April 8th, 2026
We interviewed author A.W. Morisseau about his new crime novel, Justice, and how his experiences as a former police officer shaped the story.
You’ve now written two very different books: a lighthearted comedy and a gritty police thriller. What genre do you see yourself exploring in the future, or do you enjoy moving between different styles?
My first novel was actually science fiction, and the second was epic fantasy. I haven’t published either manuscript, but I could see myself writing in those genres in the future. For now, however, I’m going to keep writing crime thrillers. It is much easier to market a single genre, and since I’m still enjoying writing them, I’d be foolish to change lanes right now. I’m revising a sequel to Justice at the moment, and hope to have a third book in the series by the end of the year.
I’m not closing the door on writing more books like My Stepbrother’s Wedding, but not anytime soon. I may venture into historical fiction and non-fiction at some point as well. It comes down to balancing inspiration with realistic demands on time and money. Editing and covers are not free, after all, and switching genres means you have to rebuild a readership.
The day-to-day realities of police work must have been emotionally and psychologically demanding. Over time, have you been able to separate yourself from the cases you’ve experienced, or are there some that still stay with you?
Policing the inner city was indeed very demanding emotionally and psychologically. I left the department in 2012, however, and have had plenty of time to work through that. The life experience, however, stays with me in peculiar ways. I sometimes get a strange feeling about a car or a person, or predict someone’s behavior before it happens. My wife tells me the experience matured me—made me less naïve and more manly. Perhaps, but I’m lucky that I left when I did. The Ferguson riots started shortly after my exit, followed by several years in which the police were not well-treated.
After spending years witnessing the darker side of human behavior through police work, what would you say is your overall perspective on people and human nature? And did your experiences as a police officer have any influence on your decision to become a pastor?
Human beings are helplessly sinful. This is something I believe from both experience and the word of God. Police work gives you a deeper glimpse into this than most professions. Vocational ministry is something I had wanted even before I went into law enforcement, so I don’t think working as a policeman had much impact on that choice.
Your bio says, “former police officer.” Was there one particular experience or moment that made you leave the police force or was it an organic decision of simply wanting to do something else?
Honestly, I never wanted to be a career policeman. The plan from the beginning was that my wife would finish nursing school and I’d start seminary to study to be a pastor. The real trick was keeping that focus for four years. I’m glad I moved from law to grace. I have deep respect for the police, but I’m amazed that anyone can do that job for 30+ years.
The book describes many disturbing situations—violent crime, systemic failures, and tragic accidents. How did you balance this realism with tying everything into a story and writing a crime thriller?
My experience as a policeman had taught me that investigations are rarely linear, especially when they are complicated. Most investigators manage multiple cases at once, not to mention their personal lives. A new crime or a summons to court or a report in the media can throw a curveball at any moment. The case doesn’t go away, however. It still needs to be solved. I tried to show this reality in the book.
There seemed to be obvious similarities to books like “Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets” by David Simon. Were there particular books or real events that influenced or inspired your approach to writing this novel?
I have to admit I’ve never read David Simon. I understand he created The Wire television series, but I’ve never watched that either. I’ve tried a few times, but the obscene language put me off. The streets certainly talk like that, but that is one aspect of reality I decided not to portray in my book.
I have read plenty of thrillers over the years, but Justice is mostly influenced by my firsthand experience. This is true not only for the events in the story, but also for the characters. I had particular people in mind when creating them. None of them were carbon copies, of course, but I borrowed their distinctive traits from people I’ve met in real life.
Several moments in the book highlight frustrations within the legal system, such as prosecutors declining cases or pursuing charges that officers themselves feel are inappropriate. How important was it for you to portray those tensions between law enforcement and the justice system? And was this a frustration you experienced yourself as a police officer?
The simple reality is that most criminal cases are never prosecuted, at least not from my experience. This is especially true for crimes against persons. You would be shocked at how few domestic violence cases are prosecuted. Most victims and witnesses will never show up to court, and if they do, a good defense attorney will tear them to pieces. This problem is amplified by political realities. Some communities distrust the police. Some prosecutors are anti-police activists. Everyone has their own agenda. This creates constant tension in the legal system.
Why did you choose the moral gray area of justice and revenge as a theme for this novel?
I came up with the concept for Justice several years ago and let it linger for a while before putting it on paper. I gave up on the book once because I feared it was too dark, but I came back after writing in other genres for a while. The idea just wouldn’t go away.
From my experience, most crimes have some level of gray to them. That does not excuse them, however. It simply humanizes them. This is what I was aiming for in Justice. We can make heroes out of Batman and the Punisher, but in reality, vigilantism is not heroic, even if we can sympathize with the villain. Real heroes are people who do the right thing even when it doesn’t seem to matter.
Buy the book on Amazon.