The Riley Factor

About the Book

Kenneth Riley is on a journey.  His road takes many twists as he seeks the reality of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Riley is joined in his quest with Tosuku, whom he meets in Japan while on leave from the Korean War.  They are both orphans; they become soul mates in hunting the abusers of young people-abandonment, bigotry, child-pornograpny, war and murder.  Korean service workers along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) are being victimized by a serial killer.  Riley is stunned when the murderer is a member of his Marine forward observer team. In a darkened bunker, Jim Polcheski mocks him, "Fool! I too was created in God's image!" -words that will haunt Riley through his college and teaching years.  Riley brings Tosuku to Southern California.  Racial multi-murders terrorize coeds on a college campus.  Riley takes it personally; he teams up with a former Marine buddy, L.A.P.D. Homicide Sargeant Andre Washington and his partner Big Sam Silverstein.  They track down Chad Hollingsworth-"If God wanted the races to propogate with each other, he would not have created them in different places."  Chad takes Tosuku hostage at a campus dance and Andre is forced to shoot him.  The detective wonders why he feels like an executioner.  "Makes killers of us all," responds Big Sam.  Riley runs another blockade in his journey.  Chad's twin brother, Otis, seeks revenge.  He plans to "seed" Asian women with his brother's image.  Tosuku is in danger again, and Riley questions if America has given her a better life.  Big Sam comes to the rescue as an earthquake jolts the Los Angeles area.  Riley hurdles his next obstacle, which he takes personally.  One of his students is found dead in an abandoned wherehouse.  Riley is now enjoying The Chase, as he and Andre break up a child porno ring involving a high school vice-principal.  The final twist in Riley's perverted odyssey is the most sinister.  He and Tosuku learn their babysitter is a split personality.  Allison MacDuffy alternates as sweetly ideal with their adopted children Tashi and Toshi; but she is also the calculating vengeful assassin of anti-Vietnam War demonstrators.  She believes the leaders defame the memory of her killed in action big brother.  The end of the road echoes Jim Polcheski's revelation.  He, and Chad, Otis, Rockwell, Allison-have become Riley doppelgängers.  They are the tormented human reflections of a daggar in the mind.

About the Author

Ernest Donney is the author of two novels. He lives in Hemet, California. Donney has an Honorable Discharge from the United States Marine Corps (1952-1956), a Bachelor of Arts Degree from San Fernando Valley State College (1961), a California Teaching Credential; he is a substitute teacher in Hemet and drives night patrol for the Hemet Volunteer Police Department. He has two adult children and three grandsons. He is currently living with his Yorkshire terrier, Brandy.