Wicked Ink Publishing Signs Justin Phillips for American Limoncello: A Debut Novel of Dark Deals, Deadly Choices, and Blurred Lines Between Saviour and Sinner
Wicked Ink Publishing is excited to announce the signing of Justin Phillips, an author whose unique blend of life experiences and dark storytelling shines through in his debut crime thriller, American Limoncello. Known for his unpredictable tastes—he may dip his chicken tenders in caviar, but his writing blends crime, mischief, and flawed antiheroes in a way that leaves readers both entertained and contemplating their own moral compass.
Phillips’ journey to writing began in his childhood, crafting elaborate narratives for action figures, but his path took a far more unpredictable turn. Born in Portland, Oregon, his early love of comics—especially sparked by the 1992 Death of Superman event—set him on a creative path that would eventually lead him to the U.S. Navy. As a Navy field medic, Phillips’ skills in making quick decisions under extreme pressure—careening ambulances through the streets of Napoli, Italy, tending to wounded Marines, and making life-or-death calls—infused him with a gritty authenticity that permeates American Limoncello.
Set in the criminal heart of Naples, Italy, American Limoncello follows Navy paramedic James Rush, a man whose reckless actions have him on the brink of a dishonourable discharge. Offered a lifeline by Chief Palmer, Rush is pulled into a murky world of corruption and crime. Tasked with acting as a courier for designer drugs and transporting illicit goods to the city's elite, James’ life takes a dark turn as he enters a dangerous underworld of money, power, and vice. In a city known for its decadent pleasures and dangerous liaisons, every delivery pushes James further down a path of moral decay and risk.
Forced into a reluctant partnership with Dani, a fiery local grifter who despises the Navy’s presence in her city, James finds himself tangled in a web of double-crosses and deadly schemes. From silver-tongued gangsters to high-class sex workers, their world of hedonism and deception constantly threatens to consume them. As James faces his own personal demons—haunted by the trauma of his job as a medic and his growing discomfort with his role as both saviour and sinner—the stakes only rise.
The novel’s gritty realism comes from Phillips’ deep understanding of the human psyche, honed through his military experience and later work as a valet attendant in Las Vegas and nightclub bouncer. In these roles, Phillips learned to read people’s motives and the dangers lurking just beneath the surface. In American Limoncello, this insight fuels a fast-paced, tension-filled narrative where every decision could be the last. As James uncovers a conspiracy much darker and more far-reaching than designer drugs and luxury vices, he’s faced with a brutal choice: betray his fragile trust with Dani and expose the corrupt ring, or dive even deeper into Naples' shadowy underworld to save himself.
But in a world where no one can be trusted, and even the lines between allies and enemies blur with every passing moment, James’ time is running out. With his ambulance runs exposing him to trauma that chips away at his sanity, mandatory therapy sessions threaten to unravel the carefully constructed persona he’s created. The deeper he digs, the more dangerous the stakes become, and soon, it’s not just his career on the line—but his life.
American Limoncello is a compelling crime thriller that is as intoxicating as the drink it’s named after—sugar-laced on the surface, but laced with a bitter, dangerous aftertaste that stays long after the final page. Justin Phillips' razor-sharp insights into the human condition, coupled with his firsthand knowledge of both the military, make for an unforgettable read. This is a novel about the price of survival, the cost of loyalty, and the complicated truth about who we really are when faced with our darkest choices.
We are thrilled to bring this exhilarating debut to readers and invite you to follow James Rush through a maze of crime, corruption, and moral ambiguity. American Limoncello promises to be a wild, intoxicating ride, and we can’t wait for you to join us in welcoming Justin Phillips to Wicked Ink Publishing.
Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming release of American Limoncello—a crime thriller that’s bound to keep you guessing until the very end.
When the line between saviour and sinner blurs, who do you become?
In the shadow of a U.S. military base in Naples, Italy, Navy paramedic James Rush is teetering on the edge of disgrace. After his latest reckless stunt, he’s faced with a choice: a dishonourable discharge or a dirty deal. Chief Palmer offers him an illicit lifeline—moonlight as his courier, ferrying designer drugs to Naples’ elite.
Thrown into a volatile partnership with Dani, a cunning local grifter who loathes the Navy’s presence in her city, James is submerged in a seductive underworld of glamorous sex workers, silver-tongued gangsters, and hedonistic philosophers. But every delivery pushes him further into danger and moral decay, especially as his ambulance runs expose him to unspeakable trauma.
Mandatory therapy sessions threaten to unravel James’ carefully guarded secrets: his haunting reason for becoming a medic and his inner struggle with being both saviour and sinner. When he uncovers a conspiracy far more insidious than wealthy clientele with expensive vices, James must decide whether to risk everything—including Dani’s fragile trust—to bring down Palmer’s ring.
But with every move under scrutiny and his dual life closing in, James may not have the time—or sanity—to outmaneuver them all. Guilt. Crime. Survival. In Naples, it all goes down as smooth as limoncello.
