A well written, fast-paced thriller.4 s Tom DuffyAuthor 8 books11

Can’t wait for the next one. Such a fun read. The writing was strong and the characters fleshed out well. If you’ve read the Dirty Deeds series, you’ll pick up an a bunch of Easter eggs in here. And you get to find out who lives above The Ruby Skull. Cassie Conway is an intriguing character and I hope there is more of her to come.4 s Jason MeuschkeAuthor 4 books38

Off to a great start

Been a fan of Armand’s work for years now but his crime thriller is something different and exciting! Armand hits it out of the park carefully balancing multiple plots and characters while building this detailed world around them. Can’t wait to see what happens next!3 s Chad Hoey19 1 follower

I just finished the audio book. Very good story. The story keeps flowing along with no weak spots and makes you want to keep going. I’ll be checking out the rest of the series. It was extra fun for me cause I lived in the area where this took place and new where everything was that was in the story. 2 s Desiree208 18

Clayton is a man that has made some really bad life decisions but is doing his best to correct his past mistakes. Growing up with a father that was well known for his criminal connections and prolific lifestyle wasn't easy. He became a cop and was doing well, until his gambling problem cost him his job and his family. Now, three years later, he's working for a repo company, keeping his head down, trying to win his family back, and get his job back in law enforcement. When his boss involves him in a boat repo of a drug cartel, he finds himself being approached by the FBI. And as if that wasn't crazy enough, suddenly, his sister- that spells out trouble every time she's around- is back in town. Between the FBI pursuing him, his sister's cryptic conversations, and his dad coming up again, he's not sure which way is up. Can Clayton-not Clay- help the FBI, and figure out his sister before all is lost? Or is this just the beginning of something greater than him?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I could envision each character as the story played out. His boss and coworkers were all believable. The author did an excellent job writing the struggles of each character and their thought processes. I appreciated that Clayton started realizing that it wasn't just the gambling that was the problem, but his selfishness and self-loathing that makes him unapproachable to others. When he really starts to look past himself and see others, that is when he truly starts to change and see what has been right in front of him for the last three years.

This is the first of many books, I hope! 1 Lorrene Huisman519 12

This book was a freaking well written fantastic adventure! I was hooked from the character introductions. The characters were connectable, and the action was tense and a good build up!

The book gave so much. I felt I was right there with everything that was going on. From figuring out characters whom to trust, and whom you knew you could a first glance, and when it comes down to it, you would sacrifice everything for those you love. Amazing writing. I could not put it down. It kept me interested till the final word on the final page. Loved it! Really exciting read and a fulfilling time!

I was hooked, no questions asked. The writing was good and kept you holding on till everything came together. I am so glad I came across this book! Highly recommend this book and author!
1 Maryn Belling26 1 follower

Shake Down (First Coast Thriller Book 1) by Armand Rosamilia - Review by Maryn Belling

When self-fulfilling catastrophe strikes people make one of 3 choices:
try to get back to “before”
wallow in self-pity
get help, learn, grow, and move forward

Too “in your face”? Ok look at a plant gone to seed. It can become:
harvested & dried for future planting
mulched into the ground as nutrients for others
get carried off by a bird or wildlife to a new field

That’s where we find Clayton “don’t call me Clay” - 3 years into self-pity & trying to get back to “before”. Even his daughter can see he needs help. Will he grab a lifeline, or will he continue to pour alcohol on his backward-looking journey?

If you’ve ever wondered what The Sopranos or Sons of Anarchy would be if it were relocated to Jacksonville, recalibrated with bougie rum, Jaws one-liners, a soundtrack country and trop pop, Shakedown marks the spot on your treasure map.

Does the Shakedown map lead to redemption from addiction & self-destruction?

The kindle book includes a few chapters of book 2 in the series to continue the beach read.

CWs: addiction, alcoholism, divorce, toxic masculinity

Tags: Shake Down, First Coast Thriller Series, Armand Rosamilia, Review, Itsy Bitsy Book Bits, Crime, Thriller Angela Shirley823 6

Clayton is lost at the moment, with his life as he knows it gone, losing his family and job as a police officer to his gambling addiction is there ever a way to get back on the right track. Until he gets a job with Jimmy within the Repo business until things start becoming weird and people are going missing.

Can Clayton get back his life and find out what is going on when people start going missing and he tries to help the local force, will he put himself and his family in the middle of something he can't get out of.

This is the first book I have read by this author and have to say I pleasantly surprised with the story and the drama written with the pages. The characters are well developed and drive the story as the twists and turns adds to the overall intensity of the story.

I love a good flawed character trying to make good and Clayton is up there with the best, the way he is trying to get back his family and trying to resolve some his past is brilliant to read and you are invested from the first chapter as he is a likable rogue. The secondary characters complete the story and drive through to make you want to keep turning the pages to read what will happen next.

I definitely recommend this book and would love to read more of this series and the author in the future.ibbb- Wendy Wary103 1 follower

Clayton is trying to get his life back on track after a gambling addiction cost him his job and family. He wants to repair things with his ex wife and daughter, but it's going to be a long road to setting things right.
He misses police work, but he's found some solace in doing repo work for Jimmy, who seems most interested in living his life in Jimmy buffet style. But, Jimmy takes in his crew family, and Clayton just needs to learn to get out of his own head. When one of his coworkers gets abducted, Clayton joins the crew in finding him and getting to the bottom of what's really going on.
Meanwhile, his damaged relationships with his womanizing father and elusive sister, who seems to find trouble everywhere she goes, throws a more personal wrench into Clayton's problems.
Explosive action, an FBI investigation, and Jimmy's knack for getting under a local cop's skin make for page-turning excitement, laughter, and adventure. I loved the characters in this book, their varying quirks and personalities, and truly enjoyed the story line. I can't wait to read the next book in the series! Jennifer 1,270 25

I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping crime thriller, which had me hooked from start to finish. The main character, Clayton Conway is an ex-cop who has made some mistakes and is now working at a repo company. Clayton is concentrating on raising his daughter and keeping friendly with her mother, his ex-wife. He's renting a small apartment over a bar in Jacksonville Beach, and is happy if he makes enough money to pay his rent. Thinking he had left his dangerous life behind him, along with being a cop, Clayton gets mixed up with the Orenato Cartel, when one of their speedboats is repossessed.
Clayton realises that it’s not just him who’s in danger but also his family and friends, and he’s determined to protect them, as long as his own weaknesses don’t get the better of him, again. Full of drama and suspense this was an entertaining and engaging read, with a great main character in Clayton, who’s both able and relatable, whilst also being realistic. I found it hard to put this book down once I had started it and I am now looking forward to the next book in the series. ?? Kerry carr1,559 18

This is the first book in the First Coast Thriller series. It is a great start to the series. This book is definately one that will keep a reader gripped and on the edge of their seat from start to finish. I loved it. I literally couldn't put it down and the pace was fast enough that it kept me engaged without missing any details or depth.

This books is a crime Thriller and has so many twists and turns at the reader cannot be sure of what to expect or what the outcome can be. When you mix cartel boats and investigations with the FBI you just know that things are going to be pretty or plain sailing and lives will be on the line.

Our main character Clayton has had a rough time of things. He was part of JSO but he gambling addiction got the best of him and now he's a repo man. All he wants is to get back into law enforcement and make his family proud.
When he is offered that change he grabs for it however it comes at a cost and that cost is crossing dangerous people and putting the family and friends he loves into harms way. Angela5,820 74

3.5 Stars

Shake Down is the first book in the First Coast Thriller series by Armand Rosamilia. As this is my first foray into Mr. Rosamilia’s work, I was unsure of what to expect- but I love a great crime thriller, and as I am a bit of a book addict, I devour my way through dozens of books a month and so I am always looking for more authors to add to my TBR list- so one-click I did and plunged into the adventure.
Clayton Conway was forced off the police force due to his own doing. Mistakes that left him with little choice but to go into the repo game- recovering cars and boats to make ends meet. But when a powerboat belonging to a notorious cartel comes up for repo, things take a dangerous turn. What happens next? You will need to read all the intriguing details for yourself!
I will definitely be joining Clayton for more adventures in the future. As well as keeping a lookout for anything else Mr. Rosamilia produces. Now I’m off to read ‘Throw Down’ (Book #2 First Coast Thriller Series).
Happy Reading!

Thank you, Armand Rosamilia!
Devon Pulliam121 1 follower

You quickly discover Clayton, not Clay, is one of those guys who is trying to fix his past by changing his current self. You learn that as an ex-cop he made some mistakes and is trying to get back to his cop life and his family that he lost. He didn't come from the best parenting but wants to do better.

Then you learn he is a repo guy. The description of the boat repos had me relating as I am not the best on a boat either. But you can relate to him in various ways.

The ex-cop turned FBI helper and the crew working at D&D puts the work they do into real perspective. It also shows that you have to be a team player when it comes to certain types of work as well.

This was my first time reading this author and I thoroughly enjoyed the crime and thriller this story brought and will be reading more. It was one that once you got engaged you needed to know what was going to happen next. Wither it was Clay, Cassie, Wendell, Neil.... I needed to know what was happening next. I loved that it was a fast paced read to. Amy Brennan175 2

I absolutely love the way the characters are introduced and how we are able to connect with Clayton 'Clay' on a personal level before really getting to the plot. It brings in a comedic aspect to the suspense filled adventure with some heartache, some doubt, some mystery and just a lot of action as a whole. The writing itself draws the reader in, and I personally felt I was too intrigued to not continue reading. Humans make mistakes, and we shouldn't be defined by those mistakes, be it if they were in the past, are in the present, or to happen in the future. I feel this novel touched on that very well.

I think that this author really knows how to build up his stories all around, and to keep the reader guessing by staying one step ahead, but also letting the reader in on the thoughts of the characters to the point where we feel we know where the next step will land, and who really knows if they'll misstep. I guess you will have to read it and find out! I look forward to reading more of this series, and author. Worth a read! Bobbi Wagner4,379 43

This is my first book by this author which I enjoyed from beginning to end. This is the first book in this series and what a great start it is. I look forward to reading more in this series in the future. This is a well written story where the characters bring the twists and turns to a new level. A story that is full of action and suspense. It has great growth throughout the story as well. I found this story to be fast paced and hard to put down. An engaging story that had me coming back for more. A story about an ex-cop who now does repo and has repossessed the wrong boat. Now the cartel is after what was taken from them. I really enjoyed how the author used details to make the characters relatable and supportive. They made the story feel realistic, as if you were right there with them. This is an easy and entertaining story to read. I really enjoyed reading this story. I highly recommend this story. Dawn Daughenbaugh1,774 12

5 Stars
Shake Down (First Coast Thriller Book 1) by Armand Rosamilia

Shake Down is the first book in the First Coast Thriller Series and once you start reading there’s no stopping until you finish. This is a Thriller/Crime that pulls you in from the beginning and keeps on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what is going to happen next. This is a fairly new author to me but I’m a fan already. His style of writing and attention to detail and his characters are relatable and fully developed make for a wonderful story. This is a fast paced story that is packed with action and suspense. Clayton is a ex-cop who is now working repo and has repossessed a boat that turns out to belong to Cartel. He finds himself in a situation where now the cartel is after him they want their boat back. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Shannen579 17

This was my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last. I was hooked from the very beginning and can’t wait to pick up the second book in the First Coast Thriller Series!

Clayton “Don’t Call Me Clay” Conaway is an ex-cop who is trying to get his life together after making some unwise decisions. He has a less than ideal relationship with his sister and father, both of which haunt him in his day-to-day life. All he really wants is to be a cop and back at home with his wife and daughter again. As he works with D&D Recovery and coasts by on auto-pilot, he realizes that maybe what he wants is within reach. Will he succeed in attaining his goals or does getting in the cartel’s crosshairs end it all?

I can’t believe I haven’t picked up a book by Armand Rosamilia before but that ends now! I will be searching out other series from this author. You won’t be disappointed reading this fast-paced crime thriller! Heidi Sturgess869 12

So Clayton didn’t really grow up with the best role model for a father and he’s determined to do better and becomes a cop and all seems well but then the gambling monster takes over and he looses not only his job but his family , a very hard price to pay .

Clayton may have made mistakes in the past but everyone deserves another chance , right ? So he’s got a job , his family back and it just may be coming together for him ….


I feel sorry for Clayton he’s really trying hard but life just keeps throwing curve balls at him , what seemed a stable job is now not so kosher , his boss is involved with the cartel , both his father and sister are coming at him from different angles and then the FBI wants a piece of him as well , good grief something has got to give !


All I’m going to say is expect the unexpected because all is definitely not as it seems . Despite the thrills and chills this book gave me it also allowed me to be sympathetic…


I think I’d to read some more ??
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