What do you think?
Rate this book
Weepers
BEST MYSTERY NOVEL - JOHN E. WEAVER EXCELLENT READS AWARD & READERS' FAVORITE WINNER - YA COMING OF AGE CATEGORY
The 1957 murder of an undercover cop in a New York City housing project has unexpected ties to the unsolved disappearance of a young father walking home in those same projects with his son, Angelo, on Christmas Eve six years before. The only witness to the cop killing is Angelo, now 13, while on his way to seek his own revenge in the early morning hours. The killers know he saw them. A series of gripping events forge a union between a priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective, and Angelo, a gang member. In the end, Weepers shows us that the courage of the underdog despite fear and moral ambiguity will conquer intimidation.
Weepers has received finalist status for the Best Novel of 2016 by the Public Safety Writers Association(PSWA), the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) best mystery/thriller novel of 2015, the Best Young Adult Novel for 2016 by Bookvana, and the Best Crossover (Mystery & Young Adult) for the 2017 Best Books Award.
The 1957 murder of an undercover cop in a New York City housing project has unexpected ties to the unsolved disappearance of a young father walking home in those same projects with his son, Angelo, on Christmas Eve six years before. The only witness to the cop killing is Angelo, now 13, while on his way to seek his own revenge in the early morning hours. The killers know he saw them. A series of gripping events forge a union between a priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective, and Angelo, a gang member. In the end, Weepers shows us that the courage of the underdog despite fear and moral ambiguity will conquer intimidation.
Weepers has received finalist status for the Best Novel of 2016 by the Public Safety Writers Association(PSWA), the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) best mystery/thriller novel of 2015, the Best Young Adult Novel for 2016 by Bookvana, and the Best Crossover (Mystery & Young Adult) for the 2017 Best Books Award.
330 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2015
19 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Nick Chiarkas
5 books26 followersNick Chiarkas grew up in the Al Smith housing projects in the Two Bridges neighborhood on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that, “Nick was unlikely to ever complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency.
On the way to becoming an author, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their children are hopeless? How many kids with potential simply surrender to despair? That’s why Nick wrote Weepers and Nunzio's Way— for them.
When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that, “Nick was unlikely to ever complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency.
On the way to becoming an author, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their children are hopeless? How many kids with potential simply surrender to despair? That’s why Nick wrote Weepers and Nunzio's Way— for them.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 30, 2022
It was 1951. Angelo and his father were walking the snowy streets in a New York City housing project, when his life was changed forever. His father disappeared and the seven year old boy felt he should have done something. This coming of age story kept getting better and better, the more I read.
The boy already knew the first rule of the jungle: If it moves away from you, it’s food: it it moves toward you, you’re food.
“By the time a boy hits his teens, he’s either prey, predator, or he has mastered his environment…respected by the weak and the predators.”
I can’t imagine growing up in such an environment and I can see why a child’s world can become so brutal so early in their life.
A priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective and Angelo, a gang member form an unlikely union.
Weepers made me think of West Side Story. I can see why it was voted best mystery novel. There is so much I would like to share, but I won’t. The more I read, the more involved I became in the characters lives, and I want you to find out about them for yourself. I immediately went into Nunzio’s Way, and………..well, that’s another story.
I checked out Nick Chiarkas’ bio and saw why the story felt so real to me. Be sure and take a look. He knows what he’s writing about.
The boy already knew the first rule of the jungle: If it moves away from you, it’s food: it it moves toward you, you’re food.
“By the time a boy hits his teens, he’s either prey, predator, or he has mastered his environment…respected by the weak and the predators.”
I can’t imagine growing up in such an environment and I can see why a child’s world can become so brutal so early in their life.
A priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective and Angelo, a gang member form an unlikely union.
Weepers made me think of West Side Story. I can see why it was voted best mystery novel. There is so much I would like to share, but I won’t. The more I read, the more involved I became in the characters lives, and I want you to find out about them for yourself. I immediately went into Nunzio’s Way, and………..well, that’s another story.
I checked out Nick Chiarkas’ bio and saw why the story felt so real to me. Be sure and take a look. He knows what he’s writing about.
November 7, 2022
In Weepers, book one of the Weepers Series, author Nick Chiarkos transports the reader to the 1950s Two Bridges neighborhood of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, for an intriguing dark noir crime thriller that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.
On Christmas Eve of 1951, seven year old Angelo Pastamadeo and his father Mac were walking home through their Lower East Side neighborhood with a cart full of presents, when Angelo walks ahead of Mac, and when he turns around only to find the cart is there but Mac is gone. Angelo gets scared when he sees a pack of the Satan's Knights street gang walking through the projects, and hurries home to tell his mom Anna that dad disappeared.
Fast forward to 1957, Angelo is now thirteen and is at the age to enter a street gang. Over the years since his father's unsolved disappearance, Angelo has planned to get revenge on the Satan's Knights for his dad's disappearance. Late one night he is a witness to a murder of an undercover cop in the projects by the Satan's Knights who see him, and he knows it's time to start a street gang with his friends so that they can navigate and survive the dangers of the neighborhood from rival street gangs.
Meanwhile longtime neighborhood friends Father Joe Bonifacio and mob boss Nunzio Sabino look into the unsolved disappearance of Mac Pastamadeo, and if his disappearance has a connection to the recent murder of the undercover cop by the Satan's Knights street gang.
In Weepers, author Nick Chiarkas weaves a slow-building and suspenseful dark gritty noir tale that follows the journey of thirteen year old Angelo Pastamadeo as he deals with his guilt over the unsolved disappearance of his father, and learns to conquer his fears and survive the danger of the neighborhood, with the help of his family, Fr. Joe and "Uncle" Nunzio Sabino. Add in the investigation of Mac's unsolved disappearance and the connection to the murder of the undercover cop by Fr Joe and mob boss Nunzio Sapino, and the reader is kept in suspense as the disappearance unfolds with a surpise ending that will simply stun the reader.
The reader is easily drawn into this riveting dark noir crime story with its richly descriptive plot. It is a story that is a tangled web filled with enough drama, secrets, deceit, corruption, motives, suspects, and intriguing twists and turns that definitely keeps the reader guessing until the surprising conclusion.
This was a really intriguing story to read! The author transports the reader to a richly vivid description of the 1950s Two Bridges neighborhood (between the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge) where he grew up in the Al E. Smith Housing Projects, for a dark and gritty noir style crime thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages.
The story provides a fascinating storyline and a cast of characters the engages the reader, suprising twists and turns, and danger around every corner, especially when there are people who don't want the truth to come out. I found myself so caught up on following Angelo's journey of learning to survive the dangers of the neighborhood and the rival street gangs, and Fr. Joe and Nunzio's investigative pursuit of putting the pieces of the puzzle together and solving the disappearance of Mac Pastamadeo. I was absolutely stunned by the conclusion!
Weepers will definitely take the readers on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
On Christmas Eve of 1951, seven year old Angelo Pastamadeo and his father Mac were walking home through their Lower East Side neighborhood with a cart full of presents, when Angelo walks ahead of Mac, and when he turns around only to find the cart is there but Mac is gone. Angelo gets scared when he sees a pack of the Satan's Knights street gang walking through the projects, and hurries home to tell his mom Anna that dad disappeared.
Fast forward to 1957, Angelo is now thirteen and is at the age to enter a street gang. Over the years since his father's unsolved disappearance, Angelo has planned to get revenge on the Satan's Knights for his dad's disappearance. Late one night he is a witness to a murder of an undercover cop in the projects by the Satan's Knights who see him, and he knows it's time to start a street gang with his friends so that they can navigate and survive the dangers of the neighborhood from rival street gangs.
Meanwhile longtime neighborhood friends Father Joe Bonifacio and mob boss Nunzio Sabino look into the unsolved disappearance of Mac Pastamadeo, and if his disappearance has a connection to the recent murder of the undercover cop by the Satan's Knights street gang.
In Weepers, author Nick Chiarkas weaves a slow-building and suspenseful dark gritty noir tale that follows the journey of thirteen year old Angelo Pastamadeo as he deals with his guilt over the unsolved disappearance of his father, and learns to conquer his fears and survive the danger of the neighborhood, with the help of his family, Fr. Joe and "Uncle" Nunzio Sabino. Add in the investigation of Mac's unsolved disappearance and the connection to the murder of the undercover cop by Fr Joe and mob boss Nunzio Sapino, and the reader is kept in suspense as the disappearance unfolds with a surpise ending that will simply stun the reader.
The reader is easily drawn into this riveting dark noir crime story with its richly descriptive plot. It is a story that is a tangled web filled with enough drama, secrets, deceit, corruption, motives, suspects, and intriguing twists and turns that definitely keeps the reader guessing until the surprising conclusion.
This was a really intriguing story to read! The author transports the reader to a richly vivid description of the 1950s Two Bridges neighborhood (between the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge) where he grew up in the Al E. Smith Housing Projects, for a dark and gritty noir style crime thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages.
The story provides a fascinating storyline and a cast of characters the engages the reader, suprising twists and turns, and danger around every corner, especially when there are people who don't want the truth to come out. I found myself so caught up on following Angelo's journey of learning to survive the dangers of the neighborhood and the rival street gangs, and Fr. Joe and Nunzio's investigative pursuit of putting the pieces of the puzzle together and solving the disappearance of Mac Pastamadeo. I was absolutely stunned by the conclusion!
Weepers will definitely take the readers on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
July 12, 2015
Let me start by saying this is not the typical book I would read, but I am glad I ventured out of my comfort zone for this one. The story takes place in "The Projects" of New York during a time ripe with crime, gangs and organized crime. The disappearance of Angelo's father, Mac, on Christmas Eve is shrouded in mystery. Could it be one of the gangs that surround the area in which Angelo lives, or is it something more sinister? Angelo, his son and main character in the story, always feels it is his fault that his father disappeared. Weepers follows Angelo as the events of the past shape his future. This book realistically depicts a slum neighborhood in the 1950's, which is nestled between the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. A gritty portrayal of what life might be like during the time period. The Parish Priest sometimes steps over the edge for the greater good in this story. The main gang in the story, The Knights, have committed many crimes, but did they kill Mac? Years earlier, two of their members raped Angelo's mother, was he a product of this rape? When Angelo and his friends form their own club, "The Weepers", they become targeted even more by the Knights. Each character in the book was important and played a critical role in the story. Gutsy Angelo was such a loveable boy, but sure kept the reader on the edge of the seat wondering if he would make the right choice in the many situations he "created" and experienced. His strong family ties and living in the worst part of town made the reader believe in him and the strength in his family. His friends were loyal and his enemies were to be feared. Weepers moves along at a good pace and the characters are well connected to the plot. There is much to think about in this book but in addition is a captivating and entertaining story.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 18, 2015
This is a fast paced novel about a boy who's father suddenly disappears Christmas Eve and his vendetta against the gang who he suspects killed him and also raped his mother. Talk about thrilling! Angelo lives in the projects of New York where there are many gangs. He was unaware, but came to realize that before he was born his mother was kidnapped and raped by the prominent gang, The Knights. As he was only seven when his father disappeared that evening, Angelo always thought that his father had hated him because he never had anything kind to say and was always abusive to his mother. Angelo's father truly believed that Angelo was the product of the rape and not his son; however, immediately before his disappearance he was kind and said "You're a good kid". Due to this show of love and affection, Angelo felt the need to avenge his father and do all that he could to find him. As time went on, Angelo and his friends created their own gang. There were rivalries between the Knights and Angelo's Weepers. Angelo certainly began a riveting tale as he set fire to his work place early in the wee hours of the morning to retaliate against his boss for the words he spoke negatively about Angelo's mother. There is a tight bond of family in this novel and much more suspense. It is fast paced and an easy read. There is some violence. I truly felt that this was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a good suspense/mystery book or interested in books regarding early New York gang involvement. I would love to see a continuation of this novel. I look forward to many more works from this author. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 3, 2015
Weepers by Nick Chiarkas
Gritty, captivating and throat grabbing might describe this book. Chiarkas shows the time period, in which I grew up, as a place as far removed from a small steel town upbringing as imaginable. The two bridges area of NYC might as well have been on another planet. The story is a tale of family ties, organized crime and self defense gangs.
Angelo is the main protagonist in this story. His story is a coming of age in an environment that was distinctly hostile. A volatile yet loved father and truly mean streets develop Angelo's character.
The strength of family ties and their willingness to do anything to protect the family members is possibly the most memorable aspect of the book. The development of a group of boys who band together for positive reasons belies the typical descriptions of street gangs.
The sociological aspects of the intense population pressure creating aberrant behavior smacks of my course work for my Masters. The strength of the crime boss in that time slot was even seen in the little town in which I grew up. Connections, favors and muscle created a social structure that provided a modicum of stability in places where population density practically prohibited official stability.
There is much to think about in this book but in addition is a captivating and entertaining story.
I highly recommend.
Site: http://nickchiarkas.com/
Gritty, captivating and throat grabbing might describe this book. Chiarkas shows the time period, in which I grew up, as a place as far removed from a small steel town upbringing as imaginable. The two bridges area of NYC might as well have been on another planet. The story is a tale of family ties, organized crime and self defense gangs.
Angelo is the main protagonist in this story. His story is a coming of age in an environment that was distinctly hostile. A volatile yet loved father and truly mean streets develop Angelo's character.
The strength of family ties and their willingness to do anything to protect the family members is possibly the most memorable aspect of the book. The development of a group of boys who band together for positive reasons belies the typical descriptions of street gangs.
The sociological aspects of the intense population pressure creating aberrant behavior smacks of my course work for my Masters. The strength of the crime boss in that time slot was even seen in the little town in which I grew up. Connections, favors and muscle created a social structure that provided a modicum of stability in places where population density practically prohibited official stability.
There is much to think about in this book but in addition is a captivating and entertaining story.
I highly recommend.
Site: http://nickchiarkas.com/
July 28, 2015
I would like to thank Three Towers Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Weepers to review. The disappearance of Angelo's father, Mac, on Christmas Eve is shrouded in mystery. Could it be one of the gangs that surround the area in which Angelo lives, or is it something more sinister? Weepers follows Angelo, a young boy living in the Two Bridges neighborhood, as the events of the past shape his future. This book realistically depicts a slum neighborhood in the 1950's, which is nestled between the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. A gritty portrayal of what life might be like during the time period, the pages of Weepers are littered with the gangs that ruled the streets and the priests who were responsible for their salvation. The author, Nick Chiarkas, clearly knows the world in which his characters live, as realism shines brightly in this book. Weepers moves along at a good pace and the characters are well connected to the plot. A smart boy with a great survival instinct, Angelo is my favorite character in the book. This book was a quick read for me, but definitely a worthwhile one.
June 24, 2015
A very good book! Easy to read, exciting, hard to put down and walk away without returning to read "just one more chapter" and then some. The author is an exceptional writer. Each character in the book was important and played a critical role in the story. Gutsy Angelo was such a loveable boy, but sure kept the reader on the edge of the seat wondering if he would make the right choice in the many situations he "created" and experienced. His strong family ties and living in the worst part of town made the reader believe in him and the strength in his family. His friends were loyal and his enemies were to be feared. This book is going to go on my list of "most liked" and one I will re-read. I would recommend it for most any reader from early teen on. Wonderful!
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2015
Wow! Nick Chiarkas knocks it out of the park with "Weepers". This book is gripping to a totally different level. One of the main reasons I liked this book so much was because of the era the book took place. It doesn't get any better than reading about mobs, and gangs. You learn about a young man's life, Angelo and how he has had to cope with heartache and struggle throughout his life. Although Angelo tries his best to provide for his family and do the right thing, the right thing isn't always possible. It's nice to read a book that involves friends becoming a family that relies on eachother so much. I do hope that Chiarkas provides us with another gripping novel about Angelo.
I feel that anyone will love this book, especially young adults.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I feel that anyone will love this book, especially young adults.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 27, 2015
Weepers tells the story of Angelo, who is growing up in the dangerous housing projects in New York in the 1950’s. Angelo’s life is full of the dangers and difficulties of growing up in an area full of gangs and violence and despair. The characters in the story are brought together by violent circumstances, and it’s interesting to see how people navigate the uncertainty and chaos of the neighborhood.
I thought that Chiarkas did an amazing job bringing both Angelo and the setting to life. The details build up the time and neighborhood well, and really give the story a sense of time and place. Chiarkas has a real talent of building up a solid setting, and this gave Angelo’s story so much more impact. I would love to read more from Chiarkas!
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought that Chiarkas did an amazing job bringing both Angelo and the setting to life. The details build up the time and neighborhood well, and really give the story a sense of time and place. Chiarkas has a real talent of building up a solid setting, and this gave Angelo’s story so much more impact. I would love to read more from Chiarkas!
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2015
What an excellent read. The author has written the story based on a lot of things he had experienced while growing up. This lends a lot of legitimacy to the book. It gets down and dirty and is very captivating. It makes you wonder where this is going and what is going to happen next. Angelo learns how important it is to have the right kind of friends and the value of having a family who will do whatever it takes to protect him.
Angelo goes from being a scared little boy that gets bullied and picked on to one that overcomes his fear and anger and faces his dangers head on. If you could look forward 10 years, one would wonder how Angelo and the Weepers evolved. This is a very good book that was difficult to put down. I highly recommend this book to all who like action thrillers.
Angelo goes from being a scared little boy that gets bullied and picked on to one that overcomes his fear and anger and faces his dangers head on. If you could look forward 10 years, one would wonder how Angelo and the Weepers evolved. This is a very good book that was difficult to put down. I highly recommend this book to all who like action thrillers.
September 11, 2017
An outstanding debut novel. Gritty, realistic depiction of the poor side of New York in the 1950s, rife with mobsters, gangs, crooked cops, and power struggles, all centered around 13-year-old Angelo, who is forced to grow up fast in the midst of this chaos because of his father's mysterious disappearance six years earlier.
The dialogue rings true, and Chiarkas sets the scene in a sparse but complete way, hitting all the senses just enough to drop the reader into the lower East Side projects. The story POV jumps from one character to another at the right times to provide continuity to a plot which has multiple subplots that all wind their way back to the disappearance of Angelo's father.
I'm looking forward to the sequel, "Nunzio's Way."
The dialogue rings true, and Chiarkas sets the scene in a sparse but complete way, hitting all the senses just enough to drop the reader into the lower East Side projects. The story POV jumps from one character to another at the right times to provide continuity to a plot which has multiple subplots that all wind their way back to the disappearance of Angelo's father.
I'm looking forward to the sequel, "Nunzio's Way."
October 12, 2015
Well written and gripping. I enjoyed this book immensely, highly recommend it!!!
October 24, 2020
Nick Chiarkas' Weepers, for some readers, is a fast trip down memory lane. Nick grew up in New York City living in the projects in the 50's, tenement housing where, as a child or an adult, you were either predator or prey. As a child, if you didn't have protection, gang-related or otherwise, you were picked on mercilessly, robbed daily, beaten or worse. As an adult if you didn't follow the rules and live by the code, you might just end up in the East River as food for the fishes.
Angelo's life takes a turn for the worst when, at the tender age of seven, his father disappears on Christmas Eve. Luckily, his father taught him a few tricks, one was to run like the wind if he believed he might be in danger. Scarred, but still alive at the age of thirteen, Angelo learns, thanks to his uncles, Johnny and Frank, there are only two kinds of survivors, those that hide and those that grab life by the horns and say, "Come and get me!"
Nick Chiarkas wrote Weepers for himself, but he also wrote it for every person who's ever been made fun of, stomped on or talked down to by others in authority, adults or teachers. Weepers is 300+ pages of fast-paced mystery/thriller. Readers' Favorite, a huge national reviewing site with over 1000 reviewers, gave Nick a gold award for best in fiction, no small task. I am sure his competition was fierce. It's raw action is frightening as well as compelling, encompassing emotions, bitter and sweet.
Weeper's 6 by 9. format makes it easy to read with just the right amount of words on a page. The front cover is intriguing with five friends (perhaps) walking in the dark near the tenements at the top of the cover with the cityscape at the bottom. Font choice and spacing are perfect. The book was edited by Nick's daughter, Erica. I take my hat off to her editing acumen. The font size on the back cover is a tad small but Nick has a lot to say, and rightly so. I hope you're planning on writing a sequel, Nick, because Weepers deserves one. Thank you for hours of thrilling reading.
Angelo's life takes a turn for the worst when, at the tender age of seven, his father disappears on Christmas Eve. Luckily, his father taught him a few tricks, one was to run like the wind if he believed he might be in danger. Scarred, but still alive at the age of thirteen, Angelo learns, thanks to his uncles, Johnny and Frank, there are only two kinds of survivors, those that hide and those that grab life by the horns and say, "Come and get me!"
Nick Chiarkas wrote Weepers for himself, but he also wrote it for every person who's ever been made fun of, stomped on or talked down to by others in authority, adults or teachers. Weepers is 300+ pages of fast-paced mystery/thriller. Readers' Favorite, a huge national reviewing site with over 1000 reviewers, gave Nick a gold award for best in fiction, no small task. I am sure his competition was fierce. It's raw action is frightening as well as compelling, encompassing emotions, bitter and sweet.
Weeper's 6 by 9. format makes it easy to read with just the right amount of words on a page. The front cover is intriguing with five friends (perhaps) walking in the dark near the tenements at the top of the cover with the cityscape at the bottom. Font choice and spacing are perfect. The book was edited by Nick's daughter, Erica. I take my hat off to her editing acumen. The font size on the back cover is a tad small but Nick has a lot to say, and rightly so. I hope you're planning on writing a sequel, Nick, because Weepers deserves one. Thank you for hours of thrilling reading.
August 8, 2015
I really enjoyed this book by Nick Chiarkas. The characters are very well developed, so well, that you really feel for all the them as you delve into story. The protagonist Angelo is a young boy who is on the threshold of turning 13 years old has to grow up really fast as he decides if he wants to join a gang in the New York city projects as a usual way of life or go your own way. Angelo is a very smart and independent strong minded boy who wants to avenge his mother name and reputation, but goes about it in the wrong way and gets himself into a world of trouble. This is what sets off Angelo into growing up really fast, he needs the help from his family and the neighborhood's head mafia boss, who is a close friend of his family, that helps and protects Angelo with the Knight's gang who wants to go after Angelo for standing up to them and their corrupt ways . You will find from the first page that you are drawn into a fast pace story about gangs in the fifty in the projects and how become you either become predator or prey to survive in the projects. I think that this story is fantastic read for either men or woman. I can't wait for the next book Nick writes about Angelo's life and growing up in the projects, and his gang, the Weepers, as they become young men who will either can change the projects into the better or the worst place to live.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2015
I grew up in a neighborhood right smack in the heart of a big city, just like Angelo! I can relate to Angelo in search of finding himself. My neighborhood was also old-school, and that leads to being mentally tough. Regardless of where you grew up, you will find a little bit of yourself in Angelo.
Before I begin, I want to preface by stating that Angelo is one smart kid. Children growing up in inner cities all across this country face some big challenges everyday. But it isn’t all doom and gloom as the media portrays excessively for ratings. The author notes that even kids learn that life is about survival. In Angelo’s neighborhood, there are hierarchies that garner respect and others that do not. People live by certain moral and ethical standards that show their complexity.
Angelo is toughest on himself. His mother, Anna, has had a hard life. Yet Anna always picks up the pieces for her sons. Angelo has had to always stay sharp in order not to be attacked by street gang members all around him. The author shows that Angelo is a complex kid with many facets. I’m sure that sounds familiar because it describes the rest of us too.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Before I begin, I want to preface by stating that Angelo is one smart kid. Children growing up in inner cities all across this country face some big challenges everyday. But it isn’t all doom and gloom as the media portrays excessively for ratings. The author notes that even kids learn that life is about survival. In Angelo’s neighborhood, there are hierarchies that garner respect and others that do not. People live by certain moral and ethical standards that show their complexity.
Angelo is toughest on himself. His mother, Anna, has had a hard life. Yet Anna always picks up the pieces for her sons. Angelo has had to always stay sharp in order not to be attacked by street gang members all around him. The author shows that Angelo is a complex kid with many facets. I’m sure that sounds familiar because it describes the rest of us too.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2015
3.5 out of 5 stars
This was one of those books I went out of my typical comfort zone to read. I loved the back story of the author and what the book was about, but its not my typical genre (so just know that with this review).
I enjoyed the book and I can tell that Nick wrote what he knew. The details and information that he wrote out were very based-in fact and I think that's what made this book so "real" for me. For me, the story would weave from "I don't believe it" to very believable when different things happened (but I didn't grow up in that type of neighborhood). I can tell that the author really did his research before writing a debut novel like this.
All-in-all a good gritty, true to life city crime/suspense book.
I was given a free copy of this in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
This was one of those books I went out of my typical comfort zone to read. I loved the back story of the author and what the book was about, but its not my typical genre (so just know that with this review).
I enjoyed the book and I can tell that Nick wrote what he knew. The details and information that he wrote out were very based-in fact and I think that's what made this book so "real" for me. For me, the story would weave from "I don't believe it" to very believable when different things happened (but I didn't grow up in that type of neighborhood). I can tell that the author really did his research before writing a debut novel like this.
All-in-all a good gritty, true to life city crime/suspense book.
I was given a free copy of this in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
July 5, 2018
Great read! Chiarkas writes about the projects in NYC during the 1950s. He focuses on a young man, Angelo, and his initiation into adulthood at the age of 13. Besides Angelo, we meet his biological family and the people in the neighborhood, also considered family, who take care of him. All are interesting, well thought out and detailed characters. All are involved in the consequences of an action of Angelo's that changes him and requires his community to rally behind him.
This is the age of West Side Story but the reality of the gangs, and the neighborhood of the projects is shown here. I'm amazed that anyone survived this life. That includes Chiarkas himself.
I would recommend this book to those who like stories about gangs, the reality of life in lower income neighborhoods in the 50s, and coming of age books.
This is the age of West Side Story but the reality of the gangs, and the neighborhood of the projects is shown here. I'm amazed that anyone survived this life. That includes Chiarkas himself.
I would recommend this book to those who like stories about gangs, the reality of life in lower income neighborhoods in the 50s, and coming of age books.
November 28, 2015
* Copy via Goodreads First Reads and the author *
I really enjoyed this novel. It's a complex story with great interesting characters set in one of New York's roughest neighborhoods where gang activity is common and it's a struggle to survive set in the 1950s. It's also about family and the ties that bind a community together.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say there is quite a bit of violence in this book and while I was okay reading it some might not, so fair warning.
Many thanks to the author for offering up this copy on Goodreads First Reads.
I really enjoyed this novel. It's a complex story with great interesting characters set in one of New York's roughest neighborhoods where gang activity is common and it's a struggle to survive set in the 1950s. It's also about family and the ties that bind a community together.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say there is quite a bit of violence in this book and while I was okay reading it some might not, so fair warning.
Many thanks to the author for offering up this copy on Goodreads First Reads.
December 2, 2015
I just finished reading a book called Weepers from Mick Chiarkas. It was wonderful. It takes place in 1957 in the housing projects in New York city. The books has the feel that you are specifically in New York projects at the time. It gives you that sense of being there. The main character is a 12 year old boy named Angelo. His father disappeared a few years ago. It is about how he is able to stick up for him self and his family despite being a witness to a murder by a gang. I won this book on goodreads.
June 30, 2018
I read this book because it was the book of the month for my book club. It is not a book that I would normally pick up. I am very glad I had given this one a chance. Very good read! Hard to put down...I would have read it in a day but a body needs sleep and kids need to eat. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and there is a lot going on in this book so it is definitely not a mindless read. For me that s a very good thing. It is engaging. This would be a great book for middle school and high school boys that hate to read to turn them into readers.
April 24, 2018
I liked this book very much. It's a mystery that takes place in 1950s NYC. It's about the projects, street gangs, and much more. The main character is a 13-year old boy. It is the first in a series. I hope the next one is published soon!
September 14, 2017
Lower east side
I grew up in this neighborhood around the same time this novel portrays. Although it claims to be fiction, this is exactly how it was at that time
I grew up in this neighborhood around the same time this novel portrays. Although it claims to be fiction, this is exactly how it was at that time
December 21, 2018
Both a gripping mystery and a poignant coming of age story- I highly recommend this book! Would love to see the characters again.
September 6, 2018
5 Star Review from Readers' Favorite
Weepers by Nick Chiarkas is a murder mystery set in the 1950s. In 1951, Christmas Eve, a man disappeared while walking through the Projects with Angelo, his son. In 1957, an undercover police officer was killed in a housing project in New York. At 2.00 a.m., on the way to setting fire to a grocery store, Angelo saw the cop killing and he was seen by the killers. As events unfold, Angelo forms a gang called Weepers and comes up against the mafia, police corruption and organized crime, not to mention the church. Unions are forged, battles are fought but will justice prevail? And whose justice will it be?
Weepers by Nick Chiarkas is a fantastic first novel. This is gritty, emotional and powerful all the way from start to finish. It’s a novel filled with action, with twists and turns all the way through, designed to throw you off the scent but leading you neatly to a great conclusion. Nick Chiarkas has nailed the era perfectly and you can almost see the story being played out in a gritty noir style. Not only that, the descriptive, compelling style of the writing draws you in and brings the story to life, taking us through Angelo’s life as he grows up. We come to understand the kind of life led by those on the Lower East Side in Manhattan in the 1950s. He creates an atmosphere of tension and courage, love and hostility, and brings out every emotion you can possibly think of. There is some violence but nothing that doesn’t fit in with the story. The characters are wonderfully developed to the stage where they relatable, likable and we can empathize with their situations. A great first novel, and I'm really looking forward to the next one.
Weepers by Nick Chiarkas is a murder mystery set in the 1950s. In 1951, Christmas Eve, a man disappeared while walking through the Projects with Angelo, his son. In 1957, an undercover police officer was killed in a housing project in New York. At 2.00 a.m., on the way to setting fire to a grocery store, Angelo saw the cop killing and he was seen by the killers. As events unfold, Angelo forms a gang called Weepers and comes up against the mafia, police corruption and organized crime, not to mention the church. Unions are forged, battles are fought but will justice prevail? And whose justice will it be?
Weepers by Nick Chiarkas is a fantastic first novel. This is gritty, emotional and powerful all the way from start to finish. It’s a novel filled with action, with twists and turns all the way through, designed to throw you off the scent but leading you neatly to a great conclusion. Nick Chiarkas has nailed the era perfectly and you can almost see the story being played out in a gritty noir style. Not only that, the descriptive, compelling style of the writing draws you in and brings the story to life, taking us through Angelo’s life as he grows up. We come to understand the kind of life led by those on the Lower East Side in Manhattan in the 1950s. He creates an atmosphere of tension and courage, love and hostility, and brings out every emotion you can possibly think of. There is some violence but nothing that doesn’t fit in with the story. The characters are wonderfully developed to the stage where they relatable, likable and we can empathize with their situations. A great first novel, and I'm really looking forward to the next one.
November 4, 2022
In reading this novel I was immersed in a world entirely different from mine. That Chiarkas grew up in the Al Smith housing projects allows him to bring a severe reality to a story set there. The characters are developed with emotional impact. I cannot imagine what life must have been like with teen gangs and the pressure they bring upon growing up. In addition to gangs was the presence of a powerful crime boss. Fortunately, he had the back of our teen hero, Angelo. But that means others had to die.
The priest characters added a different dimension to the story. A new priest welcomed into the community by gang violence toward him makes hims want to leave. The older priest grew up in the projects and knows the importance of what little they can do to help young people. Father Joe and the crime boss are friends from childhood. What a dilemma a man of the cloth must face, working with a known murderer to do what they can to help others.
There is suspense in this novel as there is quite a bit of violence. I would not describe it as a page turner, however. I am sure the nearly continued violence is realistic. I found it heart breaking rather than exciting. Chiarkas has done a good job firmly placing flawed people in a community plagued with crime and violence. I recommend it to readers who are looking for a book exploring a gritty time in the New York project housing area.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
The priest characters added a different dimension to the story. A new priest welcomed into the community by gang violence toward him makes hims want to leave. The older priest grew up in the projects and knows the importance of what little they can do to help young people. Father Joe and the crime boss are friends from childhood. What a dilemma a man of the cloth must face, working with a known murderer to do what they can to help others.
There is suspense in this novel as there is quite a bit of violence. I would not describe it as a page turner, however. I am sure the nearly continued violence is realistic. I found it heart breaking rather than exciting. Chiarkas has done a good job firmly placing flawed people in a community plagued with crime and violence. I recommend it to readers who are looking for a book exploring a gritty time in the New York project housing area.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
May 25, 2024
WEEPERS by Nick Chiarkas is one of those books that I can't quit thinking about. It takes place mid-century in New York City's public housing projects and opens with a disappearance, followed six years later by the murder of an undercover cop. The thing that links them together is Angelo, a six year old boy trying to survive the mean streets of New York, who is present at both occurrences. The story revolves around the two crimes as well as Angelo's life choices. The well-drawn characters are irresistible, even when they are on the other side of the law. Great book!
April 1, 2022
Chock-full of raw emotion, visceral pain, and skillful misdirection—you won't see this coming. A superlative thriller!
March 22, 2023
A book unlike any I’ve ever read. Brings back the days of films about gangs. Interesting. Will be reading more from this author.
August 7, 2025
A great story immersed in a time and place- 1960s New York. The authors knows this time period and the tough people that live in it! He brings us the audience in and intertains us throughout.
April 29, 2026
A great late 1950s story set in a NYC housing project about families, teenage gangs, priests, and how a boy is reunited with his father. I could see this being made into a movie. Lots of great characters and emotion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews