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Identity: Lost
It's July, 1975 and an overworked Chicago police force receives a call that an 85-year-old white man has been attacked by a gang of black youths on the lakefront in Burnham Park. Amid public outrage, contentious Mayor Richard J. Daley commands his police to find the killers fast and make the bucolic park safe again.Uncommonly but fortunately for the police, twelve-year-old James Overstreet steps forward and identifies five of the six assailants and arrests are made. But detectives and county attorneys bungle the case, leaving the judge no choice but to release the accused.This startling turn of events jeopardizes James's life, forcing the entire Overstreet family into witness protection in Arizona, and creates a nightmare that will haunt the brave witness forever.Fast-forward thirty years. The stoic young man has grown to become Maricopa County's most feared prosecutor. But his life is about to be turned upside down when paths from the past cross into the present, veering toward a shocking climax.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
51 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Pascal Marco
2 books25 followersIn 1994 Pascal Marco moved to the Sonoran Desert and a brave new world in Arizona. There he joined the Scottsdale Writers Group, which he claims was pivotal to the development of his debut novel, IDENTITY: LOST, which rose to become a #1 Kindle Amazon best-seller.
Pascal was born and raised on the far Southside of Chicago, the grandson of Italian immigrants. He graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with both B.A. and M.A. degrees. He's thankful every day for growing up in a tight-knit Chicago neighborhood and is very proud of his deep, working-class roots. He's never lost his passion for Chicago White Sox baseball, either.
An active member of his current community, Pascal lives with his wife, Karen, in Mesa, Arizona. He has four children and six grandchildren. His latest novel, RENDER SAFE, is now available.
Pascal was born and raised on the far Southside of Chicago, the grandson of Italian immigrants. He graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with both B.A. and M.A. degrees. He's thankful every day for growing up in a tight-knit Chicago neighborhood and is very proud of his deep, working-class roots. He's never lost his passion for Chicago White Sox baseball, either.
An active member of his current community, Pascal lives with his wife, Karen, in Mesa, Arizona. He has four children and six grandchildren. His latest novel, RENDER SAFE, is now available.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 17, 2016
A young boy witnesses a brutal attack on an elderly man. Despite his fears of gang retaliation, he goes to the police and identifies the killers. When they are set free due to a technicality, he and his family are spirited into the witness protection program and moved across the country. Thirty years later, Stan Kobe is a highly respected prosecutor in Phoenix AZ, with a loving wife and two children. When two criminals are arrested for smuggling guns and drugs across the Arizona / Mexico border the obvious choice to lead the prosecution is the county’s most feared and toughest prosecutor – Stan Kobe. His unenthusiastic response surprises everyone, except the gang bangers who recognize the now-grown “little snitch” from their Chicago days.
What I liked best about the book were the scenes with the 12-year-old African American James Overstreet and his 85-year-old white friend Manny Fleischman. Marco crafted a believable, if unusual friendship that joined two baseball fans, and spanned not just a generation gap, but a racial divide in 1975 Chicago. James is cautious but curious, respectful but sassy, frightened yet courageous. Marco paints a picture of a part of Chicago where gangs terrorize residents and recruit ever younger members, and yet where a strong nuclear family could help their children resist the pull of gang membership. It’s a story of personal responsibility, of doing what is right even when it puts you in danger, of telling the truth.
Where Marco stumbled, however, was in writing the adult Stan Kobe’s scenes. He spends far too much time exploring Kobe’s angst over his big dark secret – a secret “so deeply buried,” yet it can be ferreted out by his best friend in an hour or two of research. The plot he hatches to right the wrong is convoluted and sketchy at best; he seems to be operating strictly on adrenaline and a desire for revenge, rather than being the methodical, tough prosecutor we’re told he is. The ending stretches credulity – everyone but the Pope is apparently involved. And I was really disappointed that some of the conspirators will, apparently, survive with little or no repercussions. Still, Marco crafts a pretty good thriller. The action is fast-paced and held my interest throughout.
What I liked best about the book were the scenes with the 12-year-old African American James Overstreet and his 85-year-old white friend Manny Fleischman. Marco crafted a believable, if unusual friendship that joined two baseball fans, and spanned not just a generation gap, but a racial divide in 1975 Chicago. James is cautious but curious, respectful but sassy, frightened yet courageous. Marco paints a picture of a part of Chicago where gangs terrorize residents and recruit ever younger members, and yet where a strong nuclear family could help their children resist the pull of gang membership. It’s a story of personal responsibility, of doing what is right even when it puts you in danger, of telling the truth.
Where Marco stumbled, however, was in writing the adult Stan Kobe’s scenes. He spends far too much time exploring Kobe’s angst over his big dark secret – a secret “so deeply buried,” yet it can be ferreted out by his best friend in an hour or two of research. The plot he hatches to right the wrong is convoluted and sketchy at best; he seems to be operating strictly on adrenaline and a desire for revenge, rather than being the methodical, tough prosecutor we’re told he is. The ending stretches credulity – everyone but the Pope is apparently involved. And I was really disappointed that some of the conspirators will, apparently, survive with little or no repercussions. Still, Marco crafts a pretty good thriller. The action is fast-paced and held my interest throughout.
November 11, 2011
Aside from the Scooby Doo ending, this is the new best book of all time, of ALL TIME. It combines several different things that interest me, including interracial love (of the black man on white woman variety), crooked cops, corrupt politicians, homeland security, illegal immigration and elder abuse, along with baseball, which I know a lot of people find interesting. This is one of those books where every chapter you learn something new, and you're like, "Oh shit!" Several chapters end in cliffhangers. There were a few different parts that really touched me on an emotional level. No Jerry Sandusky. Some of them I can't mention here, because that would just ruin it. The thing that really got me was whenever he would mention "travelin'." It made me want to teleport back to the mid '70s and bust a cap in a few gangbangers.
June 24, 2011
I really enjoyed this debut novel by Pascal Marco. It is an intriguing crime thriller that had me hooked from the beginning. It is an interesting depiction of the Witness Protection Program. I've always wondered how well that program could really work. It is set both in Arizona and in Chicago. I found the characters, plot and settings to all be very realistic and plausible. I'm looking forward to more from Pascal Marco.
Highly recommend this novel.
Highly recommend this novel.
November 6, 2012
My sister Debby met the author's wife on a plane before the book was released. She liked her so much she started promoting the book everywhere she went. I could not put it down. Just a great police/legal thriller a la John Grisham.
May 29, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If it hadn't been a Kindle Daily Deal, I wouldn't have known about this novel. Thank you, Amazon!
October 5, 2015
I have just finished reading "Identity: Lost" by Pascal Marco. I rarely finish a book as fast as I did this one - but I just couldn't put it down. The book captured my interest from the first paragraph and never disappointed me.
Marco has written my favorite type of book: a story filled with twists, turns and surprises, with finely drawn characters [even the "bad guys" - and sometimes it is not clear who they are!]. It weaves together many strands of urban life over the past forty years [including homicides, racism, baseball, gangs, politics, police work and the judicial system] into a fascinating tale in which the moral and ethical considerations that face each of us are a key component. While a novel, the book constantly references real events and people from Chicago during this time, giving an even greater sense of reality to the story, which is tinged with some of the corruption unique to Chicago. [As a south sider, the author is a White Sox fan - and the Sox figure into the story, even up to the present: the book mentions currrent Sox star Paul Konerko, a native of Arizona where the author now resides, who was just voted to the 2011 All Star Game -- to be played in Arizona next week!].
The police work in the story is exceptionally well portrayed, often contrasting the professional and personal aspects of the officers: their dedication and resourcefullness along with their failings, prejudices and even crudeness. No wonder that one of the dustjacket's notes of praise is from Philip Cline, a recent Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department!
The book is set in Chicago and written by a native Chicagoan. As another native Chicagoan, who has lived and worked along its lakefront my whole life, I am familiar with most of the locations mentioned in the book and could vividly "picture" many of the book's events. And I share the main character's love of the beauty of Lake Michigan, which makes the city such a special place. I could see this novel being made into a topnotch movie - and I hope it will be! Meanwhile, I'll be looking forward to the next book by Pascal Marco!!!
Marco has written my favorite type of book: a story filled with twists, turns and surprises, with finely drawn characters [even the "bad guys" - and sometimes it is not clear who they are!]. It weaves together many strands of urban life over the past forty years [including homicides, racism, baseball, gangs, politics, police work and the judicial system] into a fascinating tale in which the moral and ethical considerations that face each of us are a key component. While a novel, the book constantly references real events and people from Chicago during this time, giving an even greater sense of reality to the story, which is tinged with some of the corruption unique to Chicago. [As a south sider, the author is a White Sox fan - and the Sox figure into the story, even up to the present: the book mentions currrent Sox star Paul Konerko, a native of Arizona where the author now resides, who was just voted to the 2011 All Star Game -- to be played in Arizona next week!].
The police work in the story is exceptionally well portrayed, often contrasting the professional and personal aspects of the officers: their dedication and resourcefullness along with their failings, prejudices and even crudeness. No wonder that one of the dustjacket's notes of praise is from Philip Cline, a recent Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department!
The book is set in Chicago and written by a native Chicagoan. As another native Chicagoan, who has lived and worked along its lakefront my whole life, I am familiar with most of the locations mentioned in the book and could vividly "picture" many of the book's events. And I share the main character's love of the beauty of Lake Michigan, which makes the city such a special place. I could see this novel being made into a topnotch movie - and I hope it will be! Meanwhile, I'll be looking forward to the next book by Pascal Marco!!!
December 6, 2011
A decades old act of violence becomes ominously present, forcing a man to face his traumatizing past and bring justice in this riveting thriller. The crime that drives this story happens in 1970s Chicago during a hostile time when street gangs infested the city, with a flawed and indifferent police force and the existence of racial discrimination. It's where James Overstreet calls home and whose life is forever changed when he is caught in the middle of the violence.
It's a story about injustice and a second chance for a man who's in a position to make a difference. The lines between justice and vengeance becomes blurred and as the past and present collide, we learn some things never change. Street gangs can become more organized and a justice system can still fail to protect.
James was a character I really felt for and whose voice I wanted to see heard. Even as a powerful prosecutor dedicated to bringing justice, James, now Stan Kobe has real vulnerabilities. Though he grew up in a hard environment, up until the crime he was not shaped or tainted by it, choosing to play baseball rather than turn to gangs. It makes the lost of his friend, his home, his life and whole identity all the more unjust. It also means he has more to fight for.
I appreciated all the characters, even though at times especially towards the end, I found Maxine to be quite naive. I wished she was smarter, even though her reaction does reflect that her innocence can be attributed to having never grown up in the volatile environment like her husband. There is a diverse group of characters and many helped to bridge the gap between the past and present, which the story weaved well. This story is a great thriller.
It's a story about injustice and a second chance for a man who's in a position to make a difference. The lines between justice and vengeance becomes blurred and as the past and present collide, we learn some things never change. Street gangs can become more organized and a justice system can still fail to protect.
James was a character I really felt for and whose voice I wanted to see heard. Even as a powerful prosecutor dedicated to bringing justice, James, now Stan Kobe has real vulnerabilities. Though he grew up in a hard environment, up until the crime he was not shaped or tainted by it, choosing to play baseball rather than turn to gangs. It makes the lost of his friend, his home, his life and whole identity all the more unjust. It also means he has more to fight for.
I appreciated all the characters, even though at times especially towards the end, I found Maxine to be quite naive. I wished she was smarter, even though her reaction does reflect that her innocence can be attributed to having never grown up in the volatile environment like her husband. There is a diverse group of characters and many helped to bridge the gap between the past and present, which the story weaved well. This story is a great thriller.
Read
June 28, 2011Identify Lost is a fast-paced read with characters that are well defined; and what I liked most was that it had me going through so many emotions throughout the book--likeability to hatred, sympathy to anger to frustration and surprise. Marco did a beautiful job of incorporating fact with fiction which, in my opinion, makes the book unique. Usually, I do not like books that begin during one time period and then move to the present; but Marco's transition was very smooth, and because the characters were so well defined in the beginning, it was not difficult to bring them back to memory at the end of the story. Loved, loved, loved the part about Clayton at the end--didn't see that one coming at all. The ending, well, the only thing was--it was the END and I wanted to keep on reading. Looking forward to Marco's next book and maybe a movie???!!!
July 25, 2011
I really enjoy watching movies and reading books that use the city of Chicago as it's backdrop. Add some history about this great city, that's even better. This novel has suspense and drama. You will get so involved in reading this book...you won't put in down until you have read the last page. As you read from chapter to chapter. You will think you have it all figured out. Then a comes a twist. This happens several times. This book will have you on your toes!
Pascal puts an ending to this treasure that will take your breath away! Awesome reading! I will be the first in line for his next novel.
Pascal puts an ending to this treasure that will take your breath away! Awesome reading! I will be the first in line for his next novel.
December 26, 2012
A clever plot, this story seemed to veer off track in the beginning when it went back in time and traced Arizona prosecuter's past and a murder he witnessed before he went into the witness protection program. I don't know much about baseball, especially the story of the Black Sox scandal of 1919, so the backstory about early baseball scandals was interesting, but also the way the characters stories were woven together was great story telling. I had ordered this book from a Kindle daily deal months ago and was surprised that I actually liked this story as much as I did. I'd recommend this book to other readers looking for a good suspenseful story.
May 22, 2012
An 11 year old black boy sees an old man who has befriended him beat to death in the local park. Incompetent and/or racist cops botch the investigation and the gang members go free. The boy and his family are immediately moved to Arizona in witness protection. The impact on him and his family is tragic. He becomes a prosecutor and runs into 2 of the gang members who have been arrested in Arizona. All of the secrets have to come out. Interesting story-Chicago cops, politicians and the Witness Protection program look terrible for the most part.
October 1, 2012
This book follows a 12 year old eye witness into witness protection and shows his adult life as a prosecuting attorney. Flash backs to his childhood reveal parts of his childhood leading up to the crime. Amazing descriptions of the Chicago park and shore of Lake Michigan where he spent time. I really enjoyed the story line and the suspense, but would have liked to see the author get more creative in expressing how tough and scary gang bangers are without the F word every other line.
July 17, 2012
young boys sees a murder of an old player from the Black Sox baseball team from 1919, committed by gang members. At the trial the gang is found not guilty due to botched interigation. The family
is then placed in a wittness protection program in AZ. Boy whose named is changed from James Overstreet to Stan Kobe becomes a top notch prosecutor in AZ.
is then placed in a wittness protection program in AZ. Boy whose named is changed from James Overstreet to Stan Kobe becomes a top notch prosecutor in AZ.
June 30, 2016
Way better than expected!
There has been some discussion about the alleged poor characterization of Stan Kobe, the story's protagonist. The conflicted and deeply buried feelings he worked through here seemed quite realistic and developed to me. Imagine yourself in his place and tell me you'd have a clear idea of who you were. I'm doubting it.
There has been some discussion about the alleged poor characterization of Stan Kobe, the story's protagonist. The conflicted and deeply buried feelings he worked through here seemed quite realistic and developed to me. Imagine yourself in his place and tell me you'd have a clear idea of who you were. I'm doubting it.
June 11, 2011
I had the pleasure of providing a blurb for this book and I meant every word I said... Pascal Marco has written a *corker*! In many ways it feels like a true crime story, and I realize that it's inspired by a true crime, but Marco takes it in unexpected directions. Terrific stuff.
July 12, 2011
This book was a page turner from beginning to end, awesome legal thriller. I couldn't put it down in the 2 days it took me to read. This would make a great movie. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
September 11, 2011
I got to meet this author right after I finished reading the book and first of all it is a great story. I'm looking forward to see where he takes his characters. According what he said he doesn't plan a series, but more of a character series which I tend to prefer.
March 18, 2012
I was impressed by Pascal Marco's debut thriller. Witness protection, sports, Chicago, gangs. All things that make for a read much like an exciting movie. Pascal is a force to be reckoned with. I am looking forward to what he's working on next. Top-notch thriller!
June 11, 2012
For a while I thought I was reading a novelization of some cross between "Law & Order" and "In PLain Site" with an ending that sounded more like "Shootout at the OK Corral"..... Yes, it was a page turner, but some of the turns were simply not logical.
November 21, 2014
Wonderfully written. The characters are so well developed that I felt like their friend. For me, a book is great when I become so attached to the characters that I become sad after it ends. I am sad that I finished this book - I miss my friends.
Want to read
May 19, 2011Sounds very intriguing! Also like the fact it's in Arizona.
Want to read
June 9, 2011first reads winner
June 20, 2011
Good premise. Started out ok. Went downhill.
June 22, 2011
I read A LOT, consider myself 'discriminating' when it comes to authors, and am EXTREMELY pleased with Marco's work! Glad to hear there's a sequel in the works!
Read
June 28, 2011This was a very good book. I had a hard time putting it down and enjoyed the images it put in my mind. The story took me back to those days and places I use to know.
August 11, 2011
"Wonderful book."
-Alice Mick/Dyer-Shererville
-Alice Mick/Dyer-Shererville
November 2, 2011
A very good story. I enjoyed the twists and turns of this mystery. Even though there was extensive language, it fit the characters and the setting. Look forward to reading more from Pascal Marco.
December 31, 2011
I enjoyed the first half of this book so much, but then it sorta went downhill. Takes a 180 degree turn and doesn't ever get back to the great writing.
June 11, 2012
Eh...may just be the Kindle edition...but there were quite a few errors, spelling, missing spaces between words, that was a bit annoying...
June 12, 2012
Great story. It paints a sorry picture of Chicago,but probably true of most big cities.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews