The Good Boy: A Novel

by Theresa Schwegel

Edgar award winner Theresa Schwegel returns with The Good Boy, her most dramatic and emotional novel to date, a family epic that combines the hard-boiled grit of her acclaimed police thrillers with an intimate portrait of a young boy trying to follow his heart in an often heartless city.

For Officer Pete Murphy, K9 duty is as much a punishment as a promotion. When a shaky arrest reignites a recent scandal and triggers a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, all eyes are on Pete as the department braces for another media firestorm.

Meanwhile, Pete's eleven-year-old son Joel feels invisible. His parents hardly notice him—unless they're arguing about his "behavioral problems"—and his older sister, McKenna, has lately disappeared into the strange and frightening world of teenagerdom. About the only friend Joel has left is Butchie, his father's furry "partner."

When Joel and Butchie follow McKenna to a neighborhood bully's party, illegal activity kicks the dog's police training into overdrive, and soon the duo are on the run, navigating the streets of Chicago as they try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys—bad guys who may have a very personal interest in getting some payback on Officer Pete Murphy.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Suspense, Police

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Theresa Schwegel was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She is the author of four crime novels set in and around the Chicago area. Her debut, Officer Down, was published in 2005, and subsequently won the Edgar® Award for Best First Novel. In 2008, she received the 21st Century Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation in recognition for an emerging artist with ties to Chicago. Her fifth novel, The Good Boy, is a family epic that combines the hard-boiled grit of her acclaimed police thrillers with the intimate portrait of a young boy trying to follow his heart in an often heartless city. The book will be released November 5th this year.

Reviews

[Patrice Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, I'm always interested in crime fiction. What heigtens that affection toward crime fiction is when it's set in one of the greatest cities in the world, Chicago. Already The Good Boy by Theresa Schwegel, was ahead of the curve. Top that off with a young boy and his dog being primary characters. All that's left is the answer to where do I sign.

Pete, an officer for the K9 unit for the Chicago PD, is coming up on added stress after a traffic stop reignites a scandalous past with a suspect that is best laid to rest. Ultimately, this traffic stop leads to a multimillion dollar also referred to as the ghetto lottery. This is the last thing Pete needs as he's having problems at home with his wife Sarah and daughter McKenna.

Joel, Pete's son, always seems to be the one that everyone overlooks. Joel tries to have a relationhip with his sister, but she's too busy being a (bratty) teenager to notice his loneliness. Sarah, seems too consumed with what may be his "behaviorial problems" and her own self-pity. Left to his own devices for enjoyment, Joel follows his sister to a party that results in him and Butch needing to run from some very dangerous people. To make matters worse, the people who are chasing him may in fact have a score to settle with his father.

Theresa Schwegel paints a vivid picture of a modern family living in the often times cruel city of Chicago. Although, I'm not sure I ever really liked Pete, there's no doubt that he cares for his family. The constant guilt of his family's circumstances and absence, drive him to make decisions readers may not agree with. When he realizes his son, and dog, are missing, he reacts as a cop trying to cover his own tracks as opposed to a father who knows the dangerous realities of the streets his son is now traversing. He certainly isn't my favorite character, but there's no doubt of his love for his family and his son as he does whatever it takes to find him.

Schwegel's ability to bring to life the relationship between human and animal are best showed through the interactions between Joel and Butch. Joel is always concerned with Butch and is often battling his own guilt at having put them on the run. They bring a sentimental value to The Good Boy that is missing without them. It's easy to get lost in their journey and not ever care what the others are doing.

The Good Boy by Theresa Schwegel is a thrilling, suspenseful, and compulsively readable novel that crime fiction lovers should look into. The streets are real, the references to Chicago landmarks are spot-on, and the characters are believable. The Good Boy is the first I've read by Schwegel but is definitely not the last. Final thoughts are how far I would go for a fair trial.

*provided by Netgalley*

[Rose Ann]

No stars. a cat is tortured to death on page 31 by lowlife punks and I stopped reading. I don't read books where animals are tortured and treated cruelly. There's enough of that in the real world, I don't need it in the fiction real world.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading a novel that takes place in Chicago is always a plus. Maybe for me, the best part of this book. I have liked other books by this author much better. I think I just had different expectations and did not find it very suspenseful at all. Seemed to be more about a boy and his dog, and yes I love dogs, just wanted a little more mystery and suspense. Loved the concern Joel showed for this animal, Had a hard time liking his father, a recent K9 officer who tries to track down Joel and his dog. Of course there are bad guys chasing them and a man who must learn to be a father and husband first and a cop second, in order to save his family. This was a good read, well paced and easy, the Chicago landmarks were accurate and I did love the relationship between Joel and his dog.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being demoted to the K-9 unit because of a past incident, officer Pete Murphy has been forced to downsize his life: smaller house, poorer neighbourhood. His wife now spends her time on the phone complaining to friends and family about him, his teenaged daughter, McKenna, has become sullen and rebellious and his son, eleven-year-old Joel, is neglected and spends most of his time with Butchie, his father’s canine partner. Joel is smart and sensitive and, recognizing the dangers of McKenna’s behaviour coupled with parental neglect, he is determined to protect her.

When this protectiveness leads to a confrontation with some dangerous gangbangers causing Butchie to attack someone, Joel decides the only person who can help save Butch is a judge his dad once protected. Unfortunately, he and Butch must cross Chicago to reach her. So with very little money, no food, and little knowledge of the areas they will be crossing, the pair embark on a journey which will take them into some of the worst places Chicago has to offer.

When Pete discovers his son gone, he immediately sets out to find him. Unfortunately, the circumstances of Joel’s disappearance set him off in the wrong direction and things just keep going from bad to worse.

The Good Boy is more character- than plot-driven and the tension in the book is created more by small incidences (one regarding a cat is particularly disturbing) and mistaken assumptions than by any great mystery. Even Pete’s original transgression, the reason for his demotion, is never fully explained and is less important than the ripples it has caused in the lives of Pete and his family.

The book is divided between Pete’s and Joel’s stories and they are both sympathetic characters. Joel is particularly likeable and his journey across Chicago, fraught with danger at every turn is, to me, the best part of the book. Pete, although a little less likeable, seems like a good man and, possibly, a good cop who makes some bad decisions.

The Good Boy is more a story about human frailty than a thriller, about how people get caught up in their own little dramas, ignoring the rest of the world around them and, by doing so, let real bad things happen. With the exception of Pete, Joel, and Butch, most of the rest of the characters tend to be one-dimensional whose sole purpose seems to be to give Pete and Joel a motive for their actions. Oddly, for the most part, this works by keeping the reader’s focus on the main protagonists. This is not your average thriller, there are no big crimes, but it is a very engrossing tale and well worth a read for anyone looking for something more nuanced than your average thriller or police procedural.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery author Theresa Schwegel has written a heart-wrenching suspense story that plays out on the mean streets of Chicago with her new book, "The Good Boy''.

The action starts when 11-year-old Joel Murphy and his dog Butch follow Joel's teenage sister to a party because he thinks she is in danger. When Joel is spotted by some gang members who threaten to kill Butch, he runs away to protect his best friend. But Butch is more than the family pet -- he also is an officer with Chicago Police Department's K-9 Unit, working with Joel's dad, Pete.

Pete, who is determined to find his son and dog on his own, leaves his frantic wife, Sarah, behind at home. The stress of Joel's disappearance exacerbates the pain and tension the Murphy family has been going through. Pete and Sarah, whose marriage is on shaky grounds, barely speak to each other. Their rebellious teenage daughter McKenna is riddled with guilt because she blames herself for Joel's disappearance. And Pete is worried about his future as a cop because he was slapped with a lawsuit from a gang member who was bit by Butchie during a police stop.

"The Good Boy'' isn't a murder mystery, but it is filled with suspense. Will Joel and Butchie survive with all the real dangers they encounter? Will Pete find his "boys'' before it's too late? Will the Murphys finally stop fighting each other come together as a family?

