Award-Winning Reads
Meet Lester Caine
fred berri’s Lester Caine series is classic hard-boiled Noir at its best, gritty murder mysteries that have won multiple Five Star International Book Awards, including for Audible editions.
Lester, a retired NYPD homicide lieutenant with over 250 cases solved, now runs his own detective agency in West Palm Beach. He drives a Cadillac, drinks bourbon, and plays a vintage French trumpet named Calliope at Lola’s Jazz Club. Once a regular on New York’s Swing Street, his past echoes through every page.
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fred berri
International Award Winning Author
"Twist, turn and bend the truth. Now it's fiction." ™
Award-Winning Reads
Meet Lester Caine
In The Pigpen Cipher, fred berri delivers another sharp, award-winning mystery in the hard-boiled Lester Caine series.
When a cryptic message surfaces linking to a long-lost Nazi war criminal, retired NYPD detective Lester Caine is pulled into a high-stakes case that stretches far beyond Palm Beach. What begins as a cold lead turns into a deadly chase through hidden history, betrayal, and buried truth.
With his bourbon close, trumpet polished, and instincts sharp as ever, Lester returns to the shadows, one code at a time.
Award-Winning Reads
Meet Lester Caine
In Final Curtain Call, fred berri delivers a gripping standalone mystery that pulls back the velvet curtain on fame, scandal, and murder.
When Ruby Russell—Hollywood’s brightest star—is found dead in her Palm Beach mansion, the world gasps. The official story says suicide. The studio suspects otherwise. With police coming up short, a desperate call is made to private investigator Lester Caine.
From sun-drenched mansions to shadowy studio backlots, Lester uncovers a world where image is everything—and secrets kill. Fame has a dark side, and someone’s playing director in a real-life drama with deadly stakes.
About fred berri
Born and raised in the Bronx, fred berri’s life journey, from New York’s Little Italy to successful entrepreneurship and storytelling, has been nothing short of inspiring. A former Financial Specialist, business owner, and public speaker, fred now channels his rich life experience into compelling crime fiction and heartwarming children’s tales.
fred berri is a storyteller in every sense of the word. His ability to craft vivid characters, authentic dialogue, and layered plots is unmatched. You can tell he writes from experience, with heart, grit, and an eye for detail.
It’s rare to find an author who can balance emotional depth with
page-turning suspense so seamlessly
“fred berri blends grit and heart with cinematic precision.”
BookLounge Weekly
Praise & Reviews
Reading a fred berri novel is like stepping into another time and place. His writing transports you, whether it’s a smoky jazz club in Palm Beach or a tense crime scene in New York. His characters feel real, flawed, and unforgettable.
There’s always a deeper message beneath the mystery, and that’s what makes his stories truly memorable.
“berri’s writing hits like bourbon and lingers like jazz.”
Reader Review
fred has a gift for weaving personal experience into his storytelling in a way that resonates deeply. His background adds authenticity to every scene. Whether it's through dialogue, setting, or character decisions. You don’t just read his books; you feel them.
They stay with you long after the final page.
“The Pigpen Cipher is a masterclass in modern noir.”
Independent Book Review
