In Bisbee, Arizona someone murders artist Rochelle Baxter just after her works go on display. The Cochise County Sheriff's Department led by Joanna Brady investigates the homicide only to learn that the victim's on record next of kin is the Washington State Attorney General's Office.

Seattle Homicide Detective J.P. Beaumont travels to Bisbee to learn if someone leaked Baxter's identity. Baxter was actually Latisha Wall, placed in the state's witness protection program for whistle blowing. Now the star witness is dead just before she was to testify at a trial. However, Brady does not welcome the intrusion from the northwest into her jurisdiction. Beaumont is also uncomfortable as Bisbee provides nightmarish memories for him. When a second murder occurs, the two investigators begin to cooperate as respect and romance surface leading to a pooling of their talents to ferret out a killer.

Readers of either J.A. Jance's two long running series will enjoy the partnering of the duet in a solid police procedural. The novel alternates chapters between the stars. Beaumont provides a first-person account that shows his disdain for the area yet brilliantly describes this part of Arizona. Brady's chapters are written in the third case narrating much of how the sheriff and her office work the case. The romance between the stars seems unnecessary and unreal, and the use of a seemingly available chemical as the murder weapon makes this reviewer uncomfortable. Still, series fans will enjoy the merging of the two fine law enforcement officials in an engaging police procedural.

Harriet Klausner

I've been waiting for this book for months, having read all of the previous Joanna Brady and JP Beaumont novels. After going to Jance's local signing I wasted no time digging and in devouring the book.

Jance works her magic beautifully, creating a compelling murder mystery while merging her two series into one. It was very interesting that Beaumont was written from a first person point of view while Brady was written in the third person. I thought that the switching back and forth actually added to the novel rather than being a distraction.

If I had to have one complaint, I'd have to say tha the main villain's demise is a bit disappointing but that didn't take anything away from an otherwise fabulous novel. If you're a fan of Beaumont or Brady, you'll love this one.

Ms. Jance has The Touch! For those of us who've read every word of the J.P. Beaumont and Joanna Brady series', this is a terrific addition to the collection. The "fish out of water" observations of Beaumont, on assignment from Seattle to southeastern Arizona, are trenchant, and VERY consistent with his confirmed "big-city-boy" background. In writing this review, I tried to consider the views of those who have not read all of the prior books in the two series, and who are, therefore, not aware of the chracter development that has gone before. For thse folks, this book might not be as entertaining, since the pace is very brisk, and some of the characters we've grown to know (like Butch, Joanna's husband) come off as one-dimensional. Still, this is a terrific read, and has a very strong plot and mechanics. There were a couple of loose ends that caught my attention, and I thought the sudden bloom of feelings between Jo and Beau was a left-handed twist that didn't hold up. Similarly, the passages that dealt with the initial hostility between the two leads seemed a bit over the top, although it was a necessary gambit to showcase their individual strengths. I really liked this book, as it contained somewhat less than the usual introspection by Joanna, and the factual discussion of sodium azide was an eye-opener. Not sure I'm in a hurry to see these two together again, though, as the combination of two strong leads really submerged all of the other characters, including the delightful shallow and spiteful Marliss, and the looming villainy of "Junior" Galloway. Can't wait for the next chapter(s)!

This is a pretty good read. Much better than Angel Maker. Some one is killing people, even whole families. Pearson writes a good story, some places go into to much detail for me, that is the reason for the four instead of a five. All in all I enjoyed the book. Everytime I thought I had it figured out a new twist would show up and here we went again. The book is hard to put down and the ending is very good. I really like the characters of Boldt and LaMoia. They make a good pair.

This is the fourth book by Ridley Pearson I've read, and I found it the best. I just finished "The First Victim" and while it was also very enjoyable, I found "No Witnesses" better. The central figure in this series, Lou Boldt, reminds me a lot of the policemen Delaney in Lawrence Saunders early "Deadly Sin" books from the 70's (before he began writing the shallow "McNally" stuff), which also included well-rounded characters, and were an engrossing read. I'm looking forward to the next adventure of Boldt and LaMoia!

The third novel featuring Sgt. Boldt shows that Pearson is getting better and better! The bus ride/trap was so suspensfull that it was hard to read in one sitting. The characters are so believable, and after reading all three, and following each character, they become almost family. My husband and I are looking forward to the next Boldt mystery

I bought the book because I love thrillers and have really enjoyed the author's prior books. I like this one the best. It has all the great elements of a thriller, but is also timely and thoughtprovoking. Not only was I caught up in the swirl of events, but I found myself thinking about the issues highlighted by the plot. In my mind, the book is not only about a kidnapping, but also about the standards to which we hold our highest elected officials (sound familiar?); is a moral character a requirement? and are we going to hold the first woman presidential candidate to the same (low) moral standards to which we seem to hold male candidates? But at bottom this is a page-turning thriller that will have you trying--unsuccessfully--to predict the ending. Don't worry if you can't; you will get there soon enough.

Though it lacks the macabre tension that drove his last book (The Informant), The Abudction is a compelling and entertaining read that will only solidify Grippando's status as a top thriller writer. The author instantly sets the stakes high: a female attorney general is driven to become the first woman president; a retired army general is just as determined to become the first African American president. To what lengths will these candidates (or their supporters) go to win the election? How far might their enemies go to keep them from the White House? Whatever your political leanings, you will be caught up in this riveting tale of misguided ambition and ultimate betrayal. Grippando doesn't creat the formulaic "good guys" and "bad guys" found in cookie-cutter thrillers. He creates real people (in this case, politicians), which will keep readers wondering just who the real good guys are. The result is a believable high-concept mystery/thriller with a surprise ending that makes for non-stop enterntainment. Highly recommended.

Allison Leahy had a daughter kidnapped eight years ago. Now she is running for President and the Grandaughter of her opponent is kidnapped. Did Leahy have it done? Did Lincoln Howe, the grandfather, have it done? Who is the strange kidnapper and who hired him? Where does Mitch O'Brien, Leahy's ex-boyfriend fit in? You can have the answers to these and other questions by reading the book. If you like mysteries, this is a must read. There are many twist and turns put when explained they all make sense. You will find yourself wanting to read faster and faster to see what happens. You can relate to the characters and have feelings for them. Lots of action. Movement all the time, no dead pages. Truly a "Great" book.

Jayne Ann Krentz is a master storyteller who combines romance and adventure with a skilled hand. However, even the best sometimes fall back on formula when their muse deserts them and this book is an example of Krentz with either serious writer's block or a deadline right around the corner. The characters of Charity and Elias as well as the bizarre people who make their livings on the pier are bad photocopies of previous characters from her earlier novels. All seem interesting on the surface but do not have the degree of detail that marks Krentz's normal high level of quality. The story is no better and is reminiscent of one of her less imaginative series romances. All in all, this one is not worth the effort and certainly not the high price that a paperback commands these days.

I am sure that at some point I have read other Jayne Ann Krentz books, but I definately enjoyed this one. Let me give a short synopsis.

At first we meet Charity Truitt who is a powerful corporate person and right away she shows that she is burnt out and has a breakdown. She settles into a small town and owns a small shop which she is very content with. A gentleman, Elias Winter, who we learn was also an important corporate person, moves into Washington's Whispering Waters Cove. Everyone mistrusts Elias' motives including Charity. But, Elias is a novice when it comes to relationships and Charity has been repulsed by former boyfriends...so they meet.

There is some suspense and a mystery involved in the plot of the book as well as a wonderful romantic tale. This novel was fun to read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes more to a romance novel than just boy meets girl and they end up in bed.

Deep Waters was the first contemporary romance novel I ever read, as well as the first JAK book. I have to say, I got totally hooked! I found the Zenny water philosophy of Tal Kek Chara to be an extremely creative addition to the book, and the space-cult storyline was hysterically funny. One of the reviews on the book calls the relationship between Charity and Elias a "Tracy-Hepburn" alliance, and I have to agree. They had such passion, understanding, and (oddly and entertainingly enough) humor. The secondary characters were equally personable. I loved every minute of my reading experience, and Deep Waters is one of the few books in recent memory that I have picked up again and again, and enjoyed just as much each time I read it.

One final note, not really plot-related, but I have to say how much I loved the detail JAK uses in her writing. Charity and Elias's cooking contests had me in stitches -- and rummaging through my cupboards and cookbooks!

This is also the only romance novel I have given as a gift. I would highly recommend it to any fan of JAK or intelligent contemporary romance.

This was truly an exciting book. After Admiral Hardcastle warns the world about America's lack of guards against terrorism,the bad dreams. A psycho terrorist begins tearing up the heartland. After tearing up The Los Angeles airport by dropping explosives the terror begins. This terrorist pulls teooroist actions all over the country. The American authorities have their hands full. It takes the final pages of this book before the forces can finally subdue the force of evil. This is without question a page turner. Be sure to read it. You will not be dissapointed.Thanks to this book I am now a Dale Brown fan.

This was the first Dale Brown book that I read, and I was rather hesitant to read it at all. Once I started it, there was no turning back; I finished it the next day and lost about seven hours of sleep.

At the end of the opening chapter of the book, Henri Cazuax, a psycopathic terrorist who believes he is the servant of Satan, has destroyed three airports, and killed or injured hundreds of people. The ending was no dissapointment, but you'll have to read it yourself to find out.

Be prepared to have plenty of time to read before you pick this up & start reading, as you won't be able to put it down. One of Brown's best works so far. It brings the reader right into the action and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book. "STORMING HEAVEN" Will make you think twice before 'hanging around' an airport! It was especially tense for me as I live in the area where the first part of "STORMING HEAVEN" takes place, and I know the area well. Even without that connection, "STORMING HEAVEN" is a must-read for all who enjoy Dale Brown's books and those like him who write about aviation and the all of the excitement which surround it. Bravo!

Deep Waters and Absolutely, Positively converted me into a Jayne Ann Krentz fan and I went on to read her earlier work after those two books, including her Regency romances under the pseudonym Amanda Quick. Her trademarks are intelligent, independent heroines and brooding heroes with dark histories. They usually have names that you don't normally tag to romantic heroes and heroines, like Gideon, Molly and Harry.

In this story, it's Cyrus, a private detective, and Eugenia, a Museum Director. The death of a glass collector on Frog Cove Island bring the two together on official missions that hide their real motives: Eugenia to investigate the death of her artist friend (who was also one of the collector's many girlfriends) and Cyrus to hunt down an ancient artifact that was stolen under his security watch three years ago. Their initial suspicion of each other plays against strong physical attraction, but while there is heat and sexual tension, there's no sense of inevitability that these two characters deserve each other and should fall headlong into each other's arms. The main characters are disappointingly flat and the love scenes seem contrived. Krentz tries too hard to make the characters outwardly different that they end up as stereotypes - the sleek, sophisticated Museum Director and the strong, silent detective with the too-colorful shirts. The novel's redeeming features are the snappy dialogue and the quirky secondary characters.

If you want to start on a Krentz romance, I'd strongly recommend Absolutely, Positively, Grand Passion or Deep Waters. While Sharp Edges is still a good read, it won't warm you up on cold nights.

I was excited about this book, because the beginning of it (published behind Deep Waters) seems to be a return to JAK's (and AQ's) normal style, which I think is great. (I do vastly prefer the Quick stories). But I was sad to discover that although this is a pretty good book, it still seems that you are watching the story through a dark, cloudly glass. Her earlier stories made you feel right in the thick of things. I don't care about the "formula" angle of these plots, the formula works great for me. I do want to care more about the characters, however. Ms. Krentz is still about the best Romance writer around. The sad part is that she could be (and has been) so much better! Please slow down. I would pay double for book I wanted to read many times over. None of the recent ones have qualified.

Okay, JAK is not long in originality. You know that going in, if you are looking for totally different characters, don't think you ever will find them in her body of work. One might call her a one trick pony, but it is a very well trained pony and you really don't mind watching again and again, despite the different finery and feathers she dresses the pony in. So if you buy a JAK, don't complain because you see the same pattern...you KNOW that is what you buying. That said....

It is a fun book, with JAK wonderful quirky writing. I mean, when her character takes one look at the Private Investigator Cyril Chandler Colfax and thinks "She wondered what the penalty was for strangling very large men who wore tacky aloha shirts, khaki chinos and moccasin-style loafers. Surely no judge or jury would convict her, she thought. Not when they saw the evidence." Well, you know the romance is off to a rocky start!!! Eugenia Swift is a sensible young woman, a connoisseur of beautiful art, a very elegant woman. She has been asked to go to Frog Cove Island, and artistic Haven outside of Seattle. She is to go there to catalogue the art collection of Adam Daventry. Only, she is forced to take Colfax as a body guard, much to her dismay. The dismay increases to horror, when Colfax insists they pose as lovers while on the island.

This does not sit well will Eugenia, because she is going there not only to catalogue the artworks, but to find out what happened to her friend, Nellie Grant, the late Adam's Daventry's lover. She thinks the green-eyed Colfax (green this time - you get green, grey or amber....lol) might crimp her investigation into Nellie's death. What she does not understand, Colfax is on a trek to avenge an old wrong.

Eugenia has always keep her emotions on the shelf, putting everything into her career, but it soon becomes evident, that their lives will depend on them playing convincing lovers.

JAK delivers her usual spunky heroine who tries to run circles around the deceptively deep male...and does it with style.

I'm a freak! I read Legion before I read the Exorcist! Let me just say that Legion isn't meant to be a sequel... in my opinion. Yes... it has many same characters but many of its ideas and themes are different. And after reading "The Exorcist" I will admit that Legion does not have the horror or eloquent language of "The Exorcist" but it IS thought-provoking.. and intriguing. It's a page-turner that can not be put down! It works on many levels: a horror novel, a mystery novel, a religious novel, a novel about a family man. It's a wonderful book that shouldn't be pinholed as "The sequel to 'The Exorcist'" It's sooooooooooo much more.

Not sure how i found my way here to an out of print book but here i am. I read this book years ago after finding it in a used book sale. I was quite young, hadn't seen or read The Exorcist but liked the cover of the eyes and candle and the blurb "call me legion for we are many." Well i read it, didn't really understand what was going on and forgot about it. I came back to it years later after reading the first book and this time it just blew me away. It has something special in a horror novel in that it is actually very thought provoking. Kinderman's conversations are wonderful. But there is also a real scary atmosphere to this book. I defy anyone to read the section on the tape recording of coma patients and not feel a chill when voices can be heard in empty rooms. This book is a classic and doesn't deserve to be out of print. Maybe when Exorcist 4 comes out it will get a new lease of life.
The film based on this book "Exorcist 3" doesn't have the depth of the book and misses out entirely the tape recordings and the life story of James Vennamun but is quite a good film. It includes that famous one view corridor scene that builds and builds into one of the great horror moments ever.

I think I need to state right off the bat that I am not a Christian. Never have been, despite the efforts of my more religiously inclined friends and family, and never will be. But, having said that, I am occasionally given a reason to question my beliefs. "Legion" is one of those occasions. My main beef with Christianity is the whole concept of a loving omnipotent god that is able to damn his imperfect creations to eternal suffering for committing sins that they might not even be aware of or understand. Yet, in "Legion," Blatty gives another take on that idea, and I have to admit that it makes me say, "Hhmm, I wonder..." I won't ruin it by explaining it here, so you'll have to read it.

Anyway, before I ramble on further, let me stop and say that I love "Legion." As has been stated before, if you are looking for a similar book to "The Exorcist" you'll need to look elsewhere. This is a sequel in story and in spirit (pardon the pun), but not on the same level of horror. "Legion" is more a metaphysical treatise than a horror novel, though there are a few horrific moments and descriptions. I tend to think of this as more of a "Thinking Man's" spooky book. It is certainly not for the weak minded. It challenges you on every turn, and every page is a revelation. I cannot recommend it enough. My only fault with the book is the ending. It seems way too rushed and tacked on for my tastes, as though Blatty was getting tired of it all and just said, "Screw it. I'm done." I wish he would have drawn it out just a bit more and made it more satisfying.

As for the movie that is based on this book, "Exorcist III." Much of the dialogue is lifted straight from the book, but as is usual there have been a veritable TON of changes made. Characters have been left out or combined, new characters created, and the ending totally changed. I hate to say it, but I like the ending in the movie better. It was more... visceral, more heart-pounding. I only wish that the movie could have touched on the spiritual explorations of the novel. But, be that as it may, the movie is far scarier than the book, and on that level should please many. A curious side note is that Blatty also directed and wrote the screenplay for the movie, and I have to wonder what he prefers when comparing them.

Eh, anyway, get this book if you want a more cerebral horror novel. It with give you the creeps on occasion, and more than that it will make you think. That's pretty good, if you ask me.

The subtitle of this final book by Stephen Ambrose tells it all - "Personal Reflections Of An Historian". This book is NOT a story or a historical perspective. It is the story of Stephen Ambrose and his perspective along with the major characters he wrote and about and feels a certain connection.

Ambrose became famous by hitting the emotional and sentimental bulls eye of Americas retrospective look at World War II. He accomplished this by seeing the war from the perspective of the common soldier. However, Ambrose started as a historian writing about great historical leaders like Henry Halleck, Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.

This final book takes another look at Ambrose's life and the characters he met in his travels or his research. It does not shed new light on characters or tell a new story. It does tell the authors story.

This is a great book if you enjoy talking to our more mature citizens. Ambrose was near the end of his life when he wrote this book and he knew it. This was his chance to, like Grant, record his actions and thoughts for posterity while providing for his family. In the end you see that Ambrose enjoyed a wonderful life by sharing his love of the past with his family and those great people that made history.

For a wildly prolific academic historian who, by the end of his illustrious career, had become a kind of one-man cottage industry by pumping out a steady stream of excellent historical works on World War Two, Lewis and Clark, and a number of other important subjects, his declaration early on in this poignant memoir that he is a storyteller is a magnificent understatement by a man not known for his modesty or introversion. Stephen Ambrose may or may not have been the best American historian and biographer of the last decade, but he certainly was, hands-down, the single most prolific of his generation. His catalogue of World War Two histories and biographies alone is breath taking in its breadth and content, and he loved to tackle other important historical issues, as well, as his best-selling portrait of the Lewis and Clark expedition so wonderfully illustrates.

Yet, while I have often been a fan of the works he pushed out with almost monotonous regularity during the 1990s, I have to admit to having been a bit put out by the man himself, who I never found to be particularly erudite academically, and who was found sometimes notoriously ungracious to others within his profession. But the true measure of historian's contribution must be located in the welter of his works, rather than in his personal habits, character, or foibles, and therein lies what must be considered a most remarkable corpus of work that will continue to be read, studied, and appreciated for decades to come.

This is a short and intensely personal book. I read it over the last weekend, my swollen right ankle propped up on a pillow on the leather couch after slipping down the ice-covered stone stairway on the deck of the house. Yet the throbbing pain in my ankle seemed suddenly less important and less real as I was swept away by this fellow historian who clearly has such a wonderful gift for story telling. The vignettes and situations he describes came alive for me, and I found myself wishing he had written more of this sort of thing along the way now that he has vanished from our presence, likely striding over the battlefields of Valhalla and laughing, smoking one his omni-present cigarettes and laughing that hoarse southern cackle of his.

Stephen Ambrose will long be remembered for this work, and likely by the parade of memorable students he had who are now among the ranks of professional historians themselves. His body of work and his sense of dedication to telling the human stories so important (and so often neglected) in history will stand in singular relief as a testament to important academic work done in a quite distinctive and most memorable way. His own ability to recognize the importance of locating the acting individual in the context of his existential, social, and political situation while telling the single solitary person's story will offer those of us still standing a remarkable standard to hold up in order to measure our own burgeoning efforts. This, then, is a wistful, emotional, and memorable book, and one I can recommend for anyone wanting a more personal glimpse at a man who gave much and who will always remain in our collective memories. Enjoy!

Readers know their authors primarily through their works. They can meet authors at book signings, hear them at lectures, or see them on C-SPAN 2 late at night talking to Brian Lamb. Unless we are very lucky, though, we do not often get to cross paths with the authors whose works we read and admire. We do not have the opportunity to know them outside of the printed page, to see what they do, or to know what they are thinking.

One of the remarkable things about TO AMERICA, the final book by historian Stephen Ambrose, is that it opens a window on his career outside of his writings. Fans of Ambrose know, through his dust jackets if nothing else, that he was a longtime professor at the University of New Orleans. But few of those who read his great narratives on American history (THE WILD BLUE, CITIZEN SOLDIERS, UNDAUNTED COURAGE) had the chance to attend one of his lectures and hear him discuss the events about which he wrote so masterfully. TO AMERICA is as close as the reader will get to hearing Ambrose lecture about the topics he knows best.

Ambrose's topics are well-chosen, timely and authoritative. The lectures primarily center on "admired Americans" --- leaders such as George Washington, Ulysses Grant and Dwight Eisenhower. But a few villains find their way into the book, notably Richard Nixon. The approach Ambrose uses in TO AMERICA is reflective and retrospective, looking at the overall legacy of his subjects. He often acknowledges that his conclusions about these men have changed over the course of time. For example, he tells us that he used to criticize Andrew Jackson roundly for his treatment of Native Americans, but has since come to the conclusion that Jackson's leadership in the Battle of New Orleans --- and the importance of that victory ---salvages his reputation as a great American.

