Gritty, twisted novel unravels a complicated mystery stemming from a drug deal in the Midwest


Small-town detective Sasha Frank returns in the prequel to “Deliberate Duplicity”

BLOOMINGTON, IL – Fan favorite detective Sasha Frank is back in the highly anticipated series prequel, “Cold Consequences” (River Grove Books, July 27, 2021). The prequel traces the murder of Ashley Cummins, the granddaughter of a powerful judge, who is unexpectedly shot when a drug deal gets intercepted late one night. As detective Frank works to track down her murderer, all of his leads start showing up dead. After hitting wall after wall, Sasha happens upon a weak link and unravels a thread from a complicated web that leads him to one suspect—will Sasha be able to prove who the killer is and take down the person responsible for the murders?

“Cold Consequences” is the exhilarating second book in the Detective Sasha Frank mystery series by David Rohlfing, serving as a prequel to “Deliberate Duplicity.” Full of breathtaking twists, this latest installment will have readers anxiously waiting for the final secret to be revealed.

In “Deliberate Duplicity,” dead bodies are found at different points along the Constitution Trail in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. The work of a calculating, methodical killer, each body is posed on the ground with the eyes manipulated so they remain wide open. As the story begins to unravel, the ordinarily calm and collected Sasha Frank begins to feel the immense pressure of the case. Will he be able to solve the mystery before time runs out?

“Rohlfing has the police procedural formula down pat… impeccably staged investigative scenes guarantee satisfaction to any aficionado of police detective mysteries.”
– BookLife, by Publisher’s Weekly

“Cold Consequences”
David Rohlfing | July 27, 2021 | River Grove Books | Mystery
Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-63299-388-5

“Deliberate Duplicity”
David Rohlfing | January 5, 2021 | River Grove Books | Mystery
Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-63299-306-9


DAVID ROHLFING: After a long career in business that gave him the opportunity to travel to all but one continent and countless countries around the globe, David decided to write his first novel, “Deliberate Duplicity.” He lives in Illinois with his wife.

When he’s not writing, he spends as much time as possible with his wife and family and working on his golf game. “Cold Consequences” is the second book in the Detective Sasha Frank Series. To learn more about David’s work, please visit www.davidrohlfing.com.


In an interview, David Rohlfing can discuss:

  • How he created his protagonist, Sasha Frank, and what the detective’s name means to him
  • Why he chose a small city in the Midwest for his novel’s setting
  • The process of writing a prequel to his first novel, taking place 5 years before the Constitution Trail Murders
  • His writing technique, and advice for aspiring writers
  • What’s next for detective Sasha Frank

An Interview with David Rohlfing

1. This is the second novel that follows protagonist Sasha Frank. How soon into crafting the first book did you know his story would continue?

It was my intent from the start to write several books in the Detective Sasha Frank Mystery Series. I hope to keep writing about Sasha solving murders in the years to come.

2.Why did you choose to make “Cold Consequences” a prequel to “Deliberate Duplicity”? What will readers think of Sasha Frank in his younger years?

Readers of “Deliberate Duplicity” may recall that I referred to the murders that take place in “Cold Consequences.” I added that reference to the second book’s murders while editing “Deliberate Duplicity” when I decided to make “Cold Consequences” a prequel. The murders in book two take place five to six years before the events in book one.

3. What are some of the challenges you faced with writing the second book in a series? Did you discover that anything was easier this time around?

While intending to write a series of books featuring Sasha Frank, I needed to develop other characters who could be reoccurring from book to book. I had to decide which of those characters would be in the prequel versus those appearing in subsequent books. I discovered that telling less is often better in telling a story. I hope readers agree.

4. What drew you to Bloomington-Normal as a setting for this series?

There are many books featuring detectives or investigators from larger cities across the United States. I thought that having Detective Sasha Frank from a small Midwest city would be interesting to readers. The first book featured the Constitution Trail, which made a perfect setting for those murders. In “Cold Consequences” murders occur in a variety of places in the city.

5. What’s next for you? Can readers expect to see more from Detective Sasha Frank in the future?

I’ve begun writing the third book in the series. You can expect Sasha to continue to investigate murders taking place in Bloomington. He’s not retiring anytime soon. I’m having too much fun writing about his investigations and finding justice for those killed.