Skells

Midtown Blue #3

by F.P. Lione

The NYPD has a name for the perps who live on the streets. They are called skells, people who cause trouble for cops trying to keep the peace. Night after night of run-ins with the skells takes its toll on NYPD cop Tony Cavalucci, who's just trying to see them as people who need compassion. But with his co-workers mocking his newfound caring attitude, Tony is finding it hard to keep up with a job that too often drags him down. Meanwhile, Tony finds little solace from his family, which is at war with itself, creating wounds that will be hard to heal. Seeing the mess his family has become, Tony's determined not to make the same mistakes. But after he learns of events from his father's past, will Tony change his perspective? Book 3 in the Midtown Blue series, Skells combines grit with an unexpectedly engaging vulnerability to make this story of a rugged cop a captivating read.

Genres: Christian Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[C.J. Darlington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most NYPD cops think skells are the scum of the earth. They're the crackheads, homeless, prostitutes, and other lowlifes who can make an officer's job a nightmare. Eleven-year veteran Tony Cavalucci's midnight tour is full of skells. He used to consider them discarded trash worth no one's time. But lately the skells seem different to Tony--they look lost and wounded.

But the beat goes on. Trouble is always brewing in Midtown Manhattan, and Tony and his partner Joe Fiore confront it all. From the man who accidentally blows himself off the toilet (yes, you read that right), to the discovery of a loft packed with hundreds of marijuana plants, this ain't no nine-to-five desk job. Sure, there are days nothing happens. Those will be the days Tony's dysfunctional Italian family will provide enough drama to match what the streets throw his way. Has his family always been like this, or is he seeing them differently too? Tony's definitely changed in the last few months. He's stopped drinking, goes to church, and is engaged to a nice Christian girl.

There are some days Tony still longs to head on down to his old bar haunts and pound down a few cold ones. But he always stops short. What God thinks matters to him now. Yet whether on patrol or visiting his family, temptations abound. Is it really possible to be a good cop and a Christian?

Skells is not necessarily a plot-driven story. In many ways, reading it is more like reading the memoirs of a cop than reading a novel (think Blue Blood by Edward Conlon without all the family history). This speaks volumes for the realism Frank and Pam Lione (writing as F.P.) manage to convey through its pages. It's like you're tagging along in the backseat of Tony's cruiser. You can almost feel the dirt grinding under your shoes, the adrenaline pulsing through your veins. As Book #3 in the "Midtown Blue" series, Skells was preceded by The Deuce and The Crossroads. It isn't required to read them first, but they cover Tony's life consecutively and will bring a deeper understanding of the characters.

This isn't your grandma's Christian fiction (unless she happens to be an ex-cop). There's definitely some real-life grittiness here. People get drunk. People die. Tony and his partner stop a rape in progress. But through it all there's always hope. The Lione's don't drag you through the dirt of a cop's life without picking you up, dusting you off, and sharing the truth: Everyone needs God. The skells and the cops.

Fiction needs more of what F.P. Lione offers. Refreshingly honest, Skells is the raw portrayal of a NYPD cop's struggle to live out his faith through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Midtown Blue series by the writing team of Frank and Pam Lione. The Crossroads follows The Deuce which is focused on Tony and Joe, partners with the NYPD. The events pick up right after the first book where Tony Cavalucci finds the Lord and begins to grow in his faith. This book, Skells, picks up after Crossroads. Tony and Joe are still partners, covering the area of Midtown Manhattan. This is Tony's eleventh year as a New York City cop.

Because of the authors' experiences in New York City with the NYPD and downtown missions, this book is filled with meticulous detail on the daily life of the New York City cops. We get a good sense of what it takes to do this job from day to day. This book gets a little more involved in Tony's personal life as he is engaged to his fiance, Michele, and they are planning their wedding. Like the other books, Tony has difficulties with his dysfunctional family. But he and his intended are navigating the murky waters fairly well. They are learning to be a couple.

You also get to learn a little of the job of being a policeman through the relationships the men and women have on the "inside." Tony is no longer struggling with his alcoholism, so we can enjoy the day to day relationships and follow a few individuals in the force more closely. What I like best is that all this is portrayed realistically, no drama, just events. The individuals found on the streets are entertainment enough without made up drama to increase angst. Tony is developing a sense of mission that he never had before for the people he works. He even loses some of his callous feelings toward them and tries so see them from their perspective. It's a refreshing change from other books in this genre.

This book is not churchy or preachy. But we get the sense that Tony is finally coming into his own as a Christian. He no longer relies on his partner to reach out to people in need. He's no longer awkward in talking about the Lord when he senses they need a helping hand. He cares. That means a lot when reading this book. Tony is also becoming a family man. He loves Michele's son as if he were his own. The three of them are beginning to feel like a family, which fills the empty place he has had in his life for many years. While he has loved his grandmother, father, mother and sister, they don't experience the closeness of family he has always noticed in other peoples' lives.

I highly recommend this entire series. You don't have to love the genre to appreciate all the aspects of this kind of life. The relationships in this particular book are well woven, building up to satisfying friendships, and spiritual maturity. This is a series that I would read over and over.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from CKN Christian Publishing on behalf of the author. I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

[Debbie Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want more like this!!!!

The story interweaved in with learning how to weave Biblical sensibility into our lives so we can cope is wonderful.

I think we often feel so guilty because we aren’t perfectly on point in asking for His help makes this book very enduring.

Yes it’s fiction, but it still made me excited about my own ability to lean on Jesus

[Jesus · Rating 5 out of 5]

My type of book.