Synopsis/blurb...Jake Stankovic has been flying below the radar for years, dealing safely in stolen property crime with his two-man crew. But times are tough, so he decides to step up to the big money with a drug deal. Everything that can go wrong, does. The deal goes bad, a vengeful detective sets his sights on Jake, one of his crew might be a turncoat, and a woman from a long past affair suddenly reappears. All of this would be complicated enough on its own, but for Jake, it’s even worse.The w...

When I read the description of this book at Amazon.com, it got my attention right away. The "hero," Jake Stankovic, is a relatively successful thief with a crew of two, but there's a big difference: Jake used to be a police officer. Then when I learned the author is a retired law enforcement officer with a number of writing awards under his belt, I started to think seriously. And when I was able to download it free as part of my trial membership in Kindle Unlimited, well, let's just say I got ri...

At Their Own Game had rapid-fire pacing and unpredictable turns that rival Pulp Fiction. Just when you thought you knew what Jake Stankovic was going to do next, the rules change on him. He has to think quick on his feet if he is going to be that last man standing at the end of this one.

I really enjoyed the main character. He had a lot of flaws and and was an ex-cop. I was definitely surprised how he dealt with'traitors'. I also enjoyed the plot and just as I thought I knew what was coming next...surprise.I'd like to see this made into a series. I think much more can done with the antagonist, Kyle.

Frank zafiro has put together a thriller that is beautifully told, and intertwined to create a marvelous mystery. If I were to explain this further, it would definitely be a spoiler. The characters - all interesting - are developed slowly and fully. This is a page-turner, and I've been up until 3 AM for the last two nights to read how it "turns out." I wholeheartedly recommend "At their own game" and will keep reading more of Frank zapiro books , he just have a huge catalog of books!

I like Frank Zafiro’s River City books. I called him and them a worthy successor to Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct series.I wish I could say the same about this first book in his SpoCompton (a mash-up of Spokane and Compton – two drug-infested cities) series. Jake Stankovic is an ex-cop now turned criminal breaking the law with thefts and credit card scams (justifying them as being minor crimes) who tries to pull off a drug deal.I gave up a third of the way into this book because it glorifies such be...

Frank Zafiro’s AT THEIR OWN GAME is the first novel in his SpoCompton series.Zafiro’s River City novels are a tribute to good cops doing a tough job. While they may have personal frailties, when they put on the badge, they do their best to protect and serve River City.This is not the world Zafiro reflects in At Their Own Game. It’s a world of criminals who consider police the enemy. In this world, there is no love for the badge and no respect for the people behind it.Jake Stankovic is a former c...

Another high five for Frank Zafiro. At Their Own Game and it was wonderful as expected, yet still unexpected. You would figure someone who was a cop would know how to put forth believable stories from a legal standing. What is right, who is wrong… At Their Own Game is a cop story, but not from the expected point of view… This is one of those stories you cannot put down as you really want to find out what is going on, who is doing what, and what the outcome will be. The characters are believable

Wow, what a ride! Where are the good guys? I thought I was going to fall for Jake, even tho he was a thief. But as the story proceeds, no one is good. Jake says, "We may be criminals, but we're not bad guys." Ha! If you like police procedurals on the darker side, this one is very good. Fast paced. Twists you don't expect. A woman to complicate everything. Traitors. Violence. Language. It's all here.I listened to Audible version. The narrator was excellent! He has several voices which was very he...

Riveting Crime NovelA riveting crime novel with a lot of twists and turns you won't expect. From beginning to end full of action and intrigue. Great descriptions and characters with a good plot and surprising end.

Spokane from the underside. How many ways can you be double crossed? Lots of action and unexpected twists and turns keep the pages turning. If you like action and surprises don't miss this one.

Disappointing The protagonist is thoroughly unlikable from the beginning, and early on you start hoping he and his ne nemesis wind up killing each other off. Still !the plot is intricate and the writing good

Boring but intriguingRead until the end. Too many plots going on but worth the read. Not sure I'd read again. Sorry line was chunky.

At Their Own Game: A SpoCompton Crime Novel by Frank Zafiro revolves around former police officer Jacob Stankovic. He runs a small criminal enterprise using Matt for short range stuff and Brent for long haul gigs. Though he is now on the other side from his former fellow officers of the law, he has worked to keep things relatively clean these past seven years and kept things small time to stay off the radar of everyone. Especially one Detective who got seriously upset over the fact that Jacob, w...

At Their Own Game was a different take on a detective novel. The protagonist this time is Jake Stankovic, who used to be a police officer until he was ousted from the police force by another officer with a vendetta against him for sleeping with his wife.Now Jake is a property crime thief, considering stepping up his business into drugs. But he considers himself “one of the good guys”. The good guys don’t deal in drugs. They don’t murder. But this deal goes sour and Jake loses all his money. To m...

Jake Stankovic, a former cop, now earns a living dealing in stolen property with his two sidekicks, Matt and Brent, while managing to keep out of the clutches of the law. With money tight, Jake decides to break into drug dealing, something which he has avoided up to now, because of the dangers involved, but just this once he takes the risk - a big mistake - he soon finds out, as he gets involved with Ozzy the local drug dealer.At the same time, Helen, who is the ex-wife of detective Falkner, ret...

The brilliance of Frank Zafiro’s book AT THEIR OWN GAME is that you’re inside the head of a “basically good” ex-cop who gradually turns the corner into a different kind of animal. The change is so gradual – and the reader so complicit in this change – that any avid Breaking Bad fan might not immediately recognize the careful tight-rope act this novel walks. In this tension-filled crime novel, Zafiro gradually reveals the truth behind protagonist’s Jake Stankovic’s problems. Every beef Stankovic

Wow! This one came loaded with some very surprising plot twists. You don't see them coming until they slap you up side the head. The writing was excellent, editing flawless, and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat to the end of the ride. The protagonist drew you in, making you feel empathy for the raw deal he got early on in life, and then later after becoming a cop. You're drawn right into the trap through great writing by an author at the top of his game. I highly recommend this to

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I would have read it straight through, but had to sleep a few hours, then got up and began reading again. The plot twists and realistic dialogue keep you laser-focused, and the insight that only a true cop can give disclosed fascinating insight into a world most of us don’t even know exists – and perhaps don’t want to.Captivating, intriguing, surprising - definite recommend.

At Their Own Game was a different from the other Frank Zafiro books I have read, but I enjoyed it just as much. I was uncertain at first, but soon became absorbed in Jake Stankovic's problem of the week which only grew in its enormity as the story progressed. With a truly imperfect protagonist and even more imperfect characters populating the setting, the book ended in a way I had not completely foreseen. As always, thank you for a very enjoyable read.