The Roach

By: Rhett C. Bruno

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

A string of killings. An identity stolen. Only he can find the truth.

Reese Roberts was the guardian of Iron City. Its fearless protector. The only one willing to do whatever it takes...until he was shot on the streets and left paralyzed from the waist down. Now, the vigilante known as the Roach has disappeared. Faded into legend.

It’s been years since Reese could take on crime and clean up the streets. He’s a shriveled old drunk, living like a hermit and waiting for his life to end. All that’s left to do is wallow in the mistakes that led him here. To wonder if he went too far.

But when a copycat steals his suit and takes justice into his own hands, a new killer emerges, leaving brutal messages behind. He wants to eliminate the Roach for good this time.

It’s time for Reese to re-emerge from his shell and fight back. Who else can stop the flurry of killings? Definitely not the corrupt police department. Iron City needs the Roach again. Only, this time, he’ll need to save it without his legs.

©2020 Aethon Books (P)2020 Podium Audio

Critic reviews

"A dark and powerful journey into the broken mind of a crippled vigilante, clawing his way out of despair to protect his legacy and his city. Reader beware: once you crack this novel open, you won't be able to close it!” (Jeremy Robinson, NY Times best-selling author of Tribe and The Others)

“A world worthy of being a sister city to Gotham. Gritty, grimy, and mesmerizing.“ (Actor Lou Diamond Phillips, Prodigal Son; La Bamba)

“Great narration and dialogue, Rhett C. Bruno brings to life a character who’d rather be dead...or at least has a death wish." (Darick Robertson, co-creator of The Boys - now a Prime Original Series)

“White-knuckled and unfiltered. The Roach plunges you into the filth of the city and holds you under.“ (James S. Murray, number-one best-selling author of the Awakened series and star of truTV’s Impractical Jokers)

Absolutely entertaining

I could not stop until I finished. The story was so detailed and complex. I had to know what happened next. The writing was brilliant, and the narration was perfection. I highly recommend this book. It was a great start to entertainment in this new year.

Awesome!

An unlikely hero. Even from a wheelchair, he can't help but respond when his city needs him. Loved the relationships between the characters, and the background story of how the antihero developed into The Roach. Great engaging story, superb narration, and a final reveal that I didn't see coming, but that pulled it all together for me. Bravo!!

Great story line, hard to stop listening.

Another great one by Brett C Bruno. RC Bray does a terrific job as always. If you enjoy super heros you will like this book.. Storyline drug me in made me want more.

Dude, that was freaking cool!

So I dove into this one because Bruno and Bray are both in the sphere of books I like. While this was out of my wheelhouse (crime/mystery vs Sci-Fi) I decided to give it a shot considering the talent involved. And dang, it did not disappoint!

Roach is a character you can get behind. The story is well-paced, with no dead space. I enjoyed listening to this book, Bray is a legend. Bruno did a great job in creating a setting that is believable and characters we can invest in.

Different but awesome

Bruno pulls me in with everything he writes because his characters are so human. The Roach could have been a real life inspiration for the Punisher or similar characters, but his story is much more plausible and gripping. There were not a ton of surprises here but there was a lot of suspense. I listened every spare minute wanting to know what came next. Bray does his usual thing. There is nothing but the expected quality there.

I highly recommend this work to anyone who likes gritty action stories.

Great book.

The reader was perfect for this book. Great story overall. I hope this is a series!

i liked it

It was a darker take on the super hero kick that's been so popular lately.

Gritty Anti-hero story.

Great, Anti-hero story that gives the perspective of what happens after you have given up everything, including your body helping others. The story was enjoyable and the narration was great, as expected. The interview at the end with the author was great too . I would like to see/hear that more often. I received this book free for my honest review.

New Superhero Genre

Great story! And one I hope becomes a series. Gritty, grownup and fun as hell.

Pure awesome grit!

The Roach is an amazing story following a disabled former hero. It really captures how frustrating one might feel from going from the nightmare of all criminals to a wheelchair ridden drunk who feels worthless. It's a must for anyone who likes the more gritty superhero genre. RC Bray is at the top of his game in this one voicing this washed up hero.