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Detective Jack Leightner #1
Red Hook
It's not the dead body - Jack Leightner has seen hundred of bodies in his tour with the NYPD. It's not the dank setting - the narrow banks along Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal. So why does the sight of the fatally stabbed young man make the detective almost faint in the canal's tangled weeds? Jack doesn't understand why he becomes obsessed with this low-priority case, why he allows it to jeopardize his career and even his life. Especially since the investigation draws him exactly where he doesn't want to go: into the heart of Red Hook. The neighborhood is Leightner's bad dream, scene of his troubled childhood and a terrible secret. The place also compels Jack's estranged son Ben, a young documentary filmmaker fascinated by its history. The Hook has been home to dockworkers and drug dealers, Al Capone and Joey Gallo, a giant public housing project, and one of the nation's greatest ports. Ben wants to find out why the once-thriving waterfront community has become a beautiful ruin - and why it has damaged his own family.
In Gabriel Cohen's gripping first novel, this strange terrain is where Jack Leightner must seek his own redemption - and even, perhaps, the salvation of Red Hook itself. More than a crime story, Red Hook is a deep and sympathetic exploration of the mysteries of human nature, the curse and blessings of family, and one unforgettable place.
Red Hook was a 2002 Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel.
In Gabriel Cohen's gripping first novel, this strange terrain is where Jack Leightner must seek his own redemption - and even, perhaps, the salvation of Red Hook itself. More than a crime story, Red Hook is a deep and sympathetic exploration of the mysteries of human nature, the curse and blessings of family, and one unforgettable place.
Red Hook was a 2002 Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2001
55 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Gabriel Cohen
12 books15 followersGabriel Cohen’s debut novel Red Hook was nominated for the Edgar award for Best First Novel, and he is also the author of The Ninth Step, The Graving Dock, Boombox, Neptune Avenue, and the nonfiction book Storms Can’t Hurt the Sky: A Buddhist Path Through Divorce. He has written for The New York Times, Poets & Writers, Gourmet.com, Shambhala Sun, the New York Post magazine, and Time Out New York. He teaches in the Writing Program at the Pratt Institute; has taught writing at New York University; and lectures extensively.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 22, 2016
I am generally a six-book-at-a-time reader. I have different books in different rooms; books on my e-reader, paperbacks, and hard covers. Red Hook is one of those unusual books, though, that has kept me from my other reading. Once Net Galley gifted me with a free copy, the story picked me up by the front of my shirt and kept me reading, even when the normal demands of daily living beckoned. So you say it was nominated for the Edgar Award? Why am I not surprised?
The story is police procedural in format, and bounces between two points of view, that of the protagonist, a New York City cop named Jack, and his son Ben, who lives close by, but with whom he has a remote relationship. Jack’s fear of losing control of himself stands in the way of his capacity to develop and maintain close relationships; to say more would be a spoiler.
Son Ben, now (barely) grown and 23, is a documentary film maker, and is interested in producing a documentary on Red Hook, the Brooklyn neighborhood in which his father grew up. Jack, on the other hand, has too many ghosts that await him there, and he avoids the place like the plague. And from there, the story builds to a place that may keep you awake long into the night.
Cohen does masterful work at developing character, plot, and pacing, and setting, while not quite as deft, is still stronger than most writers. This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys police procedurals. I look forward to reading the rest of his work.
The story is police procedural in format, and bounces between two points of view, that of the protagonist, a New York City cop named Jack, and his son Ben, who lives close by, but with whom he has a remote relationship. Jack’s fear of losing control of himself stands in the way of his capacity to develop and maintain close relationships; to say more would be a spoiler.
Son Ben, now (barely) grown and 23, is a documentary film maker, and is interested in producing a documentary on Red Hook, the Brooklyn neighborhood in which his father grew up. Jack, on the other hand, has too many ghosts that await him there, and he avoids the place like the plague. And from there, the story builds to a place that may keep you awake long into the night.
Cohen does masterful work at developing character, plot, and pacing, and setting, while not quite as deft, is still stronger than most writers. This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys police procedurals. I look forward to reading the rest of his work.
September 8, 2014
While the crime isn’t something we see in most mystery novels, strangely because it is so mundane as to be ignored, the characters we have seen thousands of time. A hard bitten detective, disillusioned by the job but drawn to one case everyone else ignores and estranged from his family. It’s like Lightner and his supporting case were pulled out of some detective fiction mold. To be fair all of the characters are competently written. But they are also all something we have seen before.
The location itself of Red Hook in specific and Brooklyn in general is almost a character in of itself. You can tell Cohen has a real affinity for the place and it really shows in the loving way he details its locals and inhabitants. To people who live or are familiar with the area all this extra time spent describing it will really hit home. For everyone else it goes a little overboard and can lead to the book really slowing down in places.
The other actual issue is that the mystery itself is fairly uninteresting. I don’t need big plot twists and surprises in my mysteries. Give me a solid who done it and a trail of clues to get back to the answer and I am a happy reader. Whether it is from focusing on a fairly mundane crime or just the writer getting lost in describing the local, the plot itself is a bit dull. As much time is spent with Lighnter brooding as with following the mystery and when you do follow the mystery it isn’t all that interesting by itself.
Full Review: http://homeofreading.com/red-hook/
The location itself of Red Hook in specific and Brooklyn in general is almost a character in of itself. You can tell Cohen has a real affinity for the place and it really shows in the loving way he details its locals and inhabitants. To people who live or are familiar with the area all this extra time spent describing it will really hit home. For everyone else it goes a little overboard and can lead to the book really slowing down in places.
The other actual issue is that the mystery itself is fairly uninteresting. I don’t need big plot twists and surprises in my mysteries. Give me a solid who done it and a trail of clues to get back to the answer and I am a happy reader. Whether it is from focusing on a fairly mundane crime or just the writer getting lost in describing the local, the plot itself is a bit dull. As much time is spent with Lighnter brooding as with following the mystery and when you do follow the mystery it isn’t all that interesting by itself.
Full Review: http://homeofreading.com/red-hook/
September 25, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book, a lot. Its relatively simple plot left room for the author to explore several veins of interest. We got a good deal of background on the protagonist; some insight into his thinking and the mild neurosis behind it; some recent history of Brooklyn (the beautiful land of my origin); even a little shady business stuff just to add a red herring to the mix.
Fortunately, I already have the next book in the series and I plan to start reading it right now!
Fortunately, I already have the next book in the series and I plan to start reading it right now!
September 25, 2013
RATING: 4.75
Red Hook is a part of Brooklyn, New York, that has gone through dramatic changes over the years. Originally an immigrant enclave comprised of dock workers and blue-collar workers, it is disintegrating into a place filled with poverty, a place where crime is rising and more people seem to be heading toward destruction. It's the place where Jack Leightner grew up in a home headed by an abusive father and a place to which he returns as a result of the latest case that has been assigned to him. It's the place where the old man from Finland lives next door to the young black man from Harlem, where families are beginning and lives are ending. Cohen beautifully describes the setting, pulling the reader into the narrative through his lyrical language.
Jack is a detective for the Brooklyn South Homicide squad. It's nothing new to find a young Dominican man murdered. As the investigation goes forward, however, Jack finds that he is driven to find the killer of Tomas Berrios. Tomas was no angel, but he was part of a loving family, a good husband and father. There's really nothing about the case that makes it stand out from all the others received by the department, but Jack feels a connection and doggedly pursues the leads, even after being told by his superior to focus on other investigations.
As interesting and well done as the police procedural aspects of the book were, the greater story was in the development of the Jack Leightner character. The past has rendered him almost incapable of relating to anyone meaningfully in the present, including his own son. He despises himself, largely as a result of a pivotal event in his youth involving his much-loved brother. There is a certain pathos to Jack. Because of his past, he felt that he was not capable of loving or being loved. He pushed everyone away from him. Can he open his heart to his own son or to a woman who stirs his most elemental feelings?
There were 2 areas that were problematic for me in this book. The first had to do with how the relationship between Jack and his son, Ben, was depicted. The dialog between them was very stilted, and Jack was painted as being totally insensitive to his son. This was at complete odds with how Jack was portrayed in his other interactions in the book and did not ring true for me. The second area had to do with the scenes where Jack accidentally stumbles upon an AA group and returns several times to the meetings. It was there that he realized that people could accept the most horrible things about one another, without judgment. The issue that I had was that Cohen reported the various stories that the meeting participants told to the group. There was rather a long one narrated by a female which went into depth about her entire past life, including sordid sexual encounters. To me, this segment did not advance the narrative at all and seemed to be there purely to titillate the reader.
However, those are minor complaints that did not significantly impact my overall enjoyment of the book. RED HOOK was an exceptional read which packed a large emotional wallop. It's a book of life and death and sweat and tears, a book of loneliness and heartache and joy and fleeting moments of hope. It's a love letter to Brooklyn—its streets, its barrios, the renovated brownstones, the Verrazano Bridge. RED HOOK is a book that will live in the reader's memory long after the last page is turned. It's extremely well written and a wonderful initial effort from Gabriel Cohen. Highly recommended.
Red Hook is a part of Brooklyn, New York, that has gone through dramatic changes over the years. Originally an immigrant enclave comprised of dock workers and blue-collar workers, it is disintegrating into a place filled with poverty, a place where crime is rising and more people seem to be heading toward destruction. It's the place where Jack Leightner grew up in a home headed by an abusive father and a place to which he returns as a result of the latest case that has been assigned to him. It's the place where the old man from Finland lives next door to the young black man from Harlem, where families are beginning and lives are ending. Cohen beautifully describes the setting, pulling the reader into the narrative through his lyrical language.
Jack is a detective for the Brooklyn South Homicide squad. It's nothing new to find a young Dominican man murdered. As the investigation goes forward, however, Jack finds that he is driven to find the killer of Tomas Berrios. Tomas was no angel, but he was part of a loving family, a good husband and father. There's really nothing about the case that makes it stand out from all the others received by the department, but Jack feels a connection and doggedly pursues the leads, even after being told by his superior to focus on other investigations.
As interesting and well done as the police procedural aspects of the book were, the greater story was in the development of the Jack Leightner character. The past has rendered him almost incapable of relating to anyone meaningfully in the present, including his own son. He despises himself, largely as a result of a pivotal event in his youth involving his much-loved brother. There is a certain pathos to Jack. Because of his past, he felt that he was not capable of loving or being loved. He pushed everyone away from him. Can he open his heart to his own son or to a woman who stirs his most elemental feelings?
There were 2 areas that were problematic for me in this book. The first had to do with how the relationship between Jack and his son, Ben, was depicted. The dialog between them was very stilted, and Jack was painted as being totally insensitive to his son. This was at complete odds with how Jack was portrayed in his other interactions in the book and did not ring true for me. The second area had to do with the scenes where Jack accidentally stumbles upon an AA group and returns several times to the meetings. It was there that he realized that people could accept the most horrible things about one another, without judgment. The issue that I had was that Cohen reported the various stories that the meeting participants told to the group. There was rather a long one narrated by a female which went into depth about her entire past life, including sordid sexual encounters. To me, this segment did not advance the narrative at all and seemed to be there purely to titillate the reader.
However, those are minor complaints that did not significantly impact my overall enjoyment of the book. RED HOOK was an exceptional read which packed a large emotional wallop. It's a book of life and death and sweat and tears, a book of loneliness and heartache and joy and fleeting moments of hope. It's a love letter to Brooklyn—its streets, its barrios, the renovated brownstones, the Verrazano Bridge. RED HOOK is a book that will live in the reader's memory long after the last page is turned. It's extremely well written and a wonderful initial effort from Gabriel Cohen. Highly recommended.
January 3, 2013
I really enjoyed this police procedural mystery. The characters are real people with real human emotions set against the backdrop of a gritty city. Red Hook itself is as much one of the characters with the author describing beautifully the neighborhood's storied past and its now decaying present. This book is so much more than just a mystery...it is an artistically well written novel. Highly recommended.
July 10, 2017
I'm half way convinced that in order to be a fictional homicide detective, you are not allowed to be a well adjusted, happy person. You have to have painful secrets in your past you refuse to talk about. You have to be distant and socially awkward with your family. You have to have no skills in love, and live a stoic life revolving around your career. As a mystery fan, it makes great reading, but I'm always feeling bad for these characters.
I, through a twist of fate, reviewed the second book in this series, The Graving Dock, back in 2011. I fell in love with Jack back then, but for whatever reason it's taken me this long to get the first book reviewed. It was interesting to see how truly damaged Jack is in the beginning, and how far he had come in The Graving Dock. He is carrying a horrible secret about how his younger brother was killed when they were kids. He has a painfully uncomfortable relationship with his grown son. He has a woman he sees, and I mean has sex with, but from what I can tell they don't actually like each other. He is not a happy man, and he's drowning it with alcohol. I think he is a man of his generation.
In Red Hook, the author not only introduced one of my favorite homicide detectives, he proves his skill in creating a world for Jack to shine in. The city of New York, the borough of Brooklyn, and the Red Hook neighborhood are living, visceral characters unto themselves. Jack would not exist if it wasn't for where he lives. This would not be a character that could be shifted to Chicago or St. Louis. The setting runs through Jack's veins, and he would cease to exist otherwise. The author writes in such a way that I thoroughly enjoy as a reader. He brings the location to life. As a reader, you are able to walk the streets with the characters, seeing the landscape through their eyes.
He crafts the mystery the same way. It's tactile and tangible. He allows the reader to experience the horror and pain through Jack. He builds the suspense, all the while instilling the need to solve the case in our gut, just as strongly as it resides in Jack's. It's something I don't experience in a lot of mystery fiction, but when I do it stays with me. Don't get me wrong, I'm always curious to see the outcome of a case, but I rarely feel a need for solve it myself.
I, through a twist of fate, reviewed the second book in this series, The Graving Dock, back in 2011. I fell in love with Jack back then, but for whatever reason it's taken me this long to get the first book reviewed. It was interesting to see how truly damaged Jack is in the beginning, and how far he had come in The Graving Dock. He is carrying a horrible secret about how his younger brother was killed when they were kids. He has a painfully uncomfortable relationship with his grown son. He has a woman he sees, and I mean has sex with, but from what I can tell they don't actually like each other. He is not a happy man, and he's drowning it with alcohol. I think he is a man of his generation.
In Red Hook, the author not only introduced one of my favorite homicide detectives, he proves his skill in creating a world for Jack to shine in. The city of New York, the borough of Brooklyn, and the Red Hook neighborhood are living, visceral characters unto themselves. Jack would not exist if it wasn't for where he lives. This would not be a character that could be shifted to Chicago or St. Louis. The setting runs through Jack's veins, and he would cease to exist otherwise. The author writes in such a way that I thoroughly enjoy as a reader. He brings the location to life. As a reader, you are able to walk the streets with the characters, seeing the landscape through their eyes.
He crafts the mystery the same way. It's tactile and tangible. He allows the reader to experience the horror and pain through Jack. He builds the suspense, all the while instilling the need to solve the case in our gut, just as strongly as it resides in Jack's. It's something I don't experience in a lot of mystery fiction, but when I do it stays with me. Don't get me wrong, I'm always curious to see the outcome of a case, but I rarely feel a need for solve it myself.
January 6, 2024
( Format : Audiobook )
"He who is not pursued escapes."
Jack Leightner is a 50 years old veteran NYPD officer in he Homicide Task Force who caught he murder of a young Hispanic man, body found hanging g on a fence by the Gowanus Canal. Jack had grown up near there in Red Hook, once a bustling area now transformed, and as he and his partner work, then are told to abandon, the case, he grows increasingly obsessed as Jack finds himself on a road to discovery of himelf, his life and the place, as well as of the case. This is a crime story which focuses on characters in which the place is as important as the people.
Narration is by Chris Sorensen, who succeeds brilliantly in becoming the detective, though I had doubts about his delivery in the initial chapters. I was wrong. His is a fine performance.
I will look out for further books in this series, of which Red Hook is he first, and currently available for free download with the Audible Plus programme.
"He who is not pursued escapes."
Jack Leightner is a 50 years old veteran NYPD officer in he Homicide Task Force who caught he murder of a young Hispanic man, body found hanging g on a fence by the Gowanus Canal. Jack had grown up near there in Red Hook, once a bustling area now transformed, and as he and his partner work, then are told to abandon, the case, he grows increasingly obsessed as Jack finds himself on a road to discovery of himelf, his life and the place, as well as of the case. This is a crime story which focuses on characters in which the place is as important as the people.
Narration is by Chris Sorensen, who succeeds brilliantly in becoming the detective, though I had doubts about his delivery in the initial chapters. I was wrong. His is a fine performance.
I will look out for further books in this series, of which Red Hook is he first, and currently available for free download with the Audible Plus programme.
October 29, 2020
Jack Leightner's life is circling the drain. He knows there is something very wrong but thinks he can muddle through.
He's an NYPD detective, originally from Red Hook, investigating the death of a young Hispanic man - it's a case that brings back disturbing memories of his own past.
He's divorced, doesn't connect with his adult son in any real way, and drifting.
At one level there is a very traditional series of crimes but the heart of the book is Jack's increasing self-awareness - not that he is particularly happy about it.
The crimes are eventually solved by happenstance but the explosive ending finally provides Jack with at least a chance of moving forward.
This is not your ordinary murder mystery or police procedural, rather it is a journey through a portion of a troubled life.
It worked for me. I enjoyed reading it.
He's an NYPD detective, originally from Red Hook, investigating the death of a young Hispanic man - it's a case that brings back disturbing memories of his own past.
He's divorced, doesn't connect with his adult son in any real way, and drifting.
At one level there is a very traditional series of crimes but the heart of the book is Jack's increasing self-awareness - not that he is particularly happy about it.
The crimes are eventually solved by happenstance but the explosive ending finally provides Jack with at least a chance of moving forward.
This is not your ordinary murder mystery or police procedural, rather it is a journey through a portion of a troubled life.
It worked for me. I enjoyed reading it.
October 26, 2022
Great Story!
I really enjoyed the pacing and detail of the story, once it got going. Then, I couldn’t wait to continue! It turned into a real page turner. I’d purchased the entire 4 book set, on a whim. I’m happy I have three more to read!
I really enjoyed the pacing and detail of the story, once it got going. Then, I couldn’t wait to continue! It turned into a real page turner. I’d purchased the entire 4 book set, on a whim. I’m happy I have three more to read!
May 22, 2023
Grade: C
No twists and turns. Completely abrupt ending as if the author gave up trying to come up with an interesting end to the story. The e-book copy that I read had horrible editing – poor punctuation and grammar.
No twists and turns. Completely abrupt ending as if the author gave up trying to come up with an interesting end to the story. The e-book copy that I read had horrible editing – poor punctuation and grammar.
July 5, 2019
Set in Red Hook (Brooklyn, NY).
July 28, 2020
Great development of the main character. Looking forward to more reads.
August 17, 2021
This is a good detective-driven murder mystery. Jack is a flawed human -- like all of us -- and a good detective. He can't let go of the murder of a young man, though others tell him to forget it.
June 8, 2023
I liked the story and the writing. I as interested in the setting having taken a few short visits to Staten Island and Lower Manhattan. Good pacing and and quick wrap-up.
April 27, 2014
Once again, I’ve let the reviews pile up on me, leaving me no other option than to write five of them in a row. Boo. Somehow it seems easier to find time to read than it does to find the time to review – however brief or uninspired my assessment of the book may be.
I finished Red Hook several weeks ago, but, uncharacteristically, this book hasn’t faded much from my memory – despite having read a number of other books since finishing it. I was attracted to this title because it was publicized on NetGalley as being an Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel back in 2002. Long ago, my grandmother introduced me to Agatha Christie and Lillian Jackson Braun. Ever since my early exposure to the genre, I’ve always been partial to mysteries and police procedurals – as my longstanding obsession with Law and Order and, to a lesser extent, Criminal Minds and CSI, would indicate. This book did not disappoint; in fact, it rather exceeded my expectations, as I typically don’t expect much in terms of characterization and setting in this genre. It’s usually all about plot – the twists, the turns, the surprises – and don’t get me wrong, Red Hook has all THAT too. It’s just a pleasant surprise when one finds well developed characters and a vivid, gritty setting that works to support the backbone of the plot.
Jack Leightner is a late middle-aged divorcee and absentee father to a young man (now in his twenties), Ben, who happens to be an aspiring documentarian. Jack’s a native New Yorker, born and raised in a working-class neighborhood in Red Hook. When the murder of a young Hispanic family man leads him back to his old neighborhood to investigate, tensions rise and unpleasant memories of his youth arise and begin to shake Leightner’s ability to function as an impartial detective. This book is the story of Jack’s struggle to make peace with his past so that he can begin to rekindle his career and personal relationships that have fallen by the wayside over the years. Because I’ve already confessed to being a COMPLETE Law and Order junkie (my husband complains that 99% of our DVR is dedicated to episodes I’ve seen so many times that even HE knows who committed the crime in the first five minutes), it should come as no surprise when I saw a remarkable resemblance between Leightner and everyone’s favorite dectective, Lenny Briscoe. Really. I couldn’t get the comparison out of my mind. And I’m willing to admit that this may just be a delusion of my own obsession, but I really pictured Leighner as being similar to Briscoe in more ways than one – failed marriage, absentee father, dubious relationship to alcohol – it all led back to Lenny. That doesn’t take anything away from the characterization or the novel – it was just something that colored my reading of Red Hook.
Ultimately, I think that fans of Dennis Lehane may find great joy in Jack Leightner. Apparently, there are others in a series that features this detective; and apparently, I’m going to have to hunt them out the next time that I’m at work, straightening out books in the mystery section. Thanks NetGalley! I’ve got a new recommendation on the tip of my tongue for fans of series like Alex Cross or Lincoln Rhyme.
I finished Red Hook several weeks ago, but, uncharacteristically, this book hasn’t faded much from my memory – despite having read a number of other books since finishing it. I was attracted to this title because it was publicized on NetGalley as being an Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel back in 2002. Long ago, my grandmother introduced me to Agatha Christie and Lillian Jackson Braun. Ever since my early exposure to the genre, I’ve always been partial to mysteries and police procedurals – as my longstanding obsession with Law and Order and, to a lesser extent, Criminal Minds and CSI, would indicate. This book did not disappoint; in fact, it rather exceeded my expectations, as I typically don’t expect much in terms of characterization and setting in this genre. It’s usually all about plot – the twists, the turns, the surprises – and don’t get me wrong, Red Hook has all THAT too. It’s just a pleasant surprise when one finds well developed characters and a vivid, gritty setting that works to support the backbone of the plot.
Jack Leightner is a late middle-aged divorcee and absentee father to a young man (now in his twenties), Ben, who happens to be an aspiring documentarian. Jack’s a native New Yorker, born and raised in a working-class neighborhood in Red Hook. When the murder of a young Hispanic family man leads him back to his old neighborhood to investigate, tensions rise and unpleasant memories of his youth arise and begin to shake Leightner’s ability to function as an impartial detective. This book is the story of Jack’s struggle to make peace with his past so that he can begin to rekindle his career and personal relationships that have fallen by the wayside over the years. Because I’ve already confessed to being a COMPLETE Law and Order junkie (my husband complains that 99% of our DVR is dedicated to episodes I’ve seen so many times that even HE knows who committed the crime in the first five minutes), it should come as no surprise when I saw a remarkable resemblance between Leightner and everyone’s favorite dectective, Lenny Briscoe. Really. I couldn’t get the comparison out of my mind. And I’m willing to admit that this may just be a delusion of my own obsession, but I really pictured Leighner as being similar to Briscoe in more ways than one – failed marriage, absentee father, dubious relationship to alcohol – it all led back to Lenny. That doesn’t take anything away from the characterization or the novel – it was just something that colored my reading of Red Hook.
Ultimately, I think that fans of Dennis Lehane may find great joy in Jack Leightner. Apparently, there are others in a series that features this detective; and apparently, I’m going to have to hunt them out the next time that I’m at work, straightening out books in the mystery section. Thanks NetGalley! I’ve got a new recommendation on the tip of my tongue for fans of series like Alex Cross or Lincoln Rhyme.
January 29, 2014
If you like well written crime novels the let me suggest that you pick up Red Hook by Gabriel Cohen. This is the first novel featuring Cohen’s detective Jack Leighter. Leighter is a top notch detective working for a special branch in Brooklyn. He is not assigned to an actual precinct, but instead works crimes throughout Brooklyn. He draws a case with a young murdered Dominican. There isn’t much to go on. The young man had a wife and two kids, a full time job, and now enemies. Everyone seemed to like him, but someone worked him over, stabbed him, and tried to hide the body in a canal
Leighter has very little to go on, but he just can’t let the case go. It isn’t that he has a lot to do with his life. He has been divorced for fifteen years and is unable to maintain any stable relationship. He barely speaks to his son. The one constant in his life is the job. Leighter is a complex character and as he investigates the case his own life begins to unravel at the seams.
Red Hook is well written and spends as much time developing the character of Jack Leighter as it does on the actual case itself. You find yourself drawn into the character and you want to learn more about him. In many ways the book is about the end of an era. Leighter grew up in the working class community of Red Hook during the fifties and the sixties. He was the son of a Russian immigrant who came to the US and found would as a longshoreman. That neighborhood was killed when city planners decided to build a highway through the middle of the community. They uprooted shops and houses, and others had to move because of the noise. Now the area of his childhood is run down and killed with drugs and violence. Leighter must come to grips with the demons in his own past before he can move on and create stable relationships. Like Red Hook he has been scared by the world. The only question is will he be able to turn his own life around before it is too late.
Red Hook is a well written and enjoyable crime novel. The characters are intriguing and at the end you will look forward to reading the next Jack Leighter novel.
Leighter has very little to go on, but he just can’t let the case go. It isn’t that he has a lot to do with his life. He has been divorced for fifteen years and is unable to maintain any stable relationship. He barely speaks to his son. The one constant in his life is the job. Leighter is a complex character and as he investigates the case his own life begins to unravel at the seams.
Red Hook is well written and spends as much time developing the character of Jack Leighter as it does on the actual case itself. You find yourself drawn into the character and you want to learn more about him. In many ways the book is about the end of an era. Leighter grew up in the working class community of Red Hook during the fifties and the sixties. He was the son of a Russian immigrant who came to the US and found would as a longshoreman. That neighborhood was killed when city planners decided to build a highway through the middle of the community. They uprooted shops and houses, and others had to move because of the noise. Now the area of his childhood is run down and killed with drugs and violence. Leighter must come to grips with the demons in his own past before he can move on and create stable relationships. Like Red Hook he has been scared by the world. The only question is will he be able to turn his own life around before it is too late.
Red Hook is a well written and enjoyable crime novel. The characters are intriguing and at the end you will look forward to reading the next Jack Leighter novel.
May 10, 2014
I just finished Gabriel Cohen's RED HOOK, which I enjoyed. I'm no Brooklyn
expert, but I did visit cousins and other locations there when I was growing
up, though never made it to Red Hook, a corner near Brooklyn Heights, but
now I feel like I've been there. Very atmospheric, with excellent
descriptions and lots of introspection. A bit too much of that, perhaps, for
my taste, and not quite enough emphasis on the case itself, but that's being
picky.
Jack Leightner is a homicide detective with a dark secret in his past, one
that has kept him from succeeding as a husband and a father. His
transformation occurs while investigating the seemingly meaningless case of
a young man's death. That's very well done. I thought the sections from his
son's point of view, though, didn't really go anywhere. The twenty-something
kid appears pretty clueless and wanders bad neighborhoods on his own -- I
kept expecting him to get killed, or get roped into his father's plot,
but... well, don't want to spoil it.
I see there's a new book in the series and I'll probably read it when I
stumble on it.
expert, but I did visit cousins and other locations there when I was growing
up, though never made it to Red Hook, a corner near Brooklyn Heights, but
now I feel like I've been there. Very atmospheric, with excellent
descriptions and lots of introspection. A bit too much of that, perhaps, for
my taste, and not quite enough emphasis on the case itself, but that's being
picky.
Jack Leightner is a homicide detective with a dark secret in his past, one
that has kept him from succeeding as a husband and a father. His
transformation occurs while investigating the seemingly meaningless case of
a young man's death. That's very well done. I thought the sections from his
son's point of view, though, didn't really go anywhere. The twenty-something
kid appears pretty clueless and wanders bad neighborhoods on his own -- I
kept expecting him to get killed, or get roped into his father's plot,
but... well, don't want to spoil it.
I see there's a new book in the series and I'll probably read it when I
stumble on it.
April 29, 2009
Although marketed as a crime novel, this book was really written more as literature. There is a murder mystery, but it often takes backseat to focus on the people who populate its story. Unlike most first books in an intended series the main character, Detective Jack Leightner, is in the twilight of his career. The novel starts off with the Detective investigating the murder of a young Dominican in Red Hook, a section of Brooklyn where Jack was born. The stabbing investigation brings up unwanted memories of his father and his dead brother. Leightner goes on to try to make sense of his failed marriage and the other relationships in his life, including the estrangement of his son. His son Ben is an aspiring filmmaker, and much more like his father than he would like. He goes on a quest to make a film about the neighborhood of Red Hook in the hopes of understanding more about his father’s past.
March 17, 2014
Jack Leithner, a homicide detective in an elite squad, is called in when a dead body turns up near the polluted body of water known as the Gowanus Canal which dissects Brooklyn, NY. Thus begins this Edgar nominated book that is the first of the Jack Leithner mystery series.
The author takes us on a tour of South Brooklyn, including Carroll Gardens and Red Hook. We meet the Hispanics, the blacks and the Italians who live in the small homes of Carroll Gardens and the projects of Red Hook. Jack tries to find the murderer of the young Hispanic husband and father who seems to have no enemies and is a hard worker.
The author is very knowledgeable about this section of Brooklyn as well for the locals who live there. Jack Leithner is depicted as a complex person with many demons including an abusive father and a violently killed older brother. However he uses his street smarts to solve this murder mystery. You may find yourself looking forward to reading more books in this series.
The author takes us on a tour of South Brooklyn, including Carroll Gardens and Red Hook. We meet the Hispanics, the blacks and the Italians who live in the small homes of Carroll Gardens and the projects of Red Hook. Jack tries to find the murderer of the young Hispanic husband and father who seems to have no enemies and is a hard worker.
The author is very knowledgeable about this section of Brooklyn as well for the locals who live there. Jack Leithner is depicted as a complex person with many demons including an abusive father and a violently killed older brother. However he uses his street smarts to solve this murder mystery. You may find yourself looking forward to reading more books in this series.
March 1, 2014
Jack Leightner, is a veteran NYPD homicide detective attached to a special homicide unit based near Coney Island in Brooklyn. Through the job rotation schedules, Jack becomes involved with a brutal homicide in Red Hook, a once thriving but now rundown section of Brooklyn. Jack is most definitely a Type A personality. He is also haunted by personal ghosts attached to his upbringing, a bad marriage and a distant son. Jack is also a loner, even when partnering during investigations. As an aside, I lived in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn while in high school in the late 50s. I had vivid visualizations when reading the names of various streets and sections of south Brooklyn. One term stood out as missing in Cohen's narrative: the hero shop. I don't think it was ever mentioned. A well done first novel.
May 21, 2016
An American Wallender
Depressing, intelligent, deep, and desperate crime investigation of a character, detective, that reminded me so much of Wallender. I read it in one sitting finding I had to know how it would end. Jack is at a point in his life when nothing really makes any sense and his tragic past tells him constantly he made a mess of it all. I know him intimately. I understand this stage of life and can't say I like it any better than Leightner does. I am impressed with the author's talent and his depth of empathy for his character. I will definitely read more of his books and I recommend this one to anyone who likes complex murder mysteries.
Depressing, intelligent, deep, and desperate crime investigation of a character, detective, that reminded me so much of Wallender. I read it in one sitting finding I had to know how it would end. Jack is at a point in his life when nothing really makes any sense and his tragic past tells him constantly he made a mess of it all. I know him intimately. I understand this stage of life and can't say I like it any better than Leightner does. I am impressed with the author's talent and his depth of empathy for his character. I will definitely read more of his books and I recommend this one to anyone who likes complex murder mysteries.
August 5, 2009
Great atmosphere--has my favorite feature: a map. NYPD homicide detective Jack Leightner is flawed of course, but worth cheering for. It's all about Brooklyn, local history, and the little guys who get forgotten--except by Jack. As a series opener, it does the trick. Heard Cohen interviewed on NPR, and glad I tried him out. Definitely fits in with Craig Johnson and Archer Mayor.
September 30, 2009
This is more of a man brooding about his past and coming to a turning point book than an actual crime novel. There is some crime, though frankly I never found it very riveting. Watching Jack Leightner come to the end of his rope is interesting, but this is one of the few times when I think the book could have benefited from about 100 extra pages.
June 20, 2018
Similar tropes but rescued by the emotional truth of the chapters
Liked the honesty of the relationships. Setting is authentic and imbues the entire story with a warmth and concern for the neighborhoods. Characters are an A+,;plot is a B. I’ll take characters any day. Got it for 99 cents but worth much more.
Liked the honesty of the relationships. Setting is authentic and imbues the entire story with a warmth and concern for the neighborhoods. Characters are an A+,;plot is a B. I’ll take characters any day. Got it for 99 cents but worth much more.
August 9, 2009
Ugh. Didn't even finish it. A book, especially a mystery, needs EITHER a good plot or good writing. Needless to say, this failed at both. I really couldn't give a shit about any of the characters, and Cohen makes the mistake of writing about irrelevant details poorly.
July 21, 2010
Nicely written;not a wasted word. #1 in a growing series. Brooklyn and NYC setting and an interesting middle-aged homicide detective who has typical American male problems. That doesn't detract one whit from this debut, however.
August 25, 2010
The location of the story (Red Hook circa 2001) and the characters themselves seemed to exceed the plot. There were a few twists and turns, but for the most part, the results were predictable and the ending felt rushed.
January 30, 2014
Brooklyn's Red Hook region is a character of its own in this fine mystery, an almost legendary icon, a richly filled-out backdrop of history before which the action and emotions of the present day play out, sometimes to tragic and even fatal effect.
April 6, 2013
Urban crime, sad desolate people in a changing neighborhood.
June 2, 2017
A mystery set in Red Hook and surrounding neighborhoods. I loved the local descriptions.
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