Crime Books

This is a general comment regarding Hacking Exposed series. I owned Hacking Exposed (first edition) and then I moved to the more specific Hacking Exposed books, so now I've got Hacking Linux Exposed, Hacking Windows 2000 Exposed and hacking web Applications exposed. All those books absolutely worth it, do not hesitate to buy any of them.

Don't run Windows without it. An in-depth windows security book written for those who do not understand geek. Easy to read and chocked full of info provided to save you from common (and not so common) windows sins. Definitely for the home and enterprise network user/admin.

If you are responsible for a Windows 2000 server and do not have this book, you are asking for trouble. Get it today!!!!

Excellent book which helps you secure your system from the attacker's point of view. It makes you think as a hacker to be able to find the vulnerabilities in your machine/network.

My security officer loves this book because it allows him to send me emails guaranteed to keep me up at night. ;-)

I am a descendant of James Butler. For the record, that family is not Scotch-Irish, they were English and had been for hundreds of years. They went to Virginia from England in the 1600's not because they were poor or down trodden but because they were wealthy and well connected with the intentions of making more money.

Shoddy research just makes me cringe.

On a cold wintry day in March 1978, Willie Bosket, a 15-year-old boy with an extensive juvenile record, shot and killed a middle-aged hospital worker in a New York City subway robbery. Eight days later, Willie robbed and killed another man under similar circumstances. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested, confessed, and was found guilty of these two homicides. He was given the maximum sentence for a juvenile of five years for the two murders. He felt not a whit of remorse for his actions, and was quoted as such in the papers.

A few days later, New York Governor Hugh Carey, reading about the trial in the New York newspapers, became so incensed that he immediately called a special session of the state legislature in Albany. He proposed and was successful in passing a new law in record time, the Juvenile Offender Act of 1978. This law allowed kids as young as 13 to be tried in adult criminal courts for murder and receive the same penalties as adults. This law was a sharp reversal of 150 years of American tradition. New York became the first of many states to make this watershed change in juvenile justice policy. Willie Bosket had made history.

If All God's Children were merely a harrowing recitation of the criminal life of Willie Bosket, it would be a fascinating chronicle of the "most dangerous prisoner in the history of the state of New York." But it is much more than that. It is also a multi-generational tale of the Bosket family dating back to 1834 in South Carolina. It in particular traces the interweaving stories of Willie Bosket and that of his father, Butch Bosket, with all that they held in common-genius-level IQs, a history of explosive anger, psychopathic tendencies and a conviction for two homicide.

In telling this saga of the Bosket family, Butterfield has successfully woven together a sociological treatise on violence in America, a cautionary tale of the pernicious effects of slavery, and a genealogical study of a truly tragic family.

Armchair Interviews says: A stunning read.

This book was indeed an eye-opener. I encourage all who are concerned about our society as a whole to study this book, and especially those who are in social services. Mr. Butterfield should be applauded for this work.

At first glance I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book. The story was non-fiction, which ultimately means that my mind immediately began thinking of Stephen Ambrose and his agonizing dry facts and boring narrative. While I could have easily set this book down and found a new book that looked more promising the title, "All God's Children," got my attention and caused me to pick it up. Upon reading this book half of my initial intuition was correct. The book was extremely boring but it was also incredibly fascinating.
If I could give a review based solely on the information represented in this book I would give it a new perfect score but it is a book so it also needs to hold the readers' attention. I had a horrible time trying to push my way through the book due to some incredibly slow chapters. For example, the first chapter, "Bloody Edgefield" gathers semi-useful information and then takes forever to explain the meaning behind it. Beginning in the first chapter it is necessary to involve the reader in the story and "All God's Children nearly put me to sleep."
Although I found this book to be boring the information and descriptions were excellent. The book traces the family tree of an incarcerated young man named Willie Bosket who has been named the most dangerous criminal alive. I found the story to be fascinating and through this book I could make conjectures as to whether Willie's nature was preconceived or if it was his environment.
Also, though the book was boring the writing was superb. Every description was vivid portraying Fox Butterfield's massive vocabulary. The writing made the reader feel as if he or she were interacting with the story instead of looking back on it two hundred years later. Due to the fact that it was boring I gave the book three stars but it is still a worthwhile read to those interested in the story of Willie Bosket.

I'm not A reader of books. I was refered this one and I can't stop referencing it in everyday conversations. This book is not only a great history lesson of Racial tensions but also a great look into the history of violence in our Black Youth....

It's been more than a month since I devoured The Goodbye-Door but I can't stop thinking about it! The true story of this serial murderer is interwoven with the familiar threads of the yin rejection by family and friends counterbalanced with the yang of revenge in the form of seduction: charisma is used as the tool of killing. Diana Franklin's masterful research and brilliant reporting traces the short, tragic life of Anna Marie Hahn, a pretty young German woman who arrives penniless in the U.S. Somewhere along the way she must have heard "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." She cooks familiar comfort foods for her victims and cunningly provides a digestive in the form of fast-acting poison. The author unravels a tale of consequences as one financial crisis for Anna Marie leads to the death of one unsuspecting old gentleman, and then another and another and yet more. With heartless lack of remorse, the "heroine" leaves her victims to suffer, never believing for a moment that the tables will turn. In the end the reader is forced to confront and analyze every side of the debate about capital punishment as the author forces us to witness the horror of the execution chamber. You may read a thousand true crime thrillers. You'll never forget this one! *****five stars.

The Good Bye Door by former journalist Diana Britt Franklin is an unusual--to me--true crime story inasmuch as it deals with the relatively rare female serial killer, and the first in the US to die in the electric chair.
It reads like a novel. It is sharply written, yet successfully portrays each character's humanity, including that of the murderous woman.
I loved the sense and texture of the time in which these events happened. It was easy to picture the places and lives of the people who lived in the book. Also easy to understand why it has won several awards.
Even though the outcome is known, The Good Bye Door is stil an exciting read.

To those of us who are naïve enough to think that serial killers are a product of our generation, one only needs to remember the oft quoted philosophy of George Santayana: "Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." The words were penned prior to 1906.

In "The Good-bye Door," author Diana Britt Franklin reweaves the story of Anna Marie Hahn, a prolific killer in Cincinnati. Though the terminology had yet to be coined -- the term used in her day was "mass murderer" -- surely Anna fits the bill of "serial killer". As Franklin transports us back to the 1930's, we are mesmerized by a tale of avarice, lies, and murder.

Except that the verdict is revealed in the prologue, we follow Anna's life as silent onlookers, wondering what the outcome of her actions will bring. As death follows upon death, then arrest and trial arrive, we still are unsure whether she is capable and guilty as charged. Lies are ever present, but part of us wants to believe her.

Just as we accept the evil that has been done and the verdict, we are confronted by Anna Hahn's time spent on death row and our own conflict between justice and mercy.

If this were fiction it would be remarkable, but as a true story it is sensational, thanks to the exhaustive research Ms. Franklin has done to bring alive this disturbing tale.

A very interesting subject. Was very surprised I had never heard of this killer before. The only problem I had was towards the middle and end the story really started to drag for me. The author tried her best and wrote in an entertaining way, but just failed to keep my interest.I think a lot of the reason it dragged was the author mainly wrote the book by going by newspaper stories from that period,and just couldn't maintain my interest in a book this length. I did finish the book, and still think it was an interesting subject and fairly entertaining book. Anna ( the killer) was one of the worst sociopaths I have read about in some time. Even used her small son as a defense and co-hort in her crimes.

If you like a great read, this book will give it to you. Hope this author writes another!

I've come in late to the game in discovering this author's particular talents, but after reading his Adrien English mysteries, I'm in for the duration. This book follows through on the promise of the two earlier shorter books, with a delightful cast of characters and a charming protagonist. The mystery itself is built wonderfully, though the climax and follow-through are rather anticlimactic. I would've wanted more time to come down from the tense ride he constructed, but in light of getting to spend time with Adrien, I'm forgiving. He's the heart and soul of the books. It looks like they're being marketed as romances, but if that was what I was looking for, I'd be disappointed. I really don't care for the cop Jake who's placed as Adrien's romantic interest for this and the first two books.

But don't let that stop you. Lanyon has a tight, compelling voice, and his 1st person narrator is one of the most sympathetic I've read in mysteries in a long time. There's always a touch of noir that adds another layer to his work. I'm very excited about the fourth book that's supposed to come out later this year.

Caution: spoiler follows. Please reconsider reading this review if you've not yet read the first two books in this series.


This is the third book in the Adrien English series. The first two develop the main characters, mainly Adrien himself and Jake Riordan (the closeted cop who both loves and fears loving Adrien). In the last book, Adrien and Jake had basically become seriously involved when Jake followed Adrien to a home he'd inherited and where he'd once again encountered a murderer. In that same book, Jake had managed to overcome his fear of exploring his own homosexuality and was able to enjoy a non-S&M relationship with Adrien while also clearly developing stronger feelings for him. And verky vickey, as my Aussie friend would say, as Adrien's feelings for Jake intensified as well.

We pick up here with Jake unable to fully commit himself once he's back home. He was never really likely to just open his life up to the scrutiny and ridicule a gay cop would encounter, and he also never seemed unable to rid himself of his dreams of "normalcy," so we find him inching here towards that "normal life" and all it would involve.

As a result, he and Adrien are estranged throughout this novel, but that doesn't mean the usual tension between them isn't still there. It very much is, and that kept me interested right along with the relatively enjoyable plot, which involves Adrien trying to suss out what's happened with and to his salesclerk, Angus (hope I'm not misremembering the young man's name), who appears to be embroiled in some occult goings-on.

Certain parts of this novel are predictable, but that's the way with series mysteries/romances, at least in my experience. For example, it's a given that Adrien will end up practically buried under dead bodies and intrigue, and it's inevitable that Jake would have to be involved somehow in the investigation. It's also inevitable that Adrien's mother would somehow be encouraging him to put aside his usual personality traits in order to live more like her ideal for him.

Interesting family additions when Adrien's mom takes on a new spouse, and the new sisters are intriguing (as long as they ultimately get a bit more rounded, as they're very stereotypical here).

I can't wait for the next installment, especially after reading the excerpt on Mr. Lanyon's site.

This is the third in the Adrien English gay murder mystery series and I feel it is the best one yet! A great murder mystery, excellent well-developed characters and of course Adrien.
I love the continuing characters of Lisa, his over-protective mother, the odd people Adrien has working in his book shop and the ever irritating and annoying Jake.
I feel that Lanyon's gay murder mystery series is by far the best one out there! Fast-paced, lively, sensual and full of surprises!
Josh has give Adrien a quick wit and dry sense of humour as well as a smouldering sensuality. You want the best for him.
I am looking forward to Death of a Pirate King.
Keep pounding those keys, Josh!

I enjoy a good mystery - this book certainly was one- but it was really the characters at the core of the story that made the book something I will return to again and again, despite knowing the identity of the murderer.

Adrien and his troubled, and very realistic relationship with closeted cop, Jake, made this a wonderful, gripping book. Though they don't have anything close to a happy ending I felt satisfied. Of course it helps to know that there's another book coming out soon. I'm ever hopeful that Adrien will get his man eventually!

Another great offering in the Adrien English mystery series. Lanyon's writing style is crisp and guaranteed to grab you with humor and sudden suspense. Adrien struggles against all the odds to solve the latest mystery that hits very close to home, literally affecting his business/home, Cloak and Dagger books. He sets out to help clear his dubious employee Angus and runs head-long into conflicts with Satanists, UCLA professors, and a whole gamut of wacky to lethal black arts personalities all the while he continues to struggle in his relationship with the complex and molten hot closeted Jake. Don't miss it!

This book provides invaluable info for individuals, business and organizations who want to protect themselves from identity theft. And if you happen to bu among those unlucky people whose identity has already been stolen, this book will help you recover (and quickly) from the damage. Easy to understand and yet detailed enough to cover all the bases - from emerging threats to ongoing scames. Also tells readers how to plan effective anti-theft policies and systems. Well worth your time!

This book is quite timely and very thorough, going from defining the problem to providing solutions. Everyone should take note of the valuable information provided to avoid this growing problem. From a professional standpoint, I was particularly impressed with some of the technical solutions Mr. Vacca provided.

This book is right on the money. I personally experienced an identity theft to the tune of [$$$] on my credit card. Everything described in this book is consistent with my experience and information shared to me by the bank representative and the detective assigned to my case. I strongly recommend that anyone who conducts electronic commerce (who doesn't!)to read this book. This book clearly describes the many elements of personal risk and the controls one can demand and implement for security and peace of mind. Highly recommended.

With current advanced technology across the world, crime is also changing in most countries and more sophisticated counter measures are required. John explores the main victim of crime, which is our own identities and it's vulnerability to theft. He gives a full account of how it is done and how to avoid it. Another great book by John.

How many times have you disposed of items containing personal information (e.g., credit card statements, Electric Bills, etc.) without destroying them first or utilized a personal computer in a public place (e.g., Airport, Train Station, etc.)? After reading Identity Theft you may think twice. John Vacca presents an informative text that enlightens the reader on current methods employed by identity predators and how to protect yourself and your business. Mr. Vacca also addresses the Internet environment and the increasing use of E-Commerce, and exposes the dangers that exist both from the user and developer perspectives. For the IT professional, Identity Theft offers many informative essays on the use of digital signatures, Smart Cards, Optical Cards and Encryption as protection methods. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

This is an exceptionally insightful book looking into the juvenile criminal justice system in L.A. It does a good job of illustrating the perspectives of all individuals involved, from "criminals" to "officials" and also shows gradients of right and wrong, and just how complicated and even faulty the system may be. It is very well written, and I highly recommend it.

A great introduction into the juvenile criminal justice system. I actually went to work for a public defenders' office because of this book.

A more recent book I'd highly reccommend is "Last Chance In Texas." Ironically, Texas has perhaps the most progressive juvenile justice system in the country. This book tells how Texas' worst juvenile offenders had their lives changed for the better.

This book is so SOOO depressing. And we deserve to feel that way about our Juvenile Justice system. Everyone remotely attached to criminal law or children should read this.

Written over the course of one year in LA's juvenile court system, this book is very enlightening to the plight of our kids in detention and on the streets. It has recently been reported that less than 10% of Florida's almost $709 million juvenile justice budget is spent on prevention. I hope to do my personal part to change this in my community, by supporting intervention programs for at-risk youth.

No Matter How Loud I Shout reads like a novel. It is an incredibly well written and compassionate view of the life of some of the country's forgotten "children". I really enjoyed it as well as "Baby ER" also by Mr. Humes.

I thought this was a good book, and I do think John Walsh does great things for the missing. I prefer him in person, than reading his book. It was a little too intense for me.

John Walsh got across his feelings and made the reader feel them as well. The book was almost impossible to put down. It never lost my attention once. I wished there was more when I reached the last summary. I thought this book was even better than his first. I cannot wait for the third.

Apart from the traditional American emotional hype that John Walsh brings to this book, it is a good read.
it is good to see he used his anger in a positive way and he definately serves the community in a special way. We need more like him.

I grew up in Westfield, New Jersey where John List murdered his family. I remember clearly how these murders created fear in our town. He hid from authorities for nearly 20-years before America's Most Wanted aired a profile that led to his capture. This is just one of the stories in this book that would get 10-stars if ...(this website) gave out that many. John Walsh deserves a lot of credit for his great work, and this is a book everyone should read.

Be advised that the first story will haunt you for days. It is very disturbing. John Walsh is a modern day hero who sets out to put lowlifes where they belong....behind bars!! God Bless Mr. Walsh, and long may he reign!

This is the most expensive book I've bought, but it's well worth it. It's full of content and covers many topics. It's recommended to anyone from an enthusiast to anybody involved with law or law enforcement.

This was a great textbook, very helpful. Only thing, it's really graphic. Some of the pictures may be offensive to some people.

although the author has a fixation for weird sex deaths and spends more time then they are worth for an investigator in most areas, this is the best overall book i have seen for laying out a thorough investigation and peripheral issues. i wish more law enforcement officers used this book--rank, too--rank on a scene or in front of a camera can be like a bull in a china shop.

Vernon brings many years of experience to us all in his book so that we do not make the mistakes others have made.

Talk about a disturbing book. This one will probably give you nightmares if you haven't desensitized yourself to violence yet. If your denial mechanism is in disrepair, you'd probably be best to avoid this book which is the "Bible" of crime scene investigation techniques. Extremely graphic photographs of murder and suicide victims along with a compelling forensic text with such chapters as 'The Homicide Crime Scene Search,' 'Estimating Time Of Death,' 'Modes Of Death,' 'Suicide Investigation,' and 'The Autopsy' makes this one of the most informative and disturbing books available. Highly Recommended!

Wow! And wow again! As far as I am aware, this is a break out novel for Sharon Carter Rogers, and she just made it to the top of my authors-to-watch list.

Sinner is a story that, while somewhat predictable in outcome, is a compelling journey. Rogers weaves a tale of past and present to a surprise living-connection between two engaging characters.

CK Ivors is a name without a face to most of the world. But to her charming entourage she is boss, author, and Superman collector extraordinaire. The Sinner is mystery man, vigilante and urban-legend all rolled into one. He's been quiet for years but he's on the move again - wearing a cool grey coat. CK Ivors is desperate for the subject of her next book and finds it in The Sinner. CK and her team are some of the most engaging characters - and I do mean "characters" - I have met in my reading of late. Rogers does a fabulous job of making the reader fond of this unlikely collection of talent that hunts down the famous Sinner legend, and eager to read more of their collaborations.

The conclusion of the story finds CK confronting the past and The Sinner confronting forgiveness. It's a soft approach to the message that is accessible and uncomplicated. Sinners in both camps - forgiven and otherwise - will find this a poignant and fitting end.

I'm amazed at how adept Rogers is at pacing and transition, as well as the already mentioned character development. She weaves a tale of ins and outs that could leave you needing a score card, but does it without so much as a moment of confusion or anxiety. What should happen at just the right time - does, leaving the reader wholly gratified and not the least bit disappointed. Don't know where she came from, but this is one author I won't miss next time!

The short and sweet of it is that Sharon Carter Rogers has written an amazing piece of work. Sinner was captivating from the start. Her story telling technique drew me in and held me throughout. She masterfully employed a layering technique in both plot and character development wherein details and structure were withheld from the reader until it became almost crucially necessary.

The story itself is a brilliant concept. The world which Sharon created and the mythology of the titular character were so very well thought out and developed. Nothing felt rushed, stretched or required jumping to conclusions in order to get where she wanted you to go. In fact, I found that when I did jump to conclusions, I was more often than not wrong. And not because of the employment of some deus ex machina or literary slight of hand. Her storyline and subplots followed a logical, progressive order that kept every aspect of the story neatly wrapped up with no loose ends or unanswered questions at the end of the book.

As for the characters themselves, each was well developed, well executed and believable, from main character CK Ivers down to supporting roles and "extras." The dialogue and back stories made each of the characters interesting and each played their parts well with none seeming as though they weren't crucial to the story. And, I might add, Sharon showed us just enough of these characters to make me want more of them. I can only hope we will one day.

I have, over the past 4 months made a concerted effort to reach out and discover authors which I had not yet heard of or read. Sharon Carter Rogers is, without a doubt one one of the top three authors I have discovered and her name will be placed firmly on my "watch list" of other authors to always read whatever they have available.

I whole heartedly recommend Sinner. It is a gripping, captivating read. You will not be sorry you read it.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sinner. Not only is it well-written, intriguing, and suprising, it's also a fun read. It's obvious Sharon Carter Rogers has a sense of humor to go along with her vivid imagination.

Addtionally, it's great to read a Christian novel that speaks the truth of Christ, without forcing it down the readers throat. The author does a superb job of examining the issue of sin, forgiveness, and redemption through normal conversation and everyday experiences(as normal as can be expected in a supernatural novel). A book I highly recommend.

I just finished reading SINNER and I have mixed feelings about it. First I'd like to mention that the opening scene is one of the best I've read in recent times. Awesome! And while I found the plotline and mystery at the core of the book to be very enthralling, I also experienced a strange detachment throughout the ride.

I'm used to reading multi-viewpoint novels, but this one I found a bit jarring. It quickly skips from one view to another, and I knew while reading that all these threads would eventually tie together--so it didn't bother me, but with most of the POV characters having strange names and very little physical description given, it is difficult to remember who's who. I had to keep flipping back, which is very annoying. If you set the book down, forget it. You have to remember who's who, who's where and what predicament they're in. Regarding the strange names, Lincoln, CK, Junebug, Keena, Cyril, Maria Eliza Garces, Rebel, Chance or maybe it's Chase--who knows without the book in front of me, Galway, James Dandy are just some of them, it seems as though the author thought using her list of favorite baby names in her novel would be cool, along with her favorite letters: k, j, c, l, r and S, which causes a lot of confusion. I cringed every time a new character came on the scene with their clunky, funky name. Strange names aren't necessarily bad, like with the Matrix, but the names there were distinct enough. The overuse of last names also, seems like a tiny detail, a preference thing really, but it ushers formality throughout the book. CK Ivors, CK Ivors, CK Ivors. I couldn't stand that. And with so many POV's, the protagonist in the story, CK I'm guessing, is not showcased enough. I don't feel like I know her well.

The author did a FABULOUS job at revealing little idiosyncrasies of the main characters, which were cute and fascinating, but there wasn't much beyond that. The dialogue, which could have been used to reveal more character depth was pretty blah and generic, with the exception of a few key scenes. I hoped to feel CK's passions, hurt, anger, frustration or something somewhere along the line, and I never got that satisfaction. I don't mean the author's characters weren't interesting or that they came across flat. It's just that I didn't experience the book, feel like I lived in that world, which I expect to happen when I read a book. While the intriguing story-question in this novel kept me riveted, there was so much about it that held me at arms-length and jerked me out of the story. By the end, I felt I knew very little about most of the characters, save The Sinner. Maybe that's the author's point. If so, then she was successful.

Also, I'm not one who needs a lot of character description to enjoy a story, but the author withholds facts about certain characters until the end. Totally unfair to the reader. Galway, for instance, is said to be old. So I adopted a certain mental image of him, thinking that's where the description ends. But no. Three-quarters of the way through readers learn he's a chubby, Irish-looking guy with reddish wisps of hair around his balding head. And the MC's description isn't given until almost the very end. Most characters I didn't picture. They were just shadows because I wasn't given much to composite a mental image. Also, journal entries from a Beverly Scott Thomas, who I assumed was a woman, nope, wrong again, were indeed written by a guy. Beverly? Really? Another weird name! Maybe it's a nineteenth century thing.

While the story served to answer the questions, mostly, SINNER didn't really have a converging climax like you'd expect from a book in the thriller genre. All the forces didn't come together, although the threads did, it just kind of ended after a violent episode, a story and a nap.

The story of SINNER is good, in spite of my negative comments. I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded. The piecemeal effect would have been more enjoyable for me with a wilder ending, more identifiable and pronounced characters--minus some of the crazy names. This book differs a great deal from most Christian fiction, which usually highlights at least one strong Christian main character. SINNER simply carries the message of God's grace, which I believe speaks louder than a sermonized chapter would. I do give the author applause for that, as it gives the book a broad-spectrum appeal in both secular and Christian markets. I'm just a reader who values character development and story pull as much as plot.

I do anticipate spectacular works from Rogers in the future. She has an entertaining narrative voice, a creative mind and a heart for God.

SINNER has all the markings of a really terrific thriller - a kind of grown up Nancy Drew mystery whose chief character is a writer CK Ivors who has a penchant for mystery and group coordinated investigation. As Sharon Carter Rogers begins to spin her tale the book has all the tension and feeling of a 'can't put it down' epic: there is a murder of a priest with a past history of unpriestly behaviors, a 'supernatural' hunky guy who traipses around in a bullet proof coat righting wrongs for people by killing the bad guys, a fascinating little group of thinkers and smart kids, police and wealthy men along with gangs, maids of glory etc.

The problem, for this reader, is in the telling. Rogers splices bits and pieces of incidents that are not always linked chronologically (not a bad thing at all) but fragment the story with a plethora of funky names that make the reader keep back-pedaling to stay on track. There is also the addition of a diary in a different font and graphic setting set throughout the book that has a payoff in the end but again blurs the progress of the novel in the meantime. Rogers has some absolutely terrific ideas ('Sinner' as a character is a fine concoction that pleads for cinematic realization) and her use of CK Ivors is very sound. The subtle introduction of spiritual values is well done. But for a novel that is supposed to be a spellbinder there is just too much clutter in getting there. It feels like the next outing will be a solid one, with the help of a more forceful editor. Rogers is a fine writer! Grady Harp, March 07

Although I admit I intensely disliked certain parts of this book ( I won't spoil the book by saying which ones) I loved the language and the gritty description of life in north philadelphia. Although, I also believe that the author doesn't capture enough of the community. He doesn't mention enough the close-knit relationships and the welcome embrace you will recieve no matter your background. This book highlights a problem in the city that can have consequences like what happened in the novel. However, (stepping on soapbox)I don't believe they are going about it the right way and police officers, especially, are taking their rage out on bystanders and people that live in the neighborhood. Don't terrorize the citizens, because you have a score to settle!

this is one of my all time favorite books. the story is so engaging and it takes you on a roller coaster of emotions, ranging from pure laughter to genuine tears. the writing is so detailed and accurate, i swear you don't read this book - you see it. the images are simply etched in your mind. all the characters are rounded real people, each with his/her own unique personality and motives. you feel all of them, you relate to them, and you carry them with you long after you finish reading this book. Lopez doesn't adorn nor judge his characters; he tells it like it is, and that's what makes this book so intense and whole. an extraordinary work.

got there on time but the case was broken. did you warn me about that? i don't remember. sometimes the tape skips too, but i enjoyed listening to it

I recently attended a graduate class and heard this novel being discussed by high school teachers. Though the content and language are not appropriate for me (el ed), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a consistently engaging read. I also saw many levels in the characters, and loved the foreshadowing and imagery. We live about 45 minutes away from Philadelphia and I was curious to see how much truth to real life the text was. I saw some reviews that claimed the book portrayed violence to an extreme, not surfacing the goodness of the city. Local news broadcasts reveal deaths and muggings daily. So, the reasons for the violence may not be the same as in the book, but I suspect it's not too far from the truth. For me, the goodness and beauty of the city developed through the characters. In reality, I would love to see someone do the bodies on the streets, every big city needs a wake-up call for peace and nonviolence, and sometimes nothing says that better than a visual. This is a book I highly recommend and will read again.

Steve Lopez has a straightforward storytelling style that manages to come up with interesting metaphors, images, and symbols without going overboard as too many contemporary literary writers do. The dialogue is accurate and the characters are truthful, and the story is riveting. Other 'hip' writers like Jonathan Lathem or Rick Moody have been acclaimed for their baroque, hyperrealist style that is supposed to awe the reader into something like a 'wow, that is SO original and unique.' But the minutae of everday life these more 'acclaimed' writers weave into their stories can get downright boring. I mean who needs to read a two-page description of a 10-year old examining the cracks in a sidewalk square in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn (that's the sort of stuff I did as a kid, but if someone found the process interesting, I'd tell him or her to get a life). Unlike such neo-baroque ventures, Third & Indiana places basic situation, interaction, struggle, tragedy and character--first: to give the reader time to consider not just the writing but the story. But since the literati get a bang out of arcana and cleverness, books such as this one will not get the credit they deserve for a long time.