I understand that many genres have tropes that are consistently overused (that’s kind of what makes a genre), but for some reason crime thriller cliches more than others are not my cup of tea. “Rico Stays” certainly has standard elements of the genre, but it also manages to move beyond the routine with certain scenes and characters

I really like Rico and feel like he stands above a typical line up of hitman type characters (more depth and nuance to his personality). The story went in several directions that I did not expect, which was a refreshing surprise. And I also really like how the story focused a lot on the “bad” guys. We really get to learn their stories and care about them, which adds in wonderful shades of gray to what could have been just a black and white story.

Special thanks to author Ed Duncan and Kelsey @bookpublicityservices for a copy in exchange for an honest review! ( )