The Rogue Element
(2026)(The first book in the (Scott Priest Crime Thriller series)
A novel by John Hardy Bell
A brutal murder. A department under suspicion. And a detective who may be walking into a trap.
When a hotel room attendant is found stabbed to death inside a luxury penthouse suite, Major Crimes Detective Scott Priest expects a hard case.He doesn’t expect a meeting with the state's attorney general before the scene is even processed.
Rumors of corruption inside the department have been building for months. Now Scott is being asked to quietly assist in a covert probe targeting officers at the highest levels.
He can’t help but wonder why they chose him.
Scott comes from police royalty. His father, a legendary narcotics detective, built a reputation that still echoes through the halls—though early-stage dementia is slowly stealing the man he once was. His older brother died in the line of duty, a decorated hero whose shadow Scott has never fully escaped.
The Priest name carries weight. And weight can be useful.
As Scott works the homicide with his partner and closest friend, Nathan Kimball, troubling connections begin to surface—links that suggest the murder may be part of something larger. Organized. Protected.
Then Nathan makes an unexpected move. A decision Scott can’t fully understand. A decision that forces him to question whether the investigation is being manipulated… and whether the people he depends on the most are keeping secrets of their own.
The deeper Scott digs, the clearer it becomes: he may not have been chosen for this probe because he’s trusted. He may have been chosen because he’s expendable.
Now Scott must navigate a case that grows darker by the day—while deciding whether exposing the truth will honor his family’s legacy… or make him the man who destroys it.
Perfect for fans of gritty, character-driven police procedurals in the tradition of the Harry Bosch series, Fracture introduces a detective caught between justice, legacy, and trust in a department where all three are under siege.
Genre: Mystery
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