ONE GUN

How much havoc can one gun wreak?

When Vivi and Ben Russo startle a burglar in their home, the young man flees. Ben gives chase. The thief pulls a weapon, aims it at his heart, and threatens to kill him. He doesn’t squeeze the trigger.

The burglar is later arrested, but not before he hides the gun. Facing a possible weapons charge that could add ten years to his sentence, he enlists outside cohorts to pick up his stash. His plan comes at a price that escalates toward personal tragedy.

Vivi and Ben, intent on seeing the thief prosecuted for armed robbery rather than a non-violent burglary, search for the weapon, putting themselves on a collision course with the burglar’s accomplices.

But two tweeners stumble upon the gun first.

. . .

"Vinnie Hansen’s One Gun unspools a long, exquisite crescendo of foreboding and dread as clouds gather for a chilling, unexpected climax. Top-notch writing, sensitive touch, and heart-wrenching choices. Hansen is an author to watch." 

~ James W. Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity

award-winning author

"A riveting book that will tear at your heart as the impact from one gun ricochets through a close-knit community. Hansen’s commanding voice weaves a compassionate tale that rings true and clear. You won't be able to look away." 

~ Susan Bickford, Edgar-nominated author

“In One Gun, Vinnie Hansen weaves a spell with a modern-day tale of suspense, pulling the reader into a riveting quest to see if justice will be served. When a gun used in a burglary falls into the wrong hands, a chase begins to find the gun before it and its owner can cause more mayhem. But of course things never go as planned when a gun is involved. The beautifully described setting is the central coast of California, where hidden forces drive the have-nots to desperate measures, and the criminal justice system is often on trial along with the criminals. A bravura outing by the author of the popular Carol Sabala mysteries.” 

~ G.M. Malliet, Agatha Award-winning author

of the St. Just, Max Tudor, and Augusta Hawke Mysteries

“One gun. One moment in time. Vinnie Hansen’s tense crime novel, One Gun, explores the consequences of a single act in thought-provoking and taut detail. Thoroughly researched and smartly written, the book twists its way toward a heart-wrenching conclusion that will leave a reader breathless.”  

~ Peggy Townsend, author of Amazon Editors’

mystery/suspense pick, The Beautiful and The Wild

"The weapon casts a gripping Chekhov-ian shadow over Hansen’s tense stand-alone thriller.” 

~ Kirkus Reviews

"…a compelling cat-and-mouse game as perp, victims, and those caught in-between find themselves on different roads to obtaining or concealing evidence and the truth." 

~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“Vinnie Hansen's standalone novel, One Gun, takes a simple concept--a couple disturbs a burglary in progress in their home--and crafts an unusual story where a gun becomes an inert, silent protagonist on a fateful journey that profoundly affects several lives. No one is the same once the gun's journey comes to a close. Although there are many characters in this novel, the voice of each character is distinct and finely drawn, rooting the reader in their role of the gun's journey. I highly recommend this book.” 

~ Claire M. Johnson, author of Fog City