Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Drama City

By George Pelecanos
Performed by Chad Coleman

     Pelecanos' latest suspense novel draws readers into the graphic, unforgiving world of convicts, drugs, prostitutes and warring dealers on the poorer side of Washington. The main characters are at the mercy of their own inner demons, as well as a secondary character out to make the world -- or the local streets, anyway -- all his.

      Lorenzo Brown is a former convict, now living a sedate life as of an officer for the Humane Society. His kindness to animals reveals his compassionate side. His determination to make careless pet owners pay for their cruelty reveals his desire to right wrongs. It's an honorable trait, well hidden within this former convict and drug pusher. Brown is a live-and-let-live kind of guy destined to discover whose side he's really on.

     Nigel is one of the secondary characters who aided Brown in his mistakes -- the reason Brown ended up in prison. And when he came out, Nigel rewarded him with a stash of heroin. Oddly enough, Brown used it to set up his legitimate life, something he's determined to have. The one person keeping him on the straight and narrow is his probation office, Rachel Lopez, who has her own issues. By day, she is a parole officer. By night she lives a degrading, loose life hurtling towards self-destruction. Brown gets to the point of needing Rachel's direction, but finds she is in the midst of her own personal struggle.

     It's a world most have never ventured into: dark, depressing and just plain sad. Despite their many sins, one can't help but root for these two and wish the worst for those out to destroy other souls.

     Chad Coleman is an impressive narrator. Readers can expect a bone-chilling, skin-crawling experience as Coleman leads them into the lives of Pelecanos' dark characters who are bent on surviving in the belly of a heartless and violent culture full of doomed souls. Whew, what a listen!

The Book

Time Warner Audio Books
March 1, 2005
Audio CD / Abridged edition - 5 CDs
1586217283
Suspense
More at Amazon.com 

Excerpt

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The Reviewer

Brenda Weeaks
Reviewed 2005
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© 2005 MyShelf.com