Book Three: The Wayward Path

Charity Gray was an intelligent, inquisitive teen who disappeared fifteen years eariler. When her body is discovered, it should be a typical cold case.

Before the Detroit police can get started, the FBI commandeers the investigation, with a prime suspect in mind: retired mobster Leo Agonasti.

When Agonasti slips through their grasp, he reaches out to Sergeant Jefferson Chene. Their unusual friendship draws Chene into the thick of the case.

Burdened with two reluctant FBI agents, Chene is working against the clock and the feds to find the real killer.

Chene senses they are getting close to the answers.

Will he be able to solve the murder and clear the old mobster of this heinous crime before time runs out?

What Readers Are Saying!

Reminds Me of Robert B. Parker's and Dennis Lehane's Books!
THE WAYWARD PATH was my first encounter with Mark Love’s Jefferson Chene series. Finally, a police procedural that reminds me of the late Robert B. Parker’s or Dennis Lehane’s novels. I’m not going to summarize the plot because if you’re reading a book review, you’ve doubtless already read the blurb. Here’s why I liked it and mean to read the previous two books: vivid characters, not all of them strictly good guys, a fast pace, and a style that kept me reading when I should have been doing other things. Mr. Love’s previous books are WHY 319? and YOUR TURN TO DIE, and I've already bought them.
~Kathleen Buckley

Chene And Crew!
I love a good crime thriller like The Wayward Path. The characters and the story were very entertaining and the was action packed. This book is part of a series and this is my first book by Mark Love. If you love crime fiction then this is the book for you!
~Shawn Pinzon

Finished It In A Day!
Having read the first two in the Jefferson Chene series, I knew I wanted the third. I bought it and didn't put it down until I finished it. I love Mark's way with telling a story.
~Maria H.

Detroit Procedural!
Cutting back and forth between the perspectives of prime suspect Agonasti and lead investigator Chene, The Wayward Path walks the line between a police procedural and a crime novel, giving us lots of characters to root for. As it becomes clear that Agonasti had nothing to do with the death of Charity and Chene learns about her fierce curiosity, only more questions arise? What did the teenager come across? Who is targeting Chene? And why, after a gunfight in the streets that lands Chene in the hospital, do police find a picture of Chene’s girlfriend in the shooter’s pocket?

Fans of straight police procedurals will find a lot to like in the pages of Mark Love’s newest. Also, those with an interest in seeing both sides. With his attention to Agonasti’s backstory, I was reminded of Dennis Lehane’s Joe Coughlin series.

This is a solid read with interesting characters and a mystery with more than meets the eye.
~Steven M. Miller

Great Book!
Very interesting Story. A good police procedural with good characters.
~Amy Section

Wonderful Addition To a Great Sereis!
Mark Love's newest novel, The Wayward Path, is another wonderful addition to the Jefferson Chene case files. In this entry, a fifteen-year-old murder brings Chene and his Michigan State Police major case squad into an uneasy alliance with both the FBI and the mob as a cold case turns blazing hot. The author deftly handles a complicated investigation populated with a strong cast of well-developed characters in exciting scenes ranging from distressed areas of Detroit to the uber-wealthy suburbs to mob hangouts to boats in the middle of the Detroit River. Touching on themes of loyalty, gratitude, ambition, greed, revenge, even altruism and selflessness, The Wayward Path is an immensely satisfying read that will keep the reader both guessing and turning the pages. Highly recommended.
~Donald Levin, PhD, Author of The Preuss Mystery Series

Gritty Non-Stop Action & Unusual Plot Twists
A gruesome discovery leads Jefferson Chene of the Michigan State Police and his team on a round of the mob bosses of Detroit. Which of them knew what happened to Charity Gray? And who tried to frame Chene’s friend, the retired mobster Leo Agonasti?

This is my third Chene book and they keep getting better and better. I’m particularly fascinated by the way the police, FBI, and the established gangs interact. My favorite character is the elusive and deliciously criminal Agonasti and his sidekick Max. If you like gritty, non-stop action and unusual plot twists, this is the book for you.
~Petunia

What Readers Are Saying!

Another Great Mystery With Jefferson Chene!
I thoroughly enjoyed Book 3 and couldn't put it down. I read Nelson DeMille's series with Det. John Corey and now another police character, Jefferson Chene. Keep writing Mark as your readers are ready for Book 4.
~Sheri K. Kurtyak

A Different Kind of LOVE Story!
Mark LOVE (hence the pun) has written a terrific police procedural that never feels false or forced. The jocular humor among the cops rings with verisimilitude and elicits genuine laughter. I am reminded of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series and some of Joseph Wambaugh's earlier writing. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes great, gritty crime fiction!
~Brettw

A Gritty Crime Mystery
A young woman’s body stuffed in a wall leads Sgt. Chene to defend his mobster friend but can he track down the killer in time? In the heart of Detroit, a construction crew discovers a tightly wrapped body of a fifteen-year-old girl named Charity Gray. What was she doing in the wall of a condemned house? What is her connection to a mobster? The police are stumped. Before they can investigate further, the feds take over the case. Sgt. Chene wants nothing to do with the case but is pulled in to work with the feds due to his unusual friendship with retired mobster Leo. Chene is good at his job, but this case is leading him on a chase. The more clues he uncovers the closer he gets to solving the murder, the deeper in danger he is. Can he clear Leo’s name in time to catch the real killer or will he be too late?

The Wayward Path is a gritty crime mystery that captured my inner detective’s imagination. I love a good detective mystery. Throw in a hard-edged setting like Detroit and a cold case to solve and I’m one happy reader. The Wayward Path is a feast for any crime fiction/mystery reader. It all starts with the descriptive narration and Mark Love sets the tone from the very first page. Even though this is book three in a series, the author takes the time to catch the reader up to speed on the characters, setting, and police procedure. The dialogue is smart, savvy, and full of terminology associated with solving crime. I enjoyed Chene immensely. The conflict he feels on this case is expertly written. The mystery itself is complex with a full cast of characters and Mark Love unfolds it using intricate narration and plot progression. There were many times when I got so engrossed in the story, I read late into the night. While I guessed the killer before it was revealed, there were a couple of surprises I didn’t expect. Mark Love is a brilliant mystery writer and one to keep an eye on. If you enjoy mysteries with an edge, pick up The Wayward Path. If crime fiction is your reading jam, you’ll want to read The Wayward Path. Highly recommend!
~N.N. Light

Home Run!
Mark Love did a great job on this one. A straight up police procedural with lots of action and lots of storyline. Thanks for an excellent read!
~Luv2Read