Tales of Love, Hate, and Revenge" (ISBN 9781087800332, Steve Bassett 2019) scheduled for release November 29, 2019 is available for pre-order through local and online bookstores.

About the Author

Steve Bassett was born, raised and educated in New Jersey, and, although far removed during a career as a multiple award-winning journalist, he has always been proud of the sobriquet, Jersey Guy. He has written for several publications, including the Pulitzer Prize winning Salt Lake Tribune. He's worked for the Associated Press, where his exposés gained national recognition, and CBS television news in Los Angeles, earning three Emmy Awards for his investigative documentaries.

His book, "Golden Ghetto: How the Americans and French Fell In and Out of Love During the Cold War," was published in 2013. "Father Divine's Bikes," Book One in his Passaic River Trilogy was published in 2018 "Payback - Tales of Love, Hate and Revenge," is the second novel in the trilogy continuing the historical noir crime drama surrounding Newark, NJ in the post WWII era.

For more information, visit http://www.stevebassettworld.com. Publicity contact: admin@readerviews.com. Review copies available upon request.