Cleveland Series

• Deviant Way (1995)
• Kiss of Evil (2001)

In 1995 Montanari wrote Deviant Way, introducing Cleveland Police Department homicide detective John Paris. The story, a suspense novel chronicling a pair of thrill killers, earned him a two book deal from Michael Korda at Simon & Schuster. In 2001 Montanari published the sequel, Kiss of Evil. Both novels have been published worldwide, and were recently reissued by Random House UK.

Philadelphia Series

Montanari is best known for his Philadelphia crime series.

• The Rosary Girls (2005)
• The Skin Gods (2006)
• Merciless (2007) (UK title Broken Angels) (2007)
• Badlands (UK title Play Dead) (2008)
• The Echo Man (2011)

Set inside the homicide unit of the Philadelphia Police Department, these novels include the alternating narratives of veteran police detective Kevin Francis Byrne, and his younger partner Jessica Balzano.

The stories, which are known for their intricate plots and fast pacing, also include other recurring characters, most notably Detective Joshua Bontrager, who was, at one time, a member of the Amish church. Each book in the series was an instant top 10 bestseller on the Sunday Times hardcover list.

Other Works

In addition to his crime series, Montanari has penned two stand-alone novels. In 1998 he published The Violet Hour, a thriller featuring freelance writer Nicky Stella. In 2009 he published The Devil’s Garden, a psychological thriller introducing New York District Attorney Michael Roman.

As a journalist Montanari has written essays, profiles, articles, and both film and literary criticism in more than 200 publications, including The Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, The Seattle Times, The Plain Dealer, and many others.