Unknown Evil, written by Ronald R. Higgins, is a crime-thriller that tosses you headfirst into the gritty chaos of New York City—where tunnels aren’t just for trains, and crimes aren’t always committed by human hands. In this sharp, atmospheric story, two NYPD detectives—Lt. Stevens and Lt. Rizzo—find themselves hunting a killer who might not even be from this world.
The book blends detective grit with elements of paranormal horror, all while keeping a steady pulse of dry humor and character-driven tension. The dialogue is punchy. The scenes move fast. And underneath the murder mystery is a strange tale about trust, revenge, and a creature no one believes exists—until it’s too late.
“I knew she was dead because I had the creature kill her. She was cheating on me with Tom Mead. So, I had the Creature, Kill Tom, too. I had the creature kill the other ones so that it would look like a random killing by a crazy person.”
— Unknown Evil, Chapter Ten, p.151
Crime, Creature, and Old Tunnels
From the first chapter, the story paints a cold, eerie setting: a brownstone haunted not by ghosts, but by something worse. A creature lurks beneath the streets, and bodies are turning up with broken necks. The cops think it’s random at first—until the pattern starts to show, and the fear becomes something they can’t laugh off.
Detectives Stevens and Rizzo aren’t your typical partners. They’re quick with a jab, good with a clue, and willing to dig—literally—into a forgotten subway system that shouldn’t exist. They’re joined by Carol Roselle, a Ph.D. candidate in parapsychology who starts out as a helpful cousin and ends up smack in the center of a murder-conspiracy-creature-case from hell.
One of the standout scenes happens when Rizzo discovers a second tunnel map hidden in the diary of one of the victims. It’s a quiet moment—just a guy looking at paper. But within minutes, he’s knocked out cold by the very creature they thought was just myth. That’s how this book plays it. Tension drops like a trapdoor. You think you’re getting answers, but then it pulls you under again.
There’s also a subplot about love and betrayal—twisted into the main mystery like ivy over brick. When Mathis admits to orchestrating his wife’s murder (and her lover’s too) using the monster, it’s a gut punch that’s not just evil—it’s personal.
Who Is Ronald Higgins?
Ronald R. Higgins is a former actor who shifted into writing after years on stage and in film. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and started writing in 1981 after realizing the Hollywood industry wasn’t going to hand him a spotlight. Since then, he’s been self-publishing thrillers and crime fiction with a sharp edge. Higgins brings his sense of drama and pacing from his acting days into every scene he writes—you feel the performance on the page.
His earlier books, like Picture Them Dead, earned a cult following. Unknown Evil is his third book and maybe the most daring in concept, fusing old-school detective vibes with something closer to a horror legend. He now lives in Hampton, Tennessee, continuing to write and work on new titles—including a sequel in progress.
This book is a must-read for anyone who wants crime with a twist—and not the usual one. Unknown Evil invites you into a story that keeps the ground shifting under your feet, right up until the last page.
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Grab your copy today—because creatures don’t wait, and neither should you.