TO AMERICA is at least partially a critique of revisionist history, but Ambrose's primary mission is to tell good stories, particularly those that define and awaken the great American spirit. He accomplishes that last mission bravely. TO AMERICA is "a valediction forbidding mourning", a great final celebration of one of America's great narrative historians. It is a great tribute to America and the final piece of Ambrose's great legacy.

Finally, fittingly, the last word of the last page of TO AMERICA is "future".

--- Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds

I did not like the novel in the beginning, but then later on the book gets more interesting. This book is an abortion fiction book It is about many medical rblems which als create political problem, so it is mixed. If you like books that talks about abortion and medical issues, this is the book is that the book can also like mstry books, well, you have found it. What I like about the book is that the book can relate to real life even though this novel is fiction. It is outstanding, but once again I won't say it was the best book I have ever read in my life. This is a book that has mystery throughout the whole story about many women who are dead or are dead or are bleeding to death. This book has lots of suspense.
If you ask me about recommending it I would say not to read it bu then again there are many people who like certain types of books. If you like to follow through stories, this book can be a little challenging

There's nothing original or insightful here about the abortion debate, and if you're tired of that whole set of hackneyed issues, you might not care to pick up another genre novel centering on the issue--it isn't exactly a rare theme. I did find the "treatment" of the abortion issue here tiresome, because completely unoriginal. But pick this up this book anyway. This is one of the funniest, most inventive books you'll ever read.

I'm not sure it means to be that. But it is so ludicrous, yet so well carried off, that I found myself thoroughly captivated and unable to stop laughing.

Psychologically, the book makes absolutely no sense whatsoever--none of these characters is remotely believable outside the fantasy world of murder mysteries. But in this case, that just doesn't really matter. If you can suspend disbelief and treat the thing like a very elaborate, brilliant farce, you'll love it.

I read this book about 4 years ago, when my mom's boss gave her a bag full of books, some were cheesy, trashy romance novels but one in particular grabbed my interest from the others. It was The Fourth Procedure by Stanley Pottinger and I began reading it and finished it in about 2 days. Any reader who has a modicum of intellect will find this novel a breezy, fun and hyper creative read. I couldn't put it down and the ending blew me away. And still to this day I think that its possible and what occured in the book could happen in real life. Some of the topics covered were kinda testy at best as with anything involving abortion, politicians, secret medical experiments which tamper with the natural law among other controversial aspects but this book manages to blend them all in a steamy potboiler worthy of praise and at least a movie of the week if not a full length feature if you ask me.

Pelecanos' books are generally set in Washington D.C., and King Suckerman is no exception. The title refers to a movie which is debuting soon in the area theatres, to a lot of street-level buzz.

The characters aren't glamorous, but they're really memorable. Description is one of the author's strong suits, but that doesn't get in the way of an exciting, riveting plot.

Pelecanos' books are my favorites among crime and mystery authors working today; he really captures the sense of Washington D.C. (this book is set during the 1970's), and the characters are true to form.

If you like your fiction hard-boiled, give Pelecanos a try. I wouldn't start with this one. Start with A FIRING OFFENSE.

If you've read some of the earlier ones, like Nick's Trip or A Firing Offense, try the Suckerman.

ken32

I don't have much time here, but I just had to chuck down a quick review of this fantastic book. I began this book at the start of an interstate car journey and by the time we had stopped, I had pretty much read most of it. This book rips along from the very first page, with an amazing attention to detail, interesting and believable (in a way) characters, great cross-cutting, and wonderful evocacation of the 70s.

The story has already been cited here already, so I won't recap, but you care for the characters you like and you're in awe or fear of the others. Referencing all kinds of 70s trappings, music, films, Iceberg Slim, muscle cars etc, you feel like you're watching an awesome film and indeed I'd be less than surprised if it was made into one. I only hope it's by the right people, not someone like Sean Puffy Combs, who would probably cast Jennifer Lopez in the role of Virginia.

I only hope Pelecanos' other books are as good as this.

I've read most of Pelecanos' work and, in my opinion, King Suckerman would rank as one of his weaker efforts. It's one of the earlier works and is worth reading for background on some characters who will show up in later books. It's also worth reading because it's a slam bam, gritty crime novel. It may not be one of the author's best books, but it's still one of the best crime novels I've read.

As usual, Washington, D.C. is both the setting for the story and a living character in the book. There are plenty of tough and weak, cunning and stupid players in the twisting story. If you have a pulse and like crime fiction, I don't see how you can skip this book or anything else Pelecanos writes.