D.J. Ciccarello

D. J. Ciccarello portrait

D.J. Ciccarello

Author & Novelist

New Release

No Time for Duplicity: A Psychological Thriller
(2025)

The boundaries of reality blur when a young therapist becomes entangled with an attractive client from couples therapy. After he finds the client dead in his own home, the therapist must confront the obscured lines between desire and deception in a desperate attempt to regain control of his life.
No Time for Duplicity invites readers to explore the depths of psychological manipulation, identity fragility, and hidden desires’ dark consequences. This gripping psychological thriller will question the lines between illusion and reality we all draw for ourselves.

Order Now

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book Cover for "No Time For Duplicity" depicting a watch with blood spatters

New Release

Book Cover for "No Time For Duplicity" depicting a watch with blood spatters

No Time for Duplicity: A Psychological Thriller
(2025)

The boundaries of reality blur when a young therapist becomes entangled with an attractive client from couples therapy. After he finds the client dead in his own home, the therapist must confront the obscured lines between desire and deception in a desperate attempt to regain control of his life.
No Time for Duplicity invites readers to explore the depths of psychological manipulation, identity fragility, and hidden desires’ dark consequences. This gripping psychological thriller will question the lines between illusion and reality we all draw for ourselves.

Order Now

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Praise & Reviews

“

“

“

"A beautifully triumphant coming of age story."

-ARC Review

"The writing is extraordinary! From the very beginning, this story had me engaged and filled with anticipation! Fantastic read!"

-GoodReads US Review

"Exceptional insight with an apparent natural proficiency in crafting a scene, a moment, an era that touches and delves into the depths of the reader's memory of life experiences."

-Amazon Review

"From beginning to end, Ciccarello's writing effortlessly carried me on the journey... His prose drew me in, and there were times when it was difficult to put the book down."

-Val Francis, Author

"I laughed, I reflected, and I cried more than once. I loved this book!"

-Amazon Reviewer

"A powerful read."

-BookSirens UK Review

“

“A beautifully triumphant coming of age story.”

-ARC Review

“

“The writing is extraordinary! From the very beginning, this story had me engaged and filled with anticipation! Fantastic read!”

-GoodReads US Review

“

“Exceptional insight with an apparent natural proficiency in crafting a scene, a moment, an era that touches and delves into the depths of the reader’s memory of life experiences.”

-Amazon Review

“

“From beginning to end, Ciccarello’s writing effortlessly carried me on the journey… His prose drew me in, and there were times when it was difficult to put the book down.”

-Val Francis, Author

“

“I laughed, I reflected, and I cried more than once. I loved this book!”

-Amazon Reviewer

“

“A powerful read.”

-BookSirens UK Review

Other Works

The Lucky Chip: A Psychological Thriller of Betrayal and Murder in The City of Sin
(2024)

When Jack Harper finds an old poker chip in his Las Vegas hotel room, he is confident his troubled past is behind him. The chip has a dark past of its own, however, deeply rooted in 1960s Vegas where greed, betrayal, and revenge were the best odds in the house, entangling Jack in a sinister history that threatens his very existence. The Lucky Chip is a gripping psychological thriller of betrayal and murder. Jack and Emily’s weekend trip is not the first time truth is gambled and relationships saved or ruined. Time often binds itself to objects, and fortune rarely favors the bold.

Order Now

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book cover for The Lucky Chip - red and black background depicting a woman and man in shadow with the man holding a gun.

Boys Like Kevin: A Coming of Age Novel
(2024)

Nineteen-year-old Kevin Summers returns to his hometown an unemployed college dropout, broke and nearly homeless. Hoping for a fresh start, he must come to terms with his mistakes before rebuilding his life. Beneath his carefully constructed facade lies a storm of guilt, longing, and self-doubt. As he reconnects with old friends and someone new, his past and present collide in powerful, unexpected ways. Grappled with betrayal and disillusionment, a chance encounter changes everything, leaving Kevin with a pivotal choice: continue living a lie or risk everything to embrace his true self.

Boys Like Kevin is perfect for fans of Call Me By Your Name, Lie With Me, and Giovanni’s Room. It’s a moving coming-of-age novel about desire, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to live with authenticity, even when it hurts.

Order Now

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book cover for Boys Like Kevin by D.J. Ciccarello depicting a handsome shirtless young man

Boys Like Daniel: Desire Resurfaced
(2026)

When a young man, secure in a stable relationship, is unexpectedly confronted by the boy who first awakened him sexually—but shattered his heart—he’s forced to confront unresolved desire and mounting temptation, risking everything he’s built for the love he never truly knew.

Boys Like Daniel is a deeply emotional sequel to Boys Like Kevin. Daniel is ready to dive back in, but Kevin is already swimming in different waters. It is a story about first love, second chances, and the choices defining who we are—and who we are brave enough to become. Can you ever really move forward if part of your heart is left behind?

Book cover for Boys Like Daniel depicting a handsome young man laying on a bed

Firefly Hunters:  The Search for Benjamin
(2026)

When DNA test results challenge Anthony Segretti’s understanding of his family history, he embarks on a quest to resolve discrepancies spanning three generations—forcing him to confront the stark difference between the life he knows and the genetic truth. As Anthony delves deeper, he discovers unsettling revelations with consequences he could never anticipate.

Firefly Hunters is the story of a mother’s desperate search for her abducted son, a son’s lifelong belief in maternal abandonment, and a grandson’s pursuit of the truth. It examines the emotional and ethical complexities of DNA testing, asking whether some secrets are better left undiscovered.

book cover for "Firefly Hunters" depicting a small boy in a dark field with a lantern

The Lucky Chip: A Psychological Thriller of Betrayal and Murder in The City of Sin
(2024)

When Jack Harper finds an old poker chip in his Las Vegas hotel room, he is confident his troubled past is behind him. The chip has a dark past of its own, however, deeply rooted in 1960s Vegas where greed, betrayal, and revenge were the best odds in the house, entangling Jack in a sinister history that threatens his very existence. The Lucky Chip is a gripping psychological thriller of betrayal and murder. Jack and Emily’s weekend trip is not the first time truth is gambled and relationships saved or ruined. Time often binds itself to objects, and fortune rarely favors the bold.

Order Now

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book cover for The Lucky Chip - red and black background depicting a woman and man in shadow with the man holding a gun.

Boys Like Kevin: A Coming of Age Novel
(2024)

Nineteen-year-old Kevin Summers returns to his hometown an unemployed college dropout, broke and nearly homeless. Hoping for a fresh start, he must come to terms with his mistakes before rebuilding his life. Beneath his carefully constructed facade lies a storm of guilt, longing, and self-doubt. As he reconnects with old friends and someone new, his past and present collide in powerful, unexpected ways. Grappled with betrayal and disillusionment, a chance encounter changes everything, leaving Kevin with a pivotal choice: continue living a lie or risk everything to embrace his true self.

Boys Like Kevin is perfect for fans of Call Me By Your Name, Lie With Me, and Giovanni’s Room. It’s a moving coming-of-age novel about desire, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to live with authenticity, even when it hurts.

Order Now

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book cover for Boys Like Kevin by D.J. Ciccarello depicting a handsome shirtless young man

Boys Like Daniel: Desire Resurfaced
(2026)

When a young man, secure in a stable relationship, is unexpectedly confronted by the boy who first awakened him sexually—but shattered his heart—he’s forced to confront unresolved desire and mounting temptation, risking everything he’s built for the love he never truly knew.

Boys Like Daniel is a deeply emotional sequel to Boys Like Kevin. Daniel is ready to dive back in, but Kevin is already swimming in different waters. It is a story about first love, second chances, and the choices defining who we are—and who we are brave enough to become. Can you ever really move forward if part of your heart is left behind?

Book cover for Boys Like Daniel depicting a handsome young man laying on a bed

Firefly Hunters:  The Search for Benjamin
(2026)

When DNA test results challenge Anthony Segretti’s understanding of his family history, he embarks on a quest to resolve discrepancies spanning three generations—forcing him to confront the stark difference between the life he knows and the genetic truth. As Anthony delves deeper, he discovers unsettling revelations with consequences he could never anticipate.

Firefly Hunters is the story of a mother’s desperate search for her abducted son, a son’s lifelong belief in maternal abandonment, and a grandson’s pursuit of the truth. It examines the emotional and ethical complexities of DNA testing, asking whether some secrets are better
left undiscovered.

book cover for "Firefly Hunters" depicting a small boy in a dark field with a lantern
D. J. Ciccarello portrait headshot

About D.J. Ciccarello

D.J. Ciccarello is the author of the coming-of-age novel BOYS LIKE KEVIN and the psychological thrillers THE LUCKY CHIP and NO TIME FOR DUPLICITY. A husband and father living in the Southeastern US, he writes tales of conflict and change (spiced with secrets and second chances) across multiple genres. When not writing, he enjoys playing competitive tennis and traveling the globe in search of delicious cuisine.

Connect and follow D.J. Ciccarello on Facebook and Instagram at “djciccarello”.