White Sister

Shane Scully #6

by Stephen J. Cannell

Back from the New York Times bestselling Cold Hit, Detective Shane Scully goes up against the beautiful, blonde wife of powerful hip-hop mogul--who stands at the center of a ruthless conspiracy

Leaving L.A.'s Parker Center, Shane Scully and his wife, Alexa, agree to meet at home in one hour. Shane gets there; Alexa doesn't.

This tale turns deadly, when in the middle of the night, he's called to a crime scene on Mulholland Drive, where the victim, who appears to be a gang member has been handcuffed and executed, gangland style. What's worse is that the victim's body is in Alexa's car. Her service revolver, which Shane discovers nearby, is probably the murder weapon. But Alexa is missing.

As Shane desperately tries to find his wife, his leads take him into the frightening world of gangsta rap music and into the center of a feud between two record companies, both heavily manned by Crips and Bloods. At the center of this war is one of the most lethal adversaries he's ever Stacy Maluga, a trashy, beautiful Lady Macbeth-like white woman raised in Compton, married to a multi-millionaire rap mogul and known in the gangsta hip-hop world as the White Sister.

Shane is no stranger to big trouble, but he's never had to face being a cop in jail with a hit out on him, while being smeared by urban activists as a "racist cop." Much, much worse than all that is the potential death of his beloved wife, Alexa. In the White Sister, he may have met his match in a powerful and media-savvy enemy who will stop at nothing to forge her own criminal empire.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Detective, Mystery Thriller

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 22, 2006

About the author

Stephen J. Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist, and occasional actor, and the founder of Cannell Entertainment (formerly Stephen J. Cannell Productions) and the Cannell Studios.

Cannell created or co-created several successful TV series from the 1970s to the 1990s. Creations included The Rockford Files, The A-Team, The Greatest American Hero, 21 Jump Street, and The Commish. He was an Emmy winner and was awarded The Eye - Lifetime Achievement Award by the Private Eye Writers of America.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shane Scully is going to meet his wife at home in about an hour. She doesn't show up. Instead, a gang member is shot in his wife's car, with his wife's gun.

This all leads Scully into the dangerous world of gangsta rap.

Still relevant today.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of my least favorite Cannell novels because there is to much shooting and violence. The novel starts negative and stays negative and I could hardly wait to finish it because I really didn't care about the characters. I rate it 3 out of 10 stars at best... and that may be too high.

[Leon Aldrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sad day is slowing closing in on me -- the end of this series, followed by all Cannell's stand alone novels.

Luckily my friend's Harry, Cathy & Benjamin keep the recommendations flowing...

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the Shane Scully books, more of 3 minus.....Bit too over complicated with a miracle ending.

[Kathryn in FL · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially at about 15% in I posted this insight, "While the plot is pretty standard by today's view, this was written quite some time ago (Cannell has written for many hit shows from the '70's forth), his writing is superb." Upon it's conclusion, I am left more than a little deflated. I still admire Cannell's writing style known for a number of hits including "The Rockford Files". However, the plot wasn't rocket science, but rather predictable and formulaic.

Listening to the audio probably didn't help much. The person handling the voices did well with the male voices but was woefully inept when it came with doing females (thankfully, there weren't many female parts). His falsetto wasn't even passable.

I think some of the side characters were more interesting than the plot. One is a homeless man that Shane Scully keeps running into both figuratively and literally. I hope that this character was incorporated in a future story but the summary states that Scully never sees him again, so I am not too hopeful.

All in all, this certainly didn't meet my expectations, but it wasn't the worse story I've ever listened to by far.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Next from the #unreadshelfproject2018 is White Sister by Stephen Cannell “After a meeting at Parker Center, Shane Scully and his wife, Alexa, agree to meet at home in an hour. Alexa never shows. Later, Scully is called to a crime scene. It looks like a gang member has been executed...in Alexa’s car, with her weapon. And she is missing. Now Scully must take desperate measures to find his wife and clear her name.” Cannell ratchets up the tension in this book right away and keeps it up through most of the book. Crips, Bloods, Gangsta rap and the White Sister. Scully has to break all of the rules. Book 6 in the Shane Scully series. Good book from Cannell.

[Michael Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen J. Cannell can really tell a story. And usually tells it very well.
"White Sister" is no exception.
It is one of his most complex tales, with many interesting characters.
Part of the plot revolves around the inhabitants of the world of hip-hop, an alien world to me.
At one time it was declared there were two worlds, East Coast and West Coast. This is West Coast, with Los Angeles at its center.
Shane Scully and his wife, Alexa, his superior officer in the Los Angeles Police Department, both are suspects in the killing of a black officer, and Shane risks everything, defying the Department and public opinion, including the disgusting "news" media, trying to prove their innocence.
Along the way, he gets involved with a strange, even bizarre, homeless man, some racial demagogues, and various armed denizens of that aforementioned world.
Probably I cannot be considered an expert on author Cannell, but from the several books by him I've read, this is one of his best. I highly recommend it.

[Tracie Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS:
Print: ©6/26/2007; PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press; ISBN: 978-0312347369; PAGES: 352; Unabridged.
Audio: ©8/1/2006; PUBLISHER: Macmillan Audio; ISBN: 978-1427220325; FILE SIZE: 348721KB; Duration 12:06:19; Unabridged; 10 parts
Feature Film or tv: Not that I know of.
Series: Shane Scully, book 6

Major characters:
Shane Scully--LAPD
Alexandra (Alexa) Scully—LAPD
Chooch—Shane’s son, Alexa’s step-son
John Bodine

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
We’ve worried about Alexa being dead before, but that doesn’t make it any less worrisome when circumstances point to that possibility this time. The interjection of a foul-mouthed colorful homeless man makes for some comic relief—And, actually. Spirituality. Believe it or not.

AUTHOR:
Stephen J. Cannell (February 5, 1941 – September 30, 2010). According to Wikipedia, Stephen “was an American television producer, writer, novelist, and occasional actor, and the founder of Cannell Entertainment (formerly Stephen J. Cannell Productions) and the Cannell Studios. . . .
Cannell was born in Los Angeles and raised in nearby Pasadena.[1] He was the son of Carolyn (née Baker) and Joseph Knapp Cannell. Joseph owned the highly successful interior decorating company Cannell and Chaffin.[2][3] Cannell struggled with dyslexia in school, but did graduate from the University of Oregon in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism.[2] At UO, he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity.[4]”

Wow, that’s pretty inspirational that a dyslexic person should take up journalism and creative writing!

NARRATOR:
Scott Brick. (January/30/1966). According to Wikipedia, Scott was born in Santa Barbara, California and “is an American actor, writer and award-winning narrator of over 800 audiobooks, including popular titles such as Washington: A Life, Moneyball, Cloud Atlas, A Princess of Mars, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Atlas Shrugged, Sideways, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (filmed as Blade Runner), I, Robot, Mystic River, Helter Skelter, Patriot Games, Bid Time Return (filmed as Somewhere in Time), In Cold Blood, the Dune series, Ender's Game, and Fahrenheit 451. He has narrated works for a number of high-profile authors, including Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Michael Crichton, John Grisham, Clive Cussler, Stephen J. Cannell, William Faulkner, Nelson DeMille, Brad Meltzer, Harlan Coben, Gregg Hurwitz, David Baldacci, Orson Scott Card, Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Joseph Finder, Tom De Haven, Stephen R. Donaldson, Nathaniel Philbrick, Terry Brooks, Steve Berry, Gene Wilder, Philip K. Dick, Dennis Lehane, Douglas J. Preston, Lincoln Child, Ayn Rand, Justin Cronin, Carl Hiaasen, Erik Larson, and Isaac Asimov, among others.”

Scott’s intense delivery is perfect for this series.

GENRE:
Fiction, Mystery, thriller, crime, police procedure

LOCATIONS:
Los Angeles, CA; Venice Beach, CA; Compton

TIME FRAME:
contemporary

SUBJECTS:
Gangs; Hip-Hop music industry; Los Angeles City life; Private Investigation

DEDICATION:
“Shane is lucky to have Alexa
But I’m blessed to have Marcia
This one’s for you, babe”

SAMPLE QUOTATION: From Chapter 1
“As I switched to Tac One, I heard a loud crash and a thump. I jerked my eyes up just in time to see a Safeway shopping cart full of junk skitter across the street in front of me, spilling empty Evian bottles and useless debris everywhere. I stood on the brake pedal as I heard screaming.
I hit someone.
I piled out of the Acura and started to look for the pedestrian. Nothing in front. Nothing in back. Where the hell was he?
‘Under here, you stupid muthafucka!’ a man shrieked.
I kneeled down and looked. Wedged under my oil pan was one of the scrawniest, scruffiest men I have ever seen. Dusty black skin, dreadlocks, and a greasy, brown coat that looked like it had been used as the drop cloth under a lube rack.
‘Look what you’ve done, you asshole!’ the man screamed, holding his wrist. ‘Can’t you watch where you’re going?’
‘You okay?’ I stammered.
I reached under the car and tried to grab him by the shoulder to drag him out, but when I touched him, he started screaming louder.
‘Whatta you want me to do?’ I asked helplessly, wondering how to get him out from under there.
‘Just get away from me, ya dumb muthafucka.’
Then he slowly started to worm his way out from beneath my car. It was hard to guess his age under the tangled beard and layer of grime, but if I had to, I’d say around thirty-five. He had a cut on his head and scrapes all over the side of his face. His right wrist looked broken. How I had not killed him was a miracle.
Once he got out, he spent several moments moaning and cradling his wrist before he stumbled over, sat on the curb and glared malevolently. It took him about ten more seconds to figure me out. “Cop,” he finally growled.”

RATING:
4 stars. I have trouble not comparing this author to Michael Connelly where, though there are similarities that sometimes make me wonder if they shared the same consultant; for me, Cannell doesn’t quite measure up, but this one might.

STARTED READING – FINISHED READING
12/11/2021 – 12/19/2021

[Katie Sunsdahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as some of his others have been

[Kaye Bleek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was told this boom was highly recommended as one of the best in the series so far. I was not let down, just as you think all is going to be lost for sculls, his new friend helps him in ways he couldn’t imaging, or quite believe.
The story to this book is aside from sculls main events, but it doesn’t detract from the strength of the characters, or the amazing way of story telling that Stephen a label has. You feel for the main characters as if it you know them.
Amazing book, I really enjoyed it. Tune to start the next in the series

[Karen Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Det. Shane Scully's wife Alexa is missing, with her car found abandoned with a handcuffed dead man in the passenger seat, shot with Alexa's service weapon. Scully risks his badge to find his missing wife and then to clear both their names in a quest that takes him through the dirty underbelly of the hip hop/rap music world.

The gritty side of Los Angeles is on display in this edition of the Scully series, which, like the others, is fast paced but doesn't skimp on the details. It's a great read from one of the top television producers and crime writers of our era.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shane Scully is called out to a crime scene and finds a dead police officer in his wife’s car. Although he is forbidden from working on the case, he pays no heed especially when his wife is found shot in the head and her life is in the balance. The book takes the reader on a wild ride through the world of hip- hop and some very unsavory individuals who are not prepared to fight fair in business or in life. Scully’s pursuit of justice and survival for his wife are exciting and his devotion to her and their son are touching and heartfelt.

[Melissa Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second the fire alarm went off at the end I just knew it was John doing something suspicious but I'm glad she lived! Also, I think there were a few too many gang members and record label people that got brought into the storyline since it was kind of hard to keep up with who was who and what the drama was to know what actually happened

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to read Stephen Cannell. Rappers, murders and horrible gunshots lead you on a wavy road personal and professional bumps. It is a good read with some interesting twists. He makes some really unusual situations appear like this might be true. Good it may be a just a fun read.

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shane Scully is a hard hitting likeable character. The fast life of the Beverly Hills elite and gangs of Compton made for an interesting and believable mix of characters. And I love Stephen J. Cannell :) will read more in this series.

[Michelle Rudoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shane Skully..

It’s a good book. I read book 7 before book 6 but still good. Lots of action and feels very much like a tv show you are reading. I enjoy Shane Skully and the cast of characters.

[Crusader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was very entertaining, but sometimes hard to follow because there are a lot of characters (for me, at least).

The homeless character was five stars. I loved his lingo.

The narrator was excellent.

[D. George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hate a couple of aspects, but love its complications and page-turner qualities.

[Corinne · Rating 2 out of 5]

To much swearing for me. Really don't need to create a good story.

[Rae Wedding · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I was reading I was thinking it was written in the early 1990's, it was written in 2006.
It would have been a better story if it were shorter.

[Tamara Arment · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected delight if you can handle profanity!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t usually finish books about gangs, and I don’t listen to hip hop or rap. But this book was good enough to finish!

[Naima Holloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!
Could've done without the ebonics though.

[Hazel Bright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Implausible premise, clever ending, workmanlike writing.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 2007. Fast-paced suspense thriller.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book.

[John Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good story, well written, well paced, lots of action that I tore right through.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced read with many twists and turns. This will hold your attention

[Phil Lawless · Rating 3 out of 5]

Other reviewers get it right.

[bjorn vonmagnus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not good

I've enjoyed all the Shane Scilly books up until this one. This just made no. sense. I found Scully tedious and boring