Skunk Train

by Joe Clifford

Starting in the Humboldt wilds and ending on the Skid Row of Los Angeles, Skunk Train follows two teenagers, Kyle and Lizzie, who stumble upon stolen drug money and set off to find Kyle’s father, a Hollywood director he’s never met, with drug dealers, dirty cops, and the Mexican mob on their heels. Kyle Gill, fifteen, lives with his older cousin, Deke, in the backwater Northern California town of Dormundt. Kyle has been cutting class for the past three weeks. When Kyle returns home one afternoon, he discovers Deke and his business partner, Jimmy, are holding one hundred pounds of marijuana, which they discovered abandoned at their dealer’s house. Knowing people will soon come looking for the dope, Deke and Jimmy set up a quick deal at the Skunk Train Inn, a skeezy roadside motel, but the buyers turn out to be dirty cops. In the ensuing melee, Deke is killed, Jimmy escapes, and the dirty cops flee. Kyle takes off in Jimmy’s truck with the money that was transferred before the shootout. On a mission to find his father, Kyle heads to San Francisco, where he meets Lizzie Decker, a wealthy high school senior, whose father has just been arrested for embezzlement. Together, Kyle and Lizzie join forces, but are soon pursued by Jimmy, the two dirty cops, and the Mexican cartel, as a third detective closes in, attempting to tie loose threads and solve the Skunk Train murders. Drawing on novels featuring teenage protagonists such as Rule of the Bone and Catcher in the Rye, Skunk Train is a modern-day love story set against the backdrop of the NorCal marijuana trade. Like No Country for Old Men, the book is steeped in the colloquial. It is a fast-paced thriller, which tests the bonds of family and shows the lengths desperate people will go to keep a secret and protect the ones they love. Praise for SKUNK “In Skunk Train, Clifford channels the best of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, Daniel Woodrell’s Winter’s Bone, and Richard Lange’s This Wicked World. Here a teenager on a mission endures and enacts all manner of crime. The road to becoming a man is not just rocky for Kyle, it is filled with figurative craters, sinkholes, and mountains. Buckle up and hold on tight. It’s a fast and rough road trip you won’t want to miss.” —Jeffery Hess, author of No Salvation “Three are dead at the Skunk Train Inn and 15-year-old Kyle Gill is on the run with a bag of cash—hunted by a small-time dealer, crooked cops, and a Mexican cartel. A heart-pounding thriller which could be dubbed ‘no country for young men’.” —J.L. Abramo, Shamus Award-winning author of Gravesend “Joe Clifford’s Skunk Train is fifteen year-old ‘loser’ Kyle Gill’s tough, adrenaline-fueled coming of age story that collides with northern California’s marijuana culture, San Francisco’s highest and lowest elements and the fringes of