A Killing on the Hill

A Thriller

By: Robert Dugoni

Narrated by: Robert Dugoni

A gripping new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

The Great Depression. High-level corruption. And a murder that’s about to become Seattle’s hottest mystery. It’s the kind of story that can make a reporter’s career. If he lives to write about it.

Seattle, 1933. The city is in the grips of the Great Depression, Prohibition, and vice. Cutting his teeth on a small-time beat, hungry and ambitious young reporter William “Shoe” Shumacher gets a tip that could change his career. There’s been a murder at a social club on Profanity Hill—an underworld magnet for vice crimes only a privileged few can afford. The story is going to be front-page news, and Shoe is the first reporter on the scene.

The victim, Frankie Ray, is a former prizefighter. His accused killer? Club owner and mobster George Miller, who claims he pulled the trigger in self-defense. Soon the whole town’s talking, and Shoe’s first homicide is fast becoming the Trial of the Century. The more Shoe digs, the more he’s convinced nothing is as it seems. Not with a tangle of conflicting stories, an unlikely motive, and witnesses like Ray’s girlfriend, a glamour girl whose pretty lips are sealed. For now.

In a city steeped in Old West debauchery, Shoe’s following every lead to a very dangerous place—one that could bring him glory and fame or end his life.

©2024 La Mesa Fiction LLC. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“The elements of a scandalous crime are everywhere: a dubiously employed moll who could be a ringer for Jean Harlow, a former boxer with big money problems, a nattily dressed gangster insisting he shot his assailant in self-defense and the illegal nightclub whose patrons are rumored to include the mayor, various council members and even the chief of police.”—Alida Becker, New York Times Book Review

“William’s romantic coming of age takes up almost as many pages as his journalistic work, giving parts of A Killing on the Hill a poignant sweetness reminiscent of Thornton Wilder. But William’s forays into his new hometown’s shadier regions are as hard-boiled as any pulp-magazine novella.”—Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

"Dugoni scores a decisive win with this tale of greed, lust, and bloodshed: it’s chock-full of expertly drawn characters and plenty of historical lore, and its note-perfect noir atmosphere could accommodate James Cagney. Here’s hoping this gets the series treatment.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The era so well portrayed

Loved the narration as well as the story. It held my interest throughout. Great well portrayed characters

Great story!

This was a fascinating story. It was very different from his other work but definitely a great one! Loved it!

Absolutely charming and engaging and rather heart wrenching 1930s Seattle depression novel

An overall charming and completely wonderful story. Skilled recreation of 1930s depression, culture. Completely endearing and engaging characters and a wonderful thrilling plot!

How different this book is from the other books by this author I have read

It seemed a bit slow but I finally got into the pace and story and enjoyed the read.

Fell in love with shoo...schu?

Nothing to dislike about another Dugoni hit. One always falls in love with his characters. Love him as the narrator as well...

The author ends up being a great narrator!

4.25 Stars 🌟

This was a new direction from Mr. Dugoni and I wasn't sure what to expect. I am a big fan of his other series, particularly the Tracey Crosswhite series and the Charles Jenkins series. This was more of a historical fiction stand alone (at least I think it's a stand alone).

The setting is the early 1900's - I think it is set in 1933 - so right in the middle of the Great Depression. We get to meet William “Shoe” Shumacher who is a very young kid who is trying to help his family out by getting a job to help support his family. He is originally from the Mid-West, but through a friend of a friend, they learn that there is an opening for an apprentice for a newspaper in Seattle Washington. So, he arrives in Seattle with a suitcase and pretty much nothing else. But William is ambitious and little by little he begins to make a name for himself as he gets the new job promotion to a reporter on the crime beat.

Things start to become interesting when there is a murder of a man from "The Underworld" or the crime-like mafia in the city. For some reason, the lead detective Blunt gives William the scoop and takes him under his wing for the beginning of the investigation. This case then develops into the "Trial of the Century".

Little by little, William is beginning to wonder if he was chosen because of his naivety and if he is being manipulated once it becomes clear that there is more to the case than meets the eye.

I liked this book. I actually LOVED the details, like 2 cents for a newspaper, and a quarter was a ton of money. Mr. Dugoni paints a very colorful and descriptive setting and it was easy to picture the events as they were happening.

The storyline gets interesting and you do not know until the very end WHO is actually involved in the bigger picture. So - yep, another winner.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Robert Dugoni is the narrator. When I saw that I thought, "Uh Oh" because sometimes when an author chooses to narrate his own book, well sometimes that can be good, but most of the time, it is not. I am happy to say that I thought he did a fine job with the narration. *Phew!*

Dugoni Doesn’t Disappoint

A great read from an amazing author. I’ve loved every single book Robert Dugoni has written, and this one follows suit. A cast of multi-layered, likable characters paired with mystery, suspense, a little bit of humor and topped off with some feel-good moments. Very enjoyable listen. Definitely recommend.

Not the typical Dugoni

This book was very slow and I had trouble getting into it. The narrator's voice was perfect for William, the main character, but not so great for the rest of the characters.

A cant-put-down tale of human nature.

The tapestry of ethics, morality, values, greed and other human foibles made this a great read. Narration by the author was surprisingly excellent.

Great story

This is a great story set in the 1930s. I couldn’t put it down until the end.