Picture a retired U.S. Secret Service agent trading high-stakes protection for the thrill of crafting gritty crime novels—meet Larry Enmon! With his pulse-pounding Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce Mystery series, Enmon transforms decades of law enforcement expertise into stories that grip readers like a late-night stakeout. His journey from safeguarding the nation to spinning tales of Dallas detectives is a masterclass in second acts.
Born and raised in Shelby County, Texas, Enmon’s roots run deep in the Lone Star State, where small-town life and big-city crime collide. His novels don’t just entertain—they pull you into the heart of Texas, with all its heat, heart, and hidden dangers.
The Making of Larry Enmon
Enmon’s path to authorship was anything but ordinary. After earning a degree in Law Enforcement and Police Science from Sam Houston State University in 1975, he dove into a 37-year career in law enforcement. Starting with six years at the Houston Police Department, he worked patrol and vice, dodging bullets and busting criminals. Then came a 20-year stint with the U.S. Secret Service, where he served as a liaison with the FBI on the Joint Terrorism Task Force and trained with the CIA on weapons of mass destruction. This wasn’t just a job—it was a front-row seat to the shadowy world of crime and security, perfect fodder for a future novelist.
Retiring in 2002, Enmon found inspiration in shows like True Detective, sparking a shift from real-life mysteries to fictional ones. He swapped horror and suspense drafts for crime novels, finding his voice in the gritty realism of police procedurals. With the help of literary agent David Haviland, Enmon’s stories found a home, proving his instincts were as sharp on the page as they were in the field.
Larry Enmon’s Unforgettable Stories
Enmon’s Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce Mystery series is where his law enforcement chops shine. Set in Dallas, the series follows two maverick detectives—Rob, a fact-driven Hispanic cop, and Frank, a quirky genius wrestling with religious doubts—as they tackle cases that twist through Texas’s underbelly. His debut, Wormwood (2017), kicks off with the kidnapping of the mayor’s daughter, Katrina Wallace, plunging the duo into a chilling world of doomsday cults and Bible prophecy. Readers rave about its heart-pounding pace and vivid settings, with one calling it “a thriller I won’t ever forget.”
The follow-up, The Burial Place (2018), keeps the stakes high as Rob and Frank hunt for Katrina amidst political pressure and cult secrets. City of Fear (2019) dives into a Dallas gang war, with a mysterious red-haired woman and voodoo dolls adding eerie intrigue. Enmon’s latest, Murder So Foul, pits the detectives against a monstrous killer, blending psychological suspense with procedural grit. His style—taut, realistic, and laced with Texas flavor—earns comparisons to Michael Connelly and praise for its “white-knuckle action.”
Enmon’s novels stand out for their authenticity. Drawing on his career, he nails the camaraderie, politics, and tension of police work, while his knack for unexpected twists keeps readers guessing. Whether it’s a cult’s dark secrets or a sniper’s deadly aim, his plots are as unpredictable as a Texas storm.
Why Larry Enmon Matters
Larry Enmon’s impact lies in his ability to bridge real-world expertise with storytelling that feels alive. His novels don’t just entertain—they offer a window into the high-stakes world of law enforcement, grounded in the kind of details only a veteran could know. Critics and readers alike laud his “compulsive narratives” and “sharply drawn characters,” with City of Fear hailed as “perfectly balanced” by reviewer Joe Hartlaub. For fans of crime fiction, Enmon’s work is a fresh voice in a crowded genre, proving that truth can inspire fiction as gripping as any case file.
His transition from Secret Service to novelist also inspires aspiring writers, showing that it’s never too late to chase a new dream. Living in North Texas with his wife, Enmon splits his time between writing and relaxing at his East Texas ranch or North Carolina cabin, a balance that fuels his creative spark.
- Born: Shelby County, Texas
- Key Works: Wormwood, The Burial Place, City of Fear, Murder So Foul
- Career: 37 years in law enforcement, including Houston PD and U.S. Secret Service
Snag Wormwood and dive into Larry Enmon’s thrilling world of crime and mystery—you’ll be hooked faster than a Dallas detective on a hot lead!