As a parent, my heart ached when Joel was trying to survive with $2 for a couple days on the run in the Windy City. His relationship with his four-legged friend is endearing. Schwegel's characters can be frustrating because they don't always make the best choices, but that's what propels the story along. "The Good Boy'' is a compelling book with its authentic Chicago descriptions and its sometimes noir-like feeling.

[Christopher Enzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Theresa Schwegel may think that she has updated Jack London's WHITE FANG but I think that she has reheated THE WIZARD OF OZ into an overlong B&W police procedural. The boy's odyssey is all about saving his dog from increasingly dire straits with threat of euthanisation. While I'm not sure that the threat is adequately resolved by the book's end (just as Toto is not safe in Kansas at the end of the movie) any story which requires the death of a cat to set the plot in motion is surely operating on a creaky premise at best.
Although sometimes the characters are drawn with something like compassion they often devolve into TV tropes. I got to wishing that this book was better. Then I wished it was shorter. Finally, I just wished it was over.
Maybe you will like it better than I did. I tend to enjoy more adult themes, murkier situations.
I'm not sure that this wouldn't be more properly classified as Young Adult Literature. Certainly, younger readers might be entertained by what I found to be cliches.
After all, cliches are harder to spot when they're new to you.
Sadly, I have read them before, even in much the same order.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not, for the life of me, get into this book.

I found the writing unclear and confusing. While things did get clearer as the story progressed, I found the author writing hard to keep up with. There were many times throughout the story that I found myself trying to remember who a character was or what was going on.

While I’m hopeful that the characters got better, I couldn’t bring myself to really like any of them. The only character I found myself truly enjoying was the dog. All the other characters just fell a little short on personality and realism.

Bottom Line: I would give this book 4/10 stars. I couldn’t bring myself to get into it because I found the writing so unclear and confusing.

I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.

[Terry Gibson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to get this book, after reading about it, but was disappointed.. A potentially good story about a dysfunctional family finding itself. I was hoping that it would be a good book for our school library, but the bad language was too much. As a retired police officer I know all about bad language, but the use of it here was excessive and unnecessary. I obviously made a mistake in thinking it was suitable for young people. Sorry, but I give it one star.

[Janeandjerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the book chosen for the psychological thriller group and I enjoyed reading it

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good Boy, Theresa Schewgel's fifth novel, is part crime thriller, part family drama unfolding through the perspectives of Detective Peter Murphy and his son, Joel.

After a manufactured scandal nearly ruined his career, Pete was demoted to the K9 unit and forced to relocate his family after sacrificing their home to pay legal bills. Drowning in self pity, anger and guilt, he doesn't have the energy to confront his wife about her excessive drinking, his teenage daughter about her rebellious attitude, or his son's odd behaviour. It is all Pete can do to get through each day, his only comfort his belief that things couldn't get much worse, until they do.
Eleven year old Joel doesn't really understand what is going on with his parents, but he knows his sister is in trouble and he desperately wants to help. Trailing McKenna to a party with his dad's canine partner, Butch, at his side, Joel is horrified when everything goes wrong and the only thing he can think to do is run.

The Good Boy is a gritty, character driven novel. The loss of innocence is a major theme of the story played out in the lives of the characters, highlighted by Pete's disillusionment with the justice system and contrasted by Joel's simple faith in his ability to save his family.

Though I thought the pace overall was a little slow and the tension uneven, I was drawn in by the interesting characters and the desire to learn their fate.

Joel is an immediately appealing character, bright, loyal and resourceful but, ignored by his parents who are too caught up in their own issues to pay much attention to their children, he is also lonely and misguided. Joel's effort to traverse Chicago to save Butchie, and his family, is a tense adventure as he tries to avoid being caught before he can reach the one person he thinks can save them.

Mystery shrouds the facts of Pete's transgressions, though it is obvious he, or at least was, is a cop who believes in the truth and privilege of his duty. However, already overwhelmed and disillusioned his son's disappearance pushes him over the edge and suspecting a street gang after revenge is to blame, goes after those he thinks are responsible. Pete is a decent man buckling under the strain of circumstance, despite the mistakes he makes I found him a character deserving compassion and felt that Schwegal portrayed his sadness, frustration and anger in a realistic manner.

Though I was expecting something more plot driven from novel, I did enjoy the strong characterisation and I'm interested in reading more from Theresa Schwegal. Overall, I found The Good Boy to be a good book.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recieved a free copy of The Good Boy via the GoodReads First Reads program.

The Good Boy tells the story of K9 police officer Pete Murphy, his family, and his K9 dog. When the story starts, Pete and his family have moved to a new house to escape a scandal that involved a judge and the trial of a gang member. Unfortunately, Pete finds himself involved in a second scandal when he mistakingly pulls over a minivan, and his dog, Butchie, bites the brother of the gang member from the previous trial.

Soon thereafter, Pete's son, Joel, takes Butchie and follows his older sister to a party where there are drugs and gang members. Butchie attacks and bites one of the gang members, who then shoots at both the dog and Joel, accidentally hitting and wounding another party goer. Joel takes Butchie and runs. He's afraid of what will happen to Butchie, so he decides to take Butchie across town to a Judge that had previously promised a fair trial if he ever needed it.

The Good Boy, then, is the story of Joel and Butchie's journey across Chicago intertwined with Pete's search for his missing son. The narrative bounces back and forth between those two points of view as the story unfolds. While Pete's story had some tension to it, Joel's journey did not. Joel's weak narrative and the uninspired plot made for a frustrating read that left me unsatisfied. There was little in the way of thrills or mystery.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ARC through the Librarything website.
I liked this book but with reservations; it was my first time reading this author (who won the Edgar Award for her first book, the reason why I chose this one), and because I had just finished the outstanding "The Kite Runner", (please read my review) which is from a different genre, I had some difficulty at first getting used to the different writing style of "The Good Boy". It didn't grab me until 100 pages or so, but then I couldn't put it down.
I took a lot away from reading this book. The author captured life in a dysfunctional family for one, for another, the street gang lingo from the worst side of Chicago, plus the psychological side of the way today's world works. I think from this aspect, many people would agree. 3 stars (meaning I liked it)

[Dan Radovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schwegel mixes family turmoil into this police thriller, almost making it less thriller and more drama; but it works. If you know the Chicago area, you will see where much of the action takes place as she describes neighborhoods in detail. Pete is a cop with a past that comes back to bite him. His young son Joel is the overlooked child of the family, and one night he takes Butch, Pete's K9 partner, along with him to a party his sister goes to. Joel witnesses things he should not see and soon he is hiding out on the streets of Chicago with Butch. Schwegel writes a good story, and what I enjoyed was the fact that I didn't like some of her main characters (the daughter McKenna just was the perfect annoying teenage girl). You learn all about Pete's past, which should make it easier to understand his actions toward finding his missing son. All in all, a very entertaining read.

[Craig Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been awhile since Theresa Schwegel published a book, and this one is well worth the wait. The POV rotates between a K-9 cop and his 14-year-old boy who has taken his father's police dog and gotten in trouble. The family dynamics between this father and son (and dog) and the two women of the family (the boy's mother and older sister) are rich and deep. The story is tense, involving and satisfying. And of course there is Theresa Schewegel vibrant, inimitable style. If you like a hard-boiled, character-driven suspense story (almost a noir family drama), you'll love The Good Boy. A riveting read from beginning to end.

[Carol Vincenty · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book. I am an animal lover & I did not to expect to read about the torture of a cat and further cruelty to dogs ( a dog fighting ring), also cruelty to children (first chapter). The only thing worth reading was the relationship between Joel & Butchie. I have read Teresa's other books & liked them, but I am sorry that I read this book.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

I chose this book mainly for the narrator. However, I couldn't get through the scene with the cat in Chapter 2 and had to turn it off.

[Jon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hated it. Despite good reviews, it was boring, painfully obvious, full of cliched characters and poorly written.

[Nicole Nault Belanger · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok, I have never read anything by Theresa Schwegel I wasn't sure the book had ended or if there is a second book.

[Jimmie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read The Good Boy for a Goodreads Psychology group book of the month club selection. I chose to listen to the audio version of this book. I like how the author incorporated a dog and an adventurous boy as the main characters of this book. I felt I was along for the ride with these to as they transverse the byways of Chicago. I have a place in my heart for detective stories and The Good Boy delivered in this area.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+ to 4-. Based in Chicago,this is a family drama as well as a police mystery. A cop's family is falling apart and his 11 year old son sees things he shouldn't when he spies on his sister at a party. His dad's canine partner is with him and the two make the book for me!.Fun tracking the boy as he goes on the lam in the city..lots of familiar street names.

[AJourneyWithoutMap · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Good Boy by Theresa Schwegel is a compelling and painful story of a dysfunctional family. Pete Murphy is a police officer who has made mistakes in the past. His wife Sarah has turned to alcohol in frustration. Their teenage daughter McKenna has turned rebellious and moves around with the wrong crowd. Their 11-year-old Joel Murphy turns to his father's furry “partner” Butchie for company. It is a sad state of affairs in the family. Together but disjointed, it is a family in a mess.

When Mc Kenna goes to a neighborhood bully’s party, Joel and Butchie follow her. Trained to detect drugs and offenders as an officer with Chicago Police Department's K-9 Unit, Butchie bites a man with drugs, who then shoots at both the dog and Joel, accidentally hitting and wounding another party goer. Joel takes Butchie and runs.

Back home, his parents Pete Murphy and Sarah are desperate. They are barely speaking to each other as their marriage has been on the rocks. The pain and tension is palpable. Joel’s rebellious teenage sister, McKenna, is filled with guilt as she blames herself for what happened. Pete is also slapped a lawsuit by the gang member who was bitten by Butchie.

Pete sets out to find Joel and Butchie. But the task is easier said than done. Searching for Joel and Butchie in the mean streets of Chicago is like searching for a needle in a haystack. How will Joel and Butchie survive with just $2 before they find help? Will Pete find them before they encounter more dangers? Will Pete and Sarah survive the ordeal as husband-wife or will their shaky marriage crumble under the weight of anxiety?

The Good Boy by Theresa Schwegel is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that explores essential issues of life like mistakes, love, relationship and family. Theresa also movingly portrayed the relationship between Joel and Butchie which is a plus for the book. The characters are simply amazing. Love him or hate him, Pete’s there for his family. You can only feel sympathy for Sarah and McKenna. As for Joel, he is mature beyond his age. I think the characters are really well conceived, and believable. Many families may be able to relate with the Murphys.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This newest novel from Theresa Schewegel is at its heart a tale about a boy and his dog, either (or both) of which could be the eponymous Good Boy. The boy is 11-year-old Joel Murphy; the dog is his father Pete’s K-9 partner, Butchie (more formally Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry Butch O’Hare, and from time to time variations of any part of that “full title”), a hundred-pound shepherd mix. I opened this book expecting something along the lines of the author’s earlier books, specifically a crime thriller/police procedural, and must admit that at first I was disappointed to find that this book is not that at all (although Joel’s father is a cop, and there is no shortage of suspense to be found here). And the early portions of the book, told from Joel’s p.o.v., were a bit difficult to follow and somewhat off-putting. I hasten to add at this point that in the end, the novel is thoroughly satisfying.

Joel is a very bright young boy with an incredible memory, also a boy who “sees things differently - - a high-spirited version of the overlooked and ordinary.” One night he takes it upon himself to protect his teenage sister, McKenna (“Mike”), as she heads out for a party in a dangerous part of town, at the home of someone equally dangerous, where known gang-bangers and criminals are likely to be present. And that is exactly what transpires; a gun is discharged and someone is shot soon after he shows up, with Butchie, his best friend in the world, at his side. It’s a toss-up as to who is protecting whom. The remainder of the book follows the path each member of the Murphy family takes in the aftermath of this event, the all-important message being that “home is being together, no matter where they are,” and whatever it takes to accomplish that. Initial reservations aside, the novel is very enjoyable, and recommended.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an ARC from the publisher - Minotaur Books.
Chicago Police Officer Pete Murphy has been assigned to K9 duty, rather than given the promotion he qualified for, as a result of a baseless scandal from a previous assignment. Pete is one of the good guys, who believes in police work rather than merely policing, but finds his life spiraling downward as the family loses their home and are forced to move to a rental house in a different neighborhood. Pete's wife, Sarah, has problems of her own and wants to blame Pete for everything. Daughter McKenna has become a typical moody, secretive teenager, and eleven year old Joel is at loose ends with his parents fighting, and his sister no longer the friend she once was, his only friend now is his father's police dog, Butchie. While Pete becomes involved in another police problem and Sarah oblivious to life around here, Joel tries to save McKenna from herself and bad friends by following her to a party. There, Joel witnesses a shooting after Butchie bites a gang member, and the boy and dog go on the run from the bad guys who are out to get him and Butchie both, wanting to find the friendly judge who Joel believes can save them both.
This was an exciting and enjoyable book, that kept me reading to find out what happens to Joel and the dog as well as the rest of the family. At first, I felt that the sections describing Sarah and her issues were a little boring and slow moving, but soon understood that it was all necessary to set up the circumstances that allowed McKenna to flit out to a party that Sarah knew nothing about, and that allowed Joel to sneak out to follow McKenna. I .also enjoyed the descriptions of Joel's flight from the gang across the city of Chicago and into several of the city's diverse neighborhoods.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

The Good Boy is such a great read! All Joel wants to do is protect his older sister and his best friend Butchie (his Dad's K-9 partner) and despite his best efforts everything seems to go horribly wrong. The journey that eleven year old Joel goes on, alone in Chicago, with Butch is crazy! But the journey that the father goes on trying to find his son and dog is just as crazy! I was hooked from the beginning. Was Joel and Butch going to make it to their final destination? Were they going to run into trouble and get caught by the "wrong" people? Would Pete find them? Not to mention all the pre-existing family issues the Murphy family had going on before all of this happened! Would the Murphy's make it through this? I couldn't put The Good Boy down! I wanted to so many times to just reach through the book and hug Joel and Butch, and shake some sense into the rest of their family! This really does show the lengths that some people will go to in order to save and protect those they love, both four-legged and two-legged. I am giving this page turner 4.5 stars, and since I always round up...5 stars it is!!!

[wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good Boy is a story about a officer with a police dog who sniffs out drugs at a party where his daughter is attending. His eleven year old son has followed her to the party and the dog Butchie has gotten out of his control to do this. Fearing that something will happen to his beloved dog, the young boy takes off with the dog fearing that something bad will happen if he and his dog are captured. During the confusion of the dog biting incident a gun was brought out and an innocent boy was shot. The story revolves around the policeman's twofold goals of finding his missing son and figuring out the story of what really happened at the party. Overall, the book is quite good but I did think that the sections regarding the young son on the run dragged on a bit too long.

[Barb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this book. The cat torture gave me nightmares, and since i read before i sleep I could not finish this book. It just didn't grab my attention enough to want to read past this

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, but I wasn’t entranced. I think I’m giving up on this author.

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best read all summer!!!!!

[Karie]

I tried. I REALLY tried to get through this book. Finally – at page 230 and after 2 weeks – I gave up. I just was not into the story, all of the characters were depressing and not all that interesting and I just started to dread picking the book up.

The events move at SUCH a slow pace – what dramatic tension there is just lags so often.
There was one quote I liked. Joel, a young boy who was the main character of the book, is listening to his friend Molly. “Molly raises her hands, shows him ten red tips. “Nails are wet. Just, like, tell me.” Ever since school started, like has tripped up her talk, a girl-comma – another thing that makes him wonder how much longer she’ll be his friend.”

This book had a recommendation from Gillian Flynn, which is why I looked forward to reading it, but she must have seen something in it that I did not.

[Megan Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a pretty good book. I love the relationship between Joel and Butch - I thought the police/crime/gang side was accurate. Because of this, there is quite a bit of profanity. Nothing intolerable, just thought it should be noted. At times this was very suspenseful and got my heart going. Others it drug out a little bit with no real movement towards the plot. There are several other storylines, some that are not resolved. Perhaps a sequel or a continuation?