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Stone City
Coerced by prison officials to track the murderer preying on "lifers" in the state prison, Charles Bauman, a college professor convicted of killing a girl while driving drunk, uncovers corruption, warlord rivalries, gambling, smuggling, and terror
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
6 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Mitchell Smith
37 books24 followersMitchell Smith is an American author writing crime fiction and science fiction.
Also known as Roy LeBeau.
Also known as Roy LeBeau.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 5, 2014
RATING: 4.5
At first glance, it really doesn't seem right that college professor Charles Bauman has ended up serving a term in the state penitentiary. He has been convicted of vehicular homicide, a charge that he feels is unfair. After all, he only had two martinis (ok, three), and they weren't even doubles. Surely, it was the 14-year-old girl's fault for dashing out into the street without paying attention. Be that as it may, Bauman is going to be locked up for a few years. STONE CITY is the story of life in state prison ("State"), a study of a self-contained society that hopefully none of us will ever inhabit.
At least initially, Bauman's life isn't too hard to handle. He likes his cellmate, Scooter, and hangs out with a group of other inmates who get along reasonably well. He has a lot of mobility. He teaches other convicts how to read and write and also serves as an assistant to the boxing coach. The population within State is very segmented; just as in any other large city, people tend to hang out with those who are like themselves. Each segmented group, whether it be the lifers, the bikers, the blacks, the Hispanics, etc., are organized and have their own leaders. Some of the groups, such as the lifers, have more power within the system than others. In addition to the political structure, there is a familial framework as well. Many of the convicts are living as "husband and wife" and are viewed by the other inmates as partners in this way. These relationships are readily accepted; to a lifer or a convict with a long term, this may be the only opportunity for love that they will ever have.
The more time that passes by and the more that Bauman is exposed to the various workings of the prison, the harder he becomes. The first impression of Bauman is that he is just an average man, a basically law-abiding guy just like you and me; however, as time goes by, there are glimpses of something else, a person that who is not as in control and civilized as he first appears. Life unravels for Bauman when he is targeted by both the prison authorities and several of the gang leaders to be a snitch. A few men have been killed, and no one has been able to determine who the villain is. The law enforcement people feel that it may be one of the guards; the convicts themselves don't have a handle on who is pulling off these murders, a serial killer from whom no one is safe. Bauman is given pretty much a free pass to try to investigate. He is aided by a femme inmate named Lee Cousins who despite his feminine tendencies has a strong grasp on the reality of life at State.
STONE CITY was an intense reading experience for me. Smith pulls the reader into the book and forces them to live life at State right alongside Bauman. When he jostled another inmate or spoke thoughtlessly, I felt great anxiety. In particular, Bauman's stay in Segregation was a nightmare experience. His primary means of dealing with the harsh reality of daily life was to escape into fantasies. There were a lot of sexual situations within the book; obviously, men in this environment are likely to be somewhat obsessed with this activity. Bauman as narrator had an educated person's way of looking at things; I did find that at times the language used obfuscated the meaning of some of the passages.
In spite of the overall dark tone of the book, there were many illuminating moments and several characters who had a certain sweetness to them. In many respects, State is hell; in many others, it's a place where there are noble people and loyalties are strong and lasting. STONE CITY is a deeply involving work, menacing, disturbing and spectacularly well done. The book is a brilliant tour de force, and I don’t think that I'll ever forget it.
At first glance, it really doesn't seem right that college professor Charles Bauman has ended up serving a term in the state penitentiary. He has been convicted of vehicular homicide, a charge that he feels is unfair. After all, he only had two martinis (ok, three), and they weren't even doubles. Surely, it was the 14-year-old girl's fault for dashing out into the street without paying attention. Be that as it may, Bauman is going to be locked up for a few years. STONE CITY is the story of life in state prison ("State"), a study of a self-contained society that hopefully none of us will ever inhabit.
At least initially, Bauman's life isn't too hard to handle. He likes his cellmate, Scooter, and hangs out with a group of other inmates who get along reasonably well. He has a lot of mobility. He teaches other convicts how to read and write and also serves as an assistant to the boxing coach. The population within State is very segmented; just as in any other large city, people tend to hang out with those who are like themselves. Each segmented group, whether it be the lifers, the bikers, the blacks, the Hispanics, etc., are organized and have their own leaders. Some of the groups, such as the lifers, have more power within the system than others. In addition to the political structure, there is a familial framework as well. Many of the convicts are living as "husband and wife" and are viewed by the other inmates as partners in this way. These relationships are readily accepted; to a lifer or a convict with a long term, this may be the only opportunity for love that they will ever have.
The more time that passes by and the more that Bauman is exposed to the various workings of the prison, the harder he becomes. The first impression of Bauman is that he is just an average man, a basically law-abiding guy just like you and me; however, as time goes by, there are glimpses of something else, a person that who is not as in control and civilized as he first appears. Life unravels for Bauman when he is targeted by both the prison authorities and several of the gang leaders to be a snitch. A few men have been killed, and no one has been able to determine who the villain is. The law enforcement people feel that it may be one of the guards; the convicts themselves don't have a handle on who is pulling off these murders, a serial killer from whom no one is safe. Bauman is given pretty much a free pass to try to investigate. He is aided by a femme inmate named Lee Cousins who despite his feminine tendencies has a strong grasp on the reality of life at State.
STONE CITY was an intense reading experience for me. Smith pulls the reader into the book and forces them to live life at State right alongside Bauman. When he jostled another inmate or spoke thoughtlessly, I felt great anxiety. In particular, Bauman's stay in Segregation was a nightmare experience. His primary means of dealing with the harsh reality of daily life was to escape into fantasies. There were a lot of sexual situations within the book; obviously, men in this environment are likely to be somewhat obsessed with this activity. Bauman as narrator had an educated person's way of looking at things; I did find that at times the language used obfuscated the meaning of some of the passages.
In spite of the overall dark tone of the book, there were many illuminating moments and several characters who had a certain sweetness to them. In many respects, State is hell; in many others, it's a place where there are noble people and loyalties are strong and lasting. STONE CITY is a deeply involving work, menacing, disturbing and spectacularly well done. The book is a brilliant tour de force, and I don’t think that I'll ever forget it.
May 16, 2015
This book is very highly rated by many. I wish I had enjoyed it more -- it was long and grueling. The basic premise is that a college professor named Bauman, convicted of killing a young girl while driving drunk, is tasked with finding a person responsible for two murders within the prison. Both prison officials and various gangs want answers, with both applying pressure. Bauman works with the male "daughter" of one of the deceased on the investigation. Prison life is raw and brutal, and this book is often likened to HBO's Oz series: inedible food, rapes, beatings, stabbings, corruption among the guards, hierarches, alliances, nothing is spared. Besides the overly graphic descriptions, I had a hard time with the number of characters and think much would be gained from a listing at the beginning. In the end though, the murderer's reasons and motivations were a surprise, at least to me.
August 15, 2012
Not for the faint of heart. Published in 1990, this may be the best prison novel ever. Smith brought a high level of literary skill to the task of illuminating the nightmare world of a maximum-security prison, with its internal economy, politics and intrigue, and the implacable, brutal logic of a society based on violence, all pretense stripped away. Unforgettable.
Read
May 5, 2024too too good. belongs alongside or even ahead of silence of the lambs in the convo re 90s thrillers that are also literature. the thumbnail sketches of minor chars are a constant delight; the politicking b/w rival clubs worthy of any fantasy series; bauman's small joys & large miseries brought to life in 5-senses stereo. throw the reviews calling it verbose in the garbage can where they belong. google "narrative time," scrubs
November 29, 2014
I tried to find something about Mitchell Smith, author of “Stone City,” his huge book about life in prison. I was curious about his research into the dark existence behind bars with seemingly every horror that can be imagined. I didn’t find a thing other than he writes erotic westerns under an assumed name. But I am convinced that he spent many years in the big house to so graphically chronicle the experiences and personalities found in this raw novel.
The indignities, constant fear, and sinister encounters that lurk in the dark confines are well presented; so well, in fact, that one’s stomach will be in constant turmoil as the story unfolds.
Bauman, a college professor convicted of killing a young girl while driving drunk, is sent to a State prison where a serial killer is killing inmates. Other inmates force the new resident into the snitch job of uncovering the killer despite their inclination to despise informants. Bauman is in deadly danger either way; whether he solves the mystery or not.
Smith goes into great detail about prison life. He writes about the grimy environment, the powerful cliques, the brutal violence, and the fear that permeates daily existence. While he doesn’t exactly grind the reader’s face into the gross details, he takes every opportunity to do some heavy stomping. It’s not a pleasant book with only a few tender and endearing moments.
The writing is incredible. Although the atmosphere is heavy with graphic accounts of violent behavior, the reader’s interest is maintained by the author’s use of picturesque dialogue that suffocates in its intensity and for the realistic scenarios.
I recommend this book for its authenticity, focus, and characterizations. I can honestly say that when I completed the book I felt free of the confining walls and suffocating fear inside State prison, much the same as an inmate must feel when released into the real world. This is a disturbing book but its greatness cannot be easily forgotten.
Read
April 1, 2011Rich and riveting, but too bleak in the end. Still adore KARMA and the Snowfall series best.
October 23, 2025
A bleak, violent, and pungently oppressive prison thriller, first published in 1990, which has a scenario that's suspiciously similar to the hit HBO show Oz (1997). Someone is killing prison inmates in the ambiguously-named “State” maximum security prison, and Charles Bauman, who is serving a five year sentence for vehicular manslaughter, has been pressured separately by the prison administration and a prison gang to identify the perpetrator. He teams with an androgynous transgender convict named Lee Cousins, whose adopted prison daddy was one of the victims of the killer.
This was a difficult read for me. Bauman isn't likable for most of the book. In fact, he's a narcissistic creep. But his character slowly changes over the course of this long book (which is easily 100 pages too long), mostly due to a budding relationship with Cousins, who intrigues him. Smith's prose is crude and choppy, so I was able to tolerate it in only brief sessions. The pace of the book is inconsistent, with many dull and didactic sections. Smith likes to show off his knowledge, so there's plenty of history, philosophy, and classical music discussed, but none of it is relevant to the story.
The central mystery of the book—unmasking the prison's killer—is merely a hook; the real reason to read this book is Smith's palpably real—indeed, surreal—prison universe, which is so sensationally vivid that I was disgusted by many of the book's passages. In the week that I read this book, I felt like I was incarcerated in State prison. The book teases a developing romance between Bauman and Cousins—the book’s biggest fakeout—but Smith inexplicably dashes those hopes in the climax, which takes place in wet and dark exhaust tunnels beneath the prison's huge furnace room, a hellish setting. It's one of the most gripping scenes I've ever read. Just as the novel is easing into its coda, Smith supplies another shocking twist, an ending that is swift, violent, and suffocatingly downbeat, but I expected nothing less. This book pummeled me senseless. Stone City is undeniably gritty and unpleasant, but it's also brutally effective, a virtuoso performance.
This was a difficult read for me. Bauman isn't likable for most of the book. In fact, he's a narcissistic creep. But his character slowly changes over the course of this long book (which is easily 100 pages too long), mostly due to a budding relationship with Cousins, who intrigues him. Smith's prose is crude and choppy, so I was able to tolerate it in only brief sessions. The pace of the book is inconsistent, with many dull and didactic sections. Smith likes to show off his knowledge, so there's plenty of history, philosophy, and classical music discussed, but none of it is relevant to the story.
The central mystery of the book—unmasking the prison's killer—is merely a hook; the real reason to read this book is Smith's palpably real—indeed, surreal—prison universe, which is so sensationally vivid that I was disgusted by many of the book's passages. In the week that I read this book, I felt like I was incarcerated in State prison. The book teases a developing romance between Bauman and Cousins—the book’s biggest fakeout—but Smith inexplicably dashes those hopes in the climax, which takes place in wet and dark exhaust tunnels beneath the prison's huge furnace room, a hellish setting. It's one of the most gripping scenes I've ever read. Just as the novel is easing into its coda, Smith supplies another shocking twist, an ending that is swift, violent, and suffocatingly downbeat, but I expected nothing less. This book pummeled me senseless. Stone City is undeniably gritty and unpleasant, but it's also brutally effective, a virtuoso performance.
December 8, 2016
I love jail shit and had been choking to read this for a few months.
Bailed out after about 70 pages could not make head nor tail of the dialogue and the structuring was a fuckin mess. Launched it out a hotel window last night and scudded a cleaner that was out getting a fag right on the napper. Worked out value for money at £3
Bailed out after about 70 pages could not make head nor tail of the dialogue and the structuring was a fuckin mess. Launched it out a hotel window last night and scudded a cleaner that was out getting a fag right on the napper. Worked out value for money at £3
June 15, 2007
i read this book in the summer of 1991, and so much of the imagery within sticks with me today.
this was the best serial-killer-killing-other-killers-in-prison book i ever read. the best, and the only.
a boozy english professor drives home drunk from an uppercrusty late one night. the party breaks up when the host catches his horny wife getting plowed from behind by the gardner in the laundry room.
on the way home, the professor sees a little girl on her bike at the top of a hill. she looks kind of sad, and rides her bike down the slope to meet his onrushing car, which promptly sucks her under a set of crushing wheels.
the description of this sequence, in which the girl is
made of a chunky paste about midway down her torso, is just amazing and awful.
long story slighty shorter, professor goes to prison.
while there, he is contacted by the FBI because they want him to help them capture an elusive serial killer who operates within the prison, killing men in locked cells,
disappearing and reappearing in impossible places. in exchange for being the FBI's inside man, he'll get a shorter sentence.
STONE CITY is not a happy book. It's about morally compromised people hurting each other, murdering each other and raping each other. The ending is particularly
nihilistic and dark, but the novel as a whole is gripping and realistic.
January 28, 2023
This novel's been around for a while but man, I loved this book. Although I was rather disappointed by the ending, the novel as a whole was utterly riveting and I really loved the characters, the dialogue, the descriptions, everything. It's been a while since I read this but I still remember one scene when Bauman, the main character, is on metal steps heading someplace and he's trying so hard not to look at or touch or otherwise piss off some crazy-ass convict with a hidden shiv...some of the scenes were so horrifying and Smith doesn't blink, doesn't pull any punches.
This book is not for the faint of heart. But if you want to read a novel that gives you an unflinching look inside a world you (hopefully) will never see, I highly recommend Stone City--one of the best books I've ever read.
This book is not for the faint of heart. But if you want to read a novel that gives you an unflinching look inside a world you (hopefully) will never see, I highly recommend Stone City--one of the best books I've ever read.
October 5, 2012
I like everything this author writes. He is the most eclectic writer ever...from post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy, to wilderness adventure from a woman's viewpoint to this book - a gritty fictional story set in prison. I don't know what and where he draws from, but his writing and story development are very worthwhile. I also like books that enrich my vocabulary and his do.
Top notch, but not an easy read.
Top notch, but not an easy read.
June 27, 2013
kind of gritty - violent (duh, the setting is a prison). enjoyed the feeling of being taken away to another world by this writer - but not one i'd want to visit in real life. have read others by this author. they are all different. this is my favorite of his - so far.
April 20, 2018
Vulgar and violent, but I read it steadily. Takes place in a prison and expanded my vocabulary! I thought the main character was an SOB up until the end. About the time he turned human, the book ended on an unhappy note.
January 19, 2012
A friend gave me this book to read a few years ago and was heartily amused when I phoned him in a funky rage after reading the last pages. Well written, but very, very dark. The ending haunted me for days after and it is still what I recall most. I close my eyes when I think about it.
April 29, 2012
The story was very slow to start with and it wasn't until about halfway through that I actually realised what the plot of the story was. It did eventually reach it's conclusion only for there to be a final twist at the very end!
August 19, 2012
An excellent prison novel. My only complaint is that it dragged in a few places. At 630+ pages, it probably could have been edited down to 550 pages for a tighter pacing. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this fascinating story.
May 9, 2022
A good story, but..... This book is very "wordy". In my opinion, the same story could have been told in at least 100 pages less! Took me forever to get it read. Just couldn't get into it very quick. Excessive details that just didn't need to be there!
April 1, 2009
It was tough to get through the first 200 or so pages, but after that, everything started to come together. The last couple chapters were shocking and intense.
May 20, 2010
I found this book really hard to read at first.. but then I couldn't put it down! I work in Law enforcement and to read about what really happen behind the walls was an eye opener!
January 9, 2015
Wordy. And way too many remembered dreams.
February 25, 2011
Shocking ending.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews