Independent works

Absolution, a stand- alone murder mystery novel featuring NYPD Lt. Mike Simon. 

Published in October, 2021 by Black Rose Writing and re-published by the author in January, 2025

A teenager, Joey "Noonz" Mastronunzio, is forced to participate in a home invasion in Queens leaving a young couple dead and their infant son an orphan. Although he did not pull the trigger, he is determined to atone for his actions that night by joining the Marine Corps and then joining the seminary after his military service. The baby, Michael Simon, grows up to become an NYPD homicide lieutenant determined to locate and arrest the "guy who got away" from the scene of the murders. When Lieutenant Simon finally discovers the identity of the second perpetrator, he is shocked to learn he has known him most of his life. What follows is an unlikely alliance between Simon and the Bishop of Brooklyn as they uncover the rampant pedophilia in the Church. Battling threats, intrigue, deception, and murder, the duo comes up against the highest echelons of power in the NYPD and the Church as both institutions desperately seek to keep their records of depravity and cover-ups from ever being released to the public.

The Kindle Book Review (Best Indie Books) - "Murder, Betrayal, Justice, and for some, Absolution...Mr. Hack expertly pens a crime thriller/police procedural with details and precision that can only come from years of first-hand experience in the police world... (He) takes readers on a twisting journey to solve a long-buried cold-case while weaving in the indiscretions of the Roman Catholic Church....The author perfectly portrays the tight-knit community within the Big City, the religious leaders, police culture.....to help the reader feel as though they've been a part of it all along... If you love a thrilling police procedural with perfect pacing and characters you'd like as friends, this is your book."

BestThrillers Review (BestThrillers.com) - "A must-read crime thriller about an NYPD detective attempting to solve his own parents' murder....Buckle up and get ready for plenty of twists..."

NetGalley Review - four stars - "Wow, what a read!"

IndieReader Review - 4.3 stars -approved. "Be it the premise, characters, or setting, there's little in Henry Hack's Absolution that won't immediately feel familiar, but the author's air-tight plotting and exceptional character development make for an exceptional read."

The Coastal Buzz - "... ticks all the boxes - believable characters, realistic setting, and a compelling plot...provides plenty of mystery and even philosophy. It is by turns infuriating, then heart-rending..."