Title: Single Handed
Author: Joseph M. Kress
Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
ISBN: 978-1685151324
Pages: 126
Genre: Memoir / Thriller
Reviewed by: Michaela Gordoni
Hollywood Book Reviews
Single Handed is the semi-true story of a cop turned vigilante. Joseph Kress’ life changes when his older brother, Greg Kress, is murdered while on his honeymoon. This inspires Joe to become a police officer. Over the course of his career, he deals with many heavy cases and sees everything from lost children to devastating rapes. However, despite facing numerous challenges, such as getting shot in the leg, Joseph remains steadfast in his commitment to uphold the law and make a difference. But when a severe injury forces him to retire, the real action starts. Knowing the impact of drugs and how 85% of police cases relate to drugs and alcohol, Joe makes it his own personal mission to do something about it. He travels all over the states, using his SWAT skills to teach drug dealers a lesson and alleviate the high drug-related crime rates.
Single Handed is a true story with some fictional elements. The first half contains the history of Greg’s murder, including some astounding details about how the victim’s family was treated and a relay of various police cases on which Joe worked. Joe Kress’s brother really was murdered in a strange event in New Orleans, and it is not clear if the police cases are fictional or not. The second half dives into Joe’s vigilante life post-retirement and is definitely fictional.
Although Joe is telling his own story, he writes about himself and the events in third person. It would have been a much stronger book had Joe Kress written it in a more personal way, like in first person. Joe also had a career as a deputy at the FBI, ICE, ATF, DEA, and Secret Service. But this is completely glossed over in the book, which is surprising considering how it tied in with his law enforcement career and could be relevant to his decision to do an independent sniper mission.
While drugs are not the only focus of this book, it is clear that Joe Kress has a genuine and understandable desire to see drug usage go down in America. His experiences attest to why people should care about rising drug usage rates. Single Handed is a good book for those interested in true murder stories, law enforcement memoirs, or fictional vigilante missions.