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Bully
When the murder investigation of eleven-year old Raul Valesquez is re-opened after the conviction of his alleged killer is overturned, Danny Hernandez contacts a long-lost neighborhood friend. Twenty-eight years ago, Danny and Jerry Valdez were teenagers when Raul Valesquez was killed. Raul was once the neighborhood bully. Danny is afraid of what the police might find in this new investigation. When one of the detectives on the case turns out to be an old high school friend of Danny's, the case takes an unexpected twist into police and government corruption. A coming-of-age thriller, Bully touches on the themes of friendship, loyalty, and revenge. Midnight Library is proud to present the Author's Preferred and Corrected edition of what many readers have long thought to be one of J. F. Gonzalez's strongest novels.
324 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
6 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
J.F. Gonzalez
80 books367 followersJesus F. Gonzalez was an American author, primarily of horror fiction (writing under the pseudonym J. F. Gonzalez). He has written many notable novels and has done collaborations with Bram Stoker Award winners Mike Oliveri and Brian Keene. His novel Survivor has been optioned for film.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 19, 2025
BULLY 2006 By J.F. Gonzalez [Midnight Library February 5, 20013]
My Review 4.0 Stars
This novel was a “Buddy Read” which was hosted by the HGW horror book club. It was readily accepted by members who had been privileged to read “Fetish” [2005] last month. The author [Gonzalez] had been generously informative about his works in the “Afterword” and acknowledged that it [“Fetish”] was a “radical departure from (his) previously published novels…” Publishers at the time (a quarter of a century ago, actually) were loath to publish it because “it straddles too many genres”. More pertinent to the book “Bully” [2006], Gonzalez explained in the aforementioned “Afterword” that around 2009 he had come to see “Fetish” as the first in a triptych of novels (the others being his seminal work “Survivor” and “Bully”). You will note that the novels are not listed in the order of publication, but this is simply due to the fact that “Fetish” was not published prior to “Survivor” as he had intended.
So now we come to the intended third novel in the author’s conceptualized “triptych”, originally published in February of 2006 with the Midnight Library eBook Edition first available in 2012. This reprint edition on February 5, 2013, features the striking Cover Art by Kealan Patrick Burke but otherwise I understand it to be the Author’s Preferred and Corrected edition. I have gleaned from multiple sources that “Bully” was viewed by many readers as one of the strongest novels written by Gonzalez. However, I suspect that there may be a caveat to that assessment. My opinion is my own, but I would posit that “Bully” is another “radical departure” from the prior works of Gonzalez. It was my gut feeling after reading “Bully” that it was within the scope of mainstream mystery thrillers, crime thriller/police procedurals, and serial killer thrillers as well. The most striking and stellar element of “Bully” is its exceptionally well-developed characters. It is at its heart a “cold case” and speaking for myself alone, I felt the book was a “slow burn”. In the long haul, Gonzalez’s rich characterization, his master storytelling ability, and innate capacity to make me feel the atmospheric magic and underlying darkness of the streets in the ‘70s kept me enthralled. The way the gradually unfolding storyline and his deft unobtrusive “flashbacks” kept me turning pages was the reason I felt that this particular novel of his went beyond readers of the horror genre, especially the extreme horror sub-genre. That is intended as a huge compliment to the writing skill and excellence of the great Gonzalez.
The flip side of the coin is that readers of “Fetish” last month (me included) may have felt that “Bully” was not what they expected after sitting down to read. “Bully” is decidedly not a horror novel, and I would be hard-pressed to name “horror elements” in its most severe definition. It strictly depends upon one’s definition of “horror”. In “Bully” we are exposed to the insidious ink black horrors that humans perpetrate against the innocent victims in our society. The “horrors” in this instance vary but do not result in fatalities in the short term.
The time period of our story is the early 2000’s, likely close to 2003. A justice advocate group had reviewed the cases of several convicted killers in Chino Prison, and for the purpose of this well-plotted mystery thriller we are concerned with one innocent man who had been wasting away on Death Row for the preceding 26 years. Doug Archer’s conviction was overturned, and he was released from custody. The police force in Gardena, California immediately acted to form a veritable task force to prepare a case for retrial. The man they had tried and convicted in the late ‘70s to die for the abduction, rape, and murder of an 11-year-old boy was free. This time at his side stood Archer’s younger sister Jessie, one of the highest paid CEOs in the country. She immediately retained a well-known Defense Attorney (William Greco) to clear her brother Doug’s name once and for all. Conversely, the DA was starting from scratch to prepare a new case for the prosecution.
The three central characters in the novel are Detective Tom Jenson, Gardena PD Homicide, Danny Hernandez, and Jerry Valdez. Detective Jenson has been assigned to conduct research on the background of the victim (Raul Valesquez). A separate team of detectives are assigned the task of talking with the witnesses and key players in the original police investigation. A third team was working with the living members of the Valesquez family, to include Doug, his older brother Robert and younger sister Jessie.
Detective Jensen began his assignment by plans to interview men who were just young boys 28 years ago. This included two kids at the time who knew the victim, Danny and Jerry. The two friends had been with the victim (Raul) on the unfortunate occasion of a fourth boy’s accidental death (Bobby, close buddy of Danny’s in particular but friendly with the somewhat older Jerry Valdez). The connection between them had been skateboarding. As a side note Gonzalez paints a stunning picture of the colorful culture of skateboarding that was high profile in the 1970s in California. Det. Jensen is chilled by the portrait of the 11-year-old victim in the case though Jensen was aware that the 11-year-old Raul had a police record longer than his arm. It would strike anyone as strange that Danny and Bobby would join their good friend Jerry Valdez to go to a special skateboarding location and invite or allow the feared company of the 11-year-old budding psychopath Raul.
The storyline throws some intrigue into the mix when Danny informs Det. Jensen he hasn’t been in contact with Jerry Valdez for over twenty years. Jensen still has Jerry on the list to be interviewed which triggers a knee-jerk reaction from Danny to find Jerry as soon as possible so they can talk. That thread really piques the reader’s interest and creates some suspense about their actions involving Raol.
This is only the beginning of the complex and sinister truth that has eluded John Q. Public, honest cops and officials, and conversely effectively silenced anyone who did know the secrets surrounding the murder victim, his family, and particularly his mother’s proclivities for alcohol and drugs to the extent of chemically induced obliviousness. Interviews of frequent visitors to the Valesquez house and others who were cooperative with Det. Jensen’s interviews gradually filled in a picture of pure decadence, the house a veritable “den of Iniquity”. There was an assembly line of men going through the house at all hours, the mother running her prostitution gig inside the house when her kids were present, drugs flowing freely includes sales.
Conspiracy on at least some level was suggested by local police officers being among her clients or a part of the drug abusers or suppliers in the house. It was fairly early on that investigating officers determined that social service attempts to remove the children from that horrible and harmful influence in the house and to provide a safe and supportive environment were blocked by an unknown powerful influence.
Gonzalez writes this story of widespread corruption, abuse, and greed with such gritty realism that I felt like it must be based upon a true crime story. It is not my opinion that additional sketching out some of the twists and turns of this incredibly riveting drama of a ring of corruption and aberrant behavior is necessary. The reader will be surprised when they actually underestimate the depravity and the scope of corruption that lies at the heart of this house of evil. The power base of this sociopathic spate of greedy men in power prove to be practically unstoppable and good men fall as evil takes the reins.
Abuse of power is nothing new. I particularly liked a quote by Garrett Peck (Cemetery Dance): “It has been said that all evil needs to flourish is for good men to remain silent.”
I totally agree with the statement that “Gonzalez shows us that silence may be a survival instinct, and how horrible secrets inevitably beget more horrors…and more secrets”.
A final note, this novel has a wicked plot twist at the very end, the “Epilogue” to be specific. You read the Ending, and I am reasonably sure most readers would feel a sense of closure. Then along comes the Epilogue. WT…Flock? I have read it three times, and I am not sure I grasped it correctly. I “think” I got it, but I am not certain. Like “Fetish” I can hardly wait to consult my fellow readers.
THIRD PART OF THE TRYPTIC BY GONZALEZ [FETISH-SURVIVOR-] AND NOW “BULLY
My Review 4.0 Stars
This novel was a “Buddy Read” which was hosted by the HGW horror book club. It was readily accepted by members who had been privileged to read “Fetish” [2005] last month. The author [Gonzalez] had been generously informative about his works in the “Afterword” and acknowledged that it [“Fetish”] was a “radical departure from (his) previously published novels…” Publishers at the time (a quarter of a century ago, actually) were loath to publish it because “it straddles too many genres”. More pertinent to the book “Bully” [2006], Gonzalez explained in the aforementioned “Afterword” that around 2009 he had come to see “Fetish” as the first in a triptych of novels (the others being his seminal work “Survivor” and “Bully”). You will note that the novels are not listed in the order of publication, but this is simply due to the fact that “Fetish” was not published prior to “Survivor” as he had intended.
So now we come to the intended third novel in the author’s conceptualized “triptych”, originally published in February of 2006 with the Midnight Library eBook Edition first available in 2012. This reprint edition on February 5, 2013, features the striking Cover Art by Kealan Patrick Burke but otherwise I understand it to be the Author’s Preferred and Corrected edition. I have gleaned from multiple sources that “Bully” was viewed by many readers as one of the strongest novels written by Gonzalez. However, I suspect that there may be a caveat to that assessment. My opinion is my own, but I would posit that “Bully” is another “radical departure” from the prior works of Gonzalez. It was my gut feeling after reading “Bully” that it was within the scope of mainstream mystery thrillers, crime thriller/police procedurals, and serial killer thrillers as well. The most striking and stellar element of “Bully” is its exceptionally well-developed characters. It is at its heart a “cold case” and speaking for myself alone, I felt the book was a “slow burn”. In the long haul, Gonzalez’s rich characterization, his master storytelling ability, and innate capacity to make me feel the atmospheric magic and underlying darkness of the streets in the ‘70s kept me enthralled. The way the gradually unfolding storyline and his deft unobtrusive “flashbacks” kept me turning pages was the reason I felt that this particular novel of his went beyond readers of the horror genre, especially the extreme horror sub-genre. That is intended as a huge compliment to the writing skill and excellence of the great Gonzalez.
The flip side of the coin is that readers of “Fetish” last month (me included) may have felt that “Bully” was not what they expected after sitting down to read. “Bully” is decidedly not a horror novel, and I would be hard-pressed to name “horror elements” in its most severe definition. It strictly depends upon one’s definition of “horror”. In “Bully” we are exposed to the insidious ink black horrors that humans perpetrate against the innocent victims in our society. The “horrors” in this instance vary but do not result in fatalities in the short term.
The time period of our story is the early 2000’s, likely close to 2003. A justice advocate group had reviewed the cases of several convicted killers in Chino Prison, and for the purpose of this well-plotted mystery thriller we are concerned with one innocent man who had been wasting away on Death Row for the preceding 26 years. Doug Archer’s conviction was overturned, and he was released from custody. The police force in Gardena, California immediately acted to form a veritable task force to prepare a case for retrial. The man they had tried and convicted in the late ‘70s to die for the abduction, rape, and murder of an 11-year-old boy was free. This time at his side stood Archer’s younger sister Jessie, one of the highest paid CEOs in the country. She immediately retained a well-known Defense Attorney (William Greco) to clear her brother Doug’s name once and for all. Conversely, the DA was starting from scratch to prepare a new case for the prosecution.
The three central characters in the novel are Detective Tom Jenson, Gardena PD Homicide, Danny Hernandez, and Jerry Valdez. Detective Jenson has been assigned to conduct research on the background of the victim (Raul Valesquez). A separate team of detectives are assigned the task of talking with the witnesses and key players in the original police investigation. A third team was working with the living members of the Valesquez family, to include Doug, his older brother Robert and younger sister Jessie.
Detective Jensen began his assignment by plans to interview men who were just young boys 28 years ago. This included two kids at the time who knew the victim, Danny and Jerry. The two friends had been with the victim (Raul) on the unfortunate occasion of a fourth boy’s accidental death (Bobby, close buddy of Danny’s in particular but friendly with the somewhat older Jerry Valdez). The connection between them had been skateboarding. As a side note Gonzalez paints a stunning picture of the colorful culture of skateboarding that was high profile in the 1970s in California. Det. Jensen is chilled by the portrait of the 11-year-old victim in the case though Jensen was aware that the 11-year-old Raul had a police record longer than his arm. It would strike anyone as strange that Danny and Bobby would join their good friend Jerry Valdez to go to a special skateboarding location and invite or allow the feared company of the 11-year-old budding psychopath Raul.
The storyline throws some intrigue into the mix when Danny informs Det. Jensen he hasn’t been in contact with Jerry Valdez for over twenty years. Jensen still has Jerry on the list to be interviewed which triggers a knee-jerk reaction from Danny to find Jerry as soon as possible so they can talk. That thread really piques the reader’s interest and creates some suspense about their actions involving Raol.
This is only the beginning of the complex and sinister truth that has eluded John Q. Public, honest cops and officials, and conversely effectively silenced anyone who did know the secrets surrounding the murder victim, his family, and particularly his mother’s proclivities for alcohol and drugs to the extent of chemically induced obliviousness. Interviews of frequent visitors to the Valesquez house and others who were cooperative with Det. Jensen’s interviews gradually filled in a picture of pure decadence, the house a veritable “den of Iniquity”. There was an assembly line of men going through the house at all hours, the mother running her prostitution gig inside the house when her kids were present, drugs flowing freely includes sales.
Conspiracy on at least some level was suggested by local police officers being among her clients or a part of the drug abusers or suppliers in the house. It was fairly early on that investigating officers determined that social service attempts to remove the children from that horrible and harmful influence in the house and to provide a safe and supportive environment were blocked by an unknown powerful influence.
Gonzalez writes this story of widespread corruption, abuse, and greed with such gritty realism that I felt like it must be based upon a true crime story. It is not my opinion that additional sketching out some of the twists and turns of this incredibly riveting drama of a ring of corruption and aberrant behavior is necessary. The reader will be surprised when they actually underestimate the depravity and the scope of corruption that lies at the heart of this house of evil. The power base of this sociopathic spate of greedy men in power prove to be practically unstoppable and good men fall as evil takes the reins.
Abuse of power is nothing new. I particularly liked a quote by Garrett Peck (Cemetery Dance): “It has been said that all evil needs to flourish is for good men to remain silent.”
I totally agree with the statement that “Gonzalez shows us that silence may be a survival instinct, and how horrible secrets inevitably beget more horrors…and more secrets”.
A final note, this novel has a wicked plot twist at the very end, the “Epilogue” to be specific. You read the Ending, and I am reasonably sure most readers would feel a sense of closure. Then along comes the Epilogue. WT…Flock? I have read it three times, and I am not sure I grasped it correctly. I “think” I got it, but I am not certain. Like “Fetish” I can hardly wait to consult my fellow readers.
THIRD PART OF THE TRYPTIC BY GONZALEZ [FETISH-SURVIVOR-] AND NOW “BULLY
Want to read
June 23, 2016This is copy L of 22 Lettered copies
April 20, 2025
Read with the HGW Goodreads group as a Buddy Read for April 2025.
I was expected "Bully" to be on a similar vein to "Fetish" by the same author. But it turned out to be one hell of a book dealing with murder and coverups. A great cast of characters in this one too. I really enjoyed the parts of the novel dealing with their younger years as was into skateboarding myself as a youngster and we would always be hunting out new areas. The titular "Bully" was Raul Vasquez, a nasty piece of work who terrified the other kids in the area and beat people half to death, rumoured to have murdered people etc. Raul is murdered and another local guy is arrested for his murder and forced into confessing the crime to hide a multitude of sins. The only thing that let it down slightly was the Epilogue which for me fell a bit flat.
I was expected "Bully" to be on a similar vein to "Fetish" by the same author. But it turned out to be one hell of a book dealing with murder and coverups. A great cast of characters in this one too. I really enjoyed the parts of the novel dealing with their younger years as was into skateboarding myself as a youngster and we would always be hunting out new areas. The titular "Bully" was Raul Vasquez, a nasty piece of work who terrified the other kids in the area and beat people half to death, rumoured to have murdered people etc. Raul is murdered and another local guy is arrested for his murder and forced into confessing the crime to hide a multitude of sins. The only thing that let it down slightly was the Epilogue which for me fell a bit flat.
April 10, 2025
Still not sad he died. He was an evil shit. 🤷🏻♀️
August 6, 2018
Wow, another unbelievable one from JF Gonzalez! I thought
was brilliant, and it is. I didn't think he could top it, but this one ties it in terms of quality. Main difference is in the type of book. 'Survivor' was pretty sick in terms of blood and gore, this one is not. Sure, it's still sick and twisted, but not in the gory way. It's the characters and the things they do (drugs, child prostitution, murder of kids, etc.) that make this one rough. However, for most people, it is much more readable than a hardcore horror book. No details with the child rapes, thankfully, just knowing that it happened to the characters is enough.
RDCV of plot: back in the 1970s, there was a really psychotic 11 year old kid named Raul. He was the neighborhood bully, and he terrorized the local youth with beatings and such, and threatened to kill some of them. Problem is, every time he does something that should at least land him in juvie hall, he is just returned to his mom, a local whore. He is badly beaten, raped, murdered, and his body found in an empty swimming pool. Doug Archer, a local queer, is convicted of his murder. Case closed.
Fast forward 27 years: Archer is released, due to new forensic evidence. However, it doesn't end there, it's just beginning. The story focuses around two of the kids, Danny and Jerry, that Raul terrorized, and the cops start nosing around, thinking the kids never told all they knew. From there, you have a detective story, also a coming of age story of innocence lost, of a first-class magnitude. Suffice it to say, there was a LOT more to Raul's murder than came out in court. The rest of the story focuses on the detectives trying to uncover what really happened in 1977, and the problems Danny and Jerry face trying to tell, or hide, what they know from the police.
As always, I rarely give out five stars, but this earned it. The book keeps flipping back and forth between the present and 1977, slowly revealing Danny and Jerry's backstory through the '77 segments. Thankfully, unlike some authors, Gonzalez is smart enough to make each segment of time good and long, not just a couple of pages each. The time flips are minimal, I have seen too many authors make the mistake noted above. I also quite like this style of writing, instead of just having the characters talk about what happened to them, you actually get to live it with them.
Did I mention the characters? They are very well done. Danny was my favorite, a good, working class guy with his problems, and still haunted by what happened, as it causes him problems to the present day. Drawing a character well and making them seem real is a talent, some writers have it, and some don't. Gonzalez has it in spades. He is also a master of plot twists, this story, like 'Survivor,' will go places you won't expect. Just when you think you have it figured out, be prepared to get smacked upside the head with the story moving in another direction. The plot twist in the epilogue of the book is a whip-crack knockout, the problem is, it's a real cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more, a lot more! What a shame Gonzalez died, as it will probably be left forever unresolved. I can only hope Brian Keene (the author who is working on finishing up JF's future books, based on the notes he left) somehow finds a way to tie this one up. There's room for another whole book, just based off of the epilogue. If anyone can do it, Keene can, he's pretty damn good in his own right.
Suffice it to say, JF Gonzalez was one of the best at what he did. He didn't just write horror, he wrote outstanding stories, period. If you haven't read him, you are really missing out!
was brilliant, and it is. I didn't think he could top it, but this one ties it in terms of quality. Main difference is in the type of book. 'Survivor' was pretty sick in terms of blood and gore, this one is not. Sure, it's still sick and twisted, but not in the gory way. It's the characters and the things they do (drugs, child prostitution, murder of kids, etc.) that make this one rough. However, for most people, it is much more readable than a hardcore horror book. No details with the child rapes, thankfully, just knowing that it happened to the characters is enough.RDCV of plot: back in the 1970s, there was a really psychotic 11 year old kid named Raul. He was the neighborhood bully, and he terrorized the local youth with beatings and such, and threatened to kill some of them. Problem is, every time he does something that should at least land him in juvie hall, he is just returned to his mom, a local whore. He is badly beaten, raped, murdered, and his body found in an empty swimming pool. Doug Archer, a local queer, is convicted of his murder. Case closed.
Fast forward 27 years: Archer is released, due to new forensic evidence. However, it doesn't end there, it's just beginning. The story focuses around two of the kids, Danny and Jerry, that Raul terrorized, and the cops start nosing around, thinking the kids never told all they knew. From there, you have a detective story, also a coming of age story of innocence lost, of a first-class magnitude. Suffice it to say, there was a LOT more to Raul's murder than came out in court. The rest of the story focuses on the detectives trying to uncover what really happened in 1977, and the problems Danny and Jerry face trying to tell, or hide, what they know from the police.
As always, I rarely give out five stars, but this earned it. The book keeps flipping back and forth between the present and 1977, slowly revealing Danny and Jerry's backstory through the '77 segments. Thankfully, unlike some authors, Gonzalez is smart enough to make each segment of time good and long, not just a couple of pages each. The time flips are minimal, I have seen too many authors make the mistake noted above. I also quite like this style of writing, instead of just having the characters talk about what happened to them, you actually get to live it with them.
Did I mention the characters? They are very well done. Danny was my favorite, a good, working class guy with his problems, and still haunted by what happened, as it causes him problems to the present day. Drawing a character well and making them seem real is a talent, some writers have it, and some don't. Gonzalez has it in spades. He is also a master of plot twists, this story, like 'Survivor,' will go places you won't expect. Just when you think you have it figured out, be prepared to get smacked upside the head with the story moving in another direction. The plot twist in the epilogue of the book is a whip-crack knockout, the problem is, it's a real cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more, a lot more! What a shame Gonzalez died, as it will probably be left forever unresolved. I can only hope Brian Keene (the author who is working on finishing up JF's future books, based on the notes he left) somehow finds a way to tie this one up. There's room for another whole book, just based off of the epilogue. If anyone can do it, Keene can, he's pretty damn good in his own right.
Suffice it to say, JF Gonzalez was one of the best at what he did. He didn't just write horror, he wrote outstanding stories, period. If you haven't read him, you are really missing out!
June 24, 2020
Excellent
Great book. So many twist and turns, I was surprised throughout the book. Lots of sex and torture and corruption. If you enjoy dark novels read this!
Great book. So many twist and turns, I was surprised throughout the book. Lots of sex and torture and corruption. If you enjoy dark novels read this!
February 2, 2020
Really enjoyed this one from JF, one of my favourite writers of all time. Slipped under the radar. I won't give any spoilers away, but there's a nasty crime and some have to deal with the consequences... You root for Danny. Well written!
January 26, 2021
I enjoyed his other over-the-top B-rated work about monstrous crab-scorpion sea creatures feasting on anything on 2 or 4 legs. Such gory fun. Decided to give this a go, which is a crime/horror story I guess. My problems - slowwwwwwwwwww, no horror, too damn many characters to keep straight, and predictable. I'm going back to what he's good at - monsters ripping the heads and limbs off humans and feasting on juicy organs.
April 19, 2025
'Bully' is a really good, well written and masterly thought-out thriller based upon fear, manipulation, abuse, corruption and control from those with power and influential roles within society as well as others who are just downright angry with life in general.
Enjoyed the journey, despite the largely unfair and extremely sad state of affairs detailed within the narrative.
Definitely planning to read the third book in this excellent trilogy.
Recommended.
Rating: 4.2 stars.
Enjoyed the journey, despite the largely unfair and extremely sad state of affairs detailed within the narrative.
Definitely planning to read the third book in this excellent trilogy.
Recommended.
Rating: 4.2 stars.
April 26, 2021
The creepiest 11 year old villain ever
I liked how this was a bit more of a departure from the other books I've read by Gonzalez and this one is more a detective story. It may not be what you'd typically call horror but it certainly has plenty of horror elements. This is a fun read despite some of the dark and at times uncomfortable material.
I liked how this was a bit more of a departure from the other books I've read by Gonzalez and this one is more a detective story. It may not be what you'd typically call horror but it certainly has plenty of horror elements. This is a fun read despite some of the dark and at times uncomfortable material.
July 10, 2017
Review will be posted soon
April 6, 2014
There is quite a good story hidden away within the plot of this book. However, some of the execution could have been a little better.
The main issue is that the 'surprise' twist wasn't a surprise at all, as that was the only logical conclusion there could have been, which of course may have been the author's intention.
That said there is a good blend and tone throughout, and even the time shifting between modern times and the summer of 1977, isn't too disjointed, and tends to blend well together although the epilogue I found to be somewhat pointless as the plot had been pretty much all tied up by then.
Characters are good, and believable although, oddly enough the main victim could have been explored a little more, especially as the reasons for the way they were, became more apparent later on during the book.
All in all a good read.
The main issue is that the 'surprise' twist wasn't a surprise at all, as that was the only logical conclusion there could have been, which of course may have been the author's intention.
That said there is a good blend and tone throughout, and even the time shifting between modern times and the summer of 1977, isn't too disjointed, and tends to blend well together although the epilogue I found to be somewhat pointless as the plot had been pretty much all tied up by then.
Characters are good, and believable although, oddly enough the main victim could have been explored a little more, especially as the reasons for the way they were, became more apparent later on during the book.
All in all a good read.
August 27, 2015
Another dark tale by Gonzalez. I love the way the story unfolds. The reopened investigation of the murder of an 11 year old neighborhood bully 20 years later uncovers a crazy conspiracy of corruption. The story was managed to balance mystery and suspense very well. Slowly what happened in 1977, and the much bigger picture of what was going on are revealed. Once all the pieces were in place it left a sinking feeling in my gut. It was a very true to life horror and says a lot about how a terrible environment just breeds and creates a continuous cycle of filth.
July 29, 2013
This was an ok book. Just not my normal type. A little slow moving in parts. But not bad
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews