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Kansas City Blues #1
Forgiving Solomon Long
Visit Kansas City—home of the Star, the Chiefs, and the blues. Have the time of your life. Just don’t lose it if you meet one of these players at the end of his piece…
Crime boss Frank “Fat Cat” Catalano—a man with a vision. With dreams of building a legacy, Fat Cat has his fingers in nearly every business sector, legal or otherwise. But a coalition of local store owners and clergy has gotten it into their heads to band together and try to break Catalano’s stranglehold.
Detective Tom Griggs—a man with a mission. He and his small task force have been shadowing Fat Cat’s operations, looking for cracks in the wall. Griggs will give it all he has until the whole house comes down. No matter the cost. Even if that cost is neglecting—and losing—his own wife.
Hit man Solomon “Solo” Long—a man with a job. Fat Cat’s about to make important changes in the family business…and doesn’t need troublemakers rocking the boat. Solo is a “cleaner” flown in from the coast to make sure the locals get the message.
It all adds up to a thriller that crackles with wit and unexpected heart—that smokes you with machine-gun action and hits you in the gut with a powerful message of forgiveness.
Crime boss Frank “Fat Cat” Catalano—a man with a vision. With dreams of building a legacy, Fat Cat has his fingers in nearly every business sector, legal or otherwise. But a coalition of local store owners and clergy has gotten it into their heads to band together and try to break Catalano’s stranglehold.
Detective Tom Griggs—a man with a mission. He and his small task force have been shadowing Fat Cat’s operations, looking for cracks in the wall. Griggs will give it all he has until the whole house comes down. No matter the cost. Even if that cost is neglecting—and losing—his own wife.
Hit man Solomon “Solo” Long—a man with a job. Fat Cat’s about to make important changes in the family business…and doesn’t need troublemakers rocking the boat. Solo is a “cleaner” flown in from the coast to make sure the locals get the message.
It all adds up to a thriller that crackles with wit and unexpected heart—that smokes you with machine-gun action and hits you in the gut with a powerful message of forgiveness.
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
3 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Chris Well
22 books22 followersHere's the deal: When I was in the first grade, my life goal was that I would grow up to be Batman. Because I thought it was a vocation—you know, policeman, fireman, Batman. Once my first grade teacher crushed the dreams of that little boy, I guess I decided I would do the next best thing and make up stories about Batman. And then somewhere after that I learned about things like "intellectual property" and "copyright law" and "cease and desist" and decided I would have to make up stories about my own characters.
So today, I do just that: Write stories about my own characters— whether it's a doomed hitman named Solomon Long or a grumpy old amateur sleuth named Earl Walker or an out-of-work smart alec crime reporter named Truman.
So today, I do just that: Write stories about my own characters— whether it's a doomed hitman named Solomon Long or a grumpy old amateur sleuth named Earl Walker or an out-of-work smart alec crime reporter named Truman.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 19, 2017
I dislike stories about the Mob, but this one had an interesting twist....more than one kind of conviction
January 4, 2009
I feel for an author who is presenting gritty characters and hard living to a Christian audience....this book had possibility for sure, but was too restrained, too unrealistic...in short, too nice. Even the mafia don't use curse words in this book. The mafia, for Chrissakes!
I kept waiting for the book to roughen up around the edges...I think the author could have pulled it off had the CBA muzzle been off. There of course will be readers (who normally read only "christian books" and not "secular" ones) who find this book too offensive, violent, and worldly. This book is great for them, a chance to stretch out literarily and see things outside Pleasantville, although they probably won't like what they see or read.
More mainstream Christian readers (those who normally read mostly CBA books, but aren't exclusive in their reading habits) will most likely rave over this book. It is indeed better than most CBA fiction I have read. It has good plotting, fairly interesting characters, and is largely well-written. The book's redemptive aspect is well done and simple without too much froufrou.
As a more misfit CBA reader, (one who occassionally puts down other books to check out what the CBA is putting out) I was strangely heartened to see that this book had made it through to publication and also disappointed that the read didn't make it all the way to memorable, or at least to the level I am used to reading. For me, good reading is good reading and no other labels or restrictions are really required.
I kept waiting for the book to roughen up around the edges...I think the author could have pulled it off had the CBA muzzle been off. There of course will be readers (who normally read only "christian books" and not "secular" ones) who find this book too offensive, violent, and worldly. This book is great for them, a chance to stretch out literarily and see things outside Pleasantville, although they probably won't like what they see or read.
More mainstream Christian readers (those who normally read mostly CBA books, but aren't exclusive in their reading habits) will most likely rave over this book. It is indeed better than most CBA fiction I have read. It has good plotting, fairly interesting characters, and is largely well-written. The book's redemptive aspect is well done and simple without too much froufrou.
As a more misfit CBA reader, (one who occassionally puts down other books to check out what the CBA is putting out) I was strangely heartened to see that this book had made it through to publication and also disappointed that the read didn't make it all the way to memorable, or at least to the level I am used to reading. For me, good reading is good reading and no other labels or restrictions are really required.
January 12, 2011
A Fresh and Entertaining Read.
In this debut novel from Mr. Well I found it to be fresh and a very entertaining read. I thought the story moved along at the right pace and there was just enough action to make be turn page after page, but not too much that the action scenes were down right boring. The character were believable, which I always enjoy. Recommend.
In this debut novel from Mr. Well I found it to be fresh and a very entertaining read. I thought the story moved along at the right pace and there was just enough action to make be turn page after page, but not too much that the action scenes were down right boring. The character were believable, which I always enjoy. Recommend.
March 2, 2015
Written in a page-turner style, this book had a good story and made you feel for the main character. Some may quibble with the unrealistic dialogue, but, if you let that go, you'll find an enjoyable novel.
December 31, 2007
The power of forgiveness and how it can transform someone.
Read
September 1, 2013Excellent crime mystery with wise-cracking mobsters, movie trivia loving cops, and twists around every turn!
July 4, 2014
mediocre
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews