Death List

Kenyatta #2

by Al C. Clark, Donald Goines

Goines continues the gripping, gritty story of crime in the black ghetto begun in Crime Partners. Kenyatta is back and he's angry at crooked cops and dope dealers who are destroying the lives of ghetto kids.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Urban, African American, Adult Fiction, Mystery

208 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Pseudonym of Donald Goines. All of Goines' Kenyatta series was first published under this pseudonym.

Reviews

[RK Byers · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this book in a day and thought it sucked until i realized, "hey! i read this book in a day!"

[PMoslice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donald Goines is an amazing story teller that has strung together an epic tale of a militant man who wants to clean up his neighborhood of the evil's of drugs and racist police that abuse their power. This installment of the Kenyatta saga has more action and intrigue and leaves you at a cliff hanger that begs for you to pick up the next title to see where it leads. Kenyatta's heart is in the right place, but are his actions the right ones? In this world of drugs, police brutality and violence perhaps they are, but somethings can be taken too far. Until the next installment good luck Ken!!

[John Bonner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, Donald Goines has never let me down. However after finishing the book realized I started on the second book in the series, smh (note to self) check to make sure the book I'm reading isn't one far down the series line if so start from book one. On to Crime Partners which means I might have to read this one again before I read the third book

[Mason Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sharp, blunt crime fiction, the second in this series that pretty much defined hard-edged racially-focused stories when it was first published. It's a short, quick read that delivers one knock to the head after another as Detroit inner-city crime figures kill each other left and right while the cops figure out what's going on -- but always too late. The ending is certainly unexpected, and one of the most interesting things is wondering who the sympathetic characters are supposed to be, since everyone's pretty flawed in one way or another.

[CARLEEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death List is the continuing story (book # 2 of 4) about Kenyatta, the leader of a black militant organization who is ridding the ghetto of racist cops and drug dealers 'Kenyatta style' I wasn't impressed with Kenyatta in book one and I like him even less in book two.

In order to kill the arms dealer that sold Kenyatta the list of the city's drug dealers to knock off, Kenyatta has brought in a psychopath named the Creeper who creeps and kills intended targets, as well as innocent people INCLUDING a mother and her small children and while Kenyatta is secretly remorseful that happened; his overall reaction and follow-up about it was minimal for me so Kenyatta is also a creep himself. Kenyatta seems to be all over the place, where is the balance with this man? he is trying to rid the ghettos of assholes and poison, and on the other hand, he is also responsible for the killing of innocent black people....WTF?

This was another fast pace, engaging read complete with intrigue, sex, violence, revenge, drug use, power struggling, lying, stealing, back-stabbing jive. Kenyatta is brazen and bent on completing his mission, evidently, at any price. I find my nerves to be worked with many of the characters, yet I would love to see them in action. Overall, I am still enjoying the ride.

[Derick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "DEATH LIST" by DONALD GOINES is about two detectives, Ryan and Benson. On a duck between two gang rivals, Kingfisher and Kenyatta; Back and forth goes on between them correlating with drugs, weapons, and money. Until finally an opportunity opens up for the detectives when a dope smuggler, Angelo, gets caught up with law enforcement and soon spills all information about the rival gangs. leading to a crazy shootout in which no one is guaranteed an easy way out, including the detectives. "Everything good in life comes with a price", said detective Ryan...Knowing the information about the gangs is one thing, neutralizing them is another.


This book's astonishing giving an insight of life in the ghettos and the struggle of everyday life. Love the incredible action and thriller that keeps the reader wanting more. Very straightforward and one-dimensional, astonished and amazed of how even the worst things in life can be made into a masterpiece. Highly recommend this book because it shows the dark side of everyday life. No other book can show a compelling true piece of work in the suburbs of Detroit. Those who cherish urban fiction will truly love and acknowledge this wonderful piece of work.

[Chad Montabon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall an enjoyable read. For people who like Goines you get all that you want with character development and strong story 'beats' and in this case slight variations on the forumula that are a welcome break from the norm.

The 'high court' of me finds Mr. Goines not guilty of racism, but guilty of the lesser offence of oblivious and willful ignorance regarding races not-his-own and first degree stereotyping. The sentence is that I will be right back in line to read 'Cry Revenge' in a couple of months.

[Larry Singleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Goines' strongest, but not terrible. Has all the Donald Goines books traits, but he doesn't do it as well here, feels like he's just speeding through a checklist of stuff to cover instead of doing it as well as he normally does.

[Bryce Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donald Goines might have been a weird dude...

[Shavell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got bored and confused

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Donald Goines, but Death List is most assuredly not his best work. This book picks up where Crime Partners left off. Kenyatta is leading his gang of murderers/black seperatists against Detroit's white drug lords and the intolerant white police officers of the Detroit PD.

The problem with Death List is that there just isn't much of a plot. Most of Goines' books portray real life events while this book is more fantasy/wishful thinking. It just comes across as something of a pipedream rather than his usual gritty portrayal of life in the ghetto/hood. Disappointing as this book was I will continue the Kenyatta saga.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this in 3 hours

[Pages OfVision · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think it was his best work for sure and i couldn't finish it. It was very slow and seemed to be aimlessly telling a story that seemed to be going nowhere.

[Cayraguh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good setting of the novel. Captivating.

[Orsayor · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first reading of Donald Goines and enjoyed the story. I'll have to find the first Kenyatta novel and then try to continue the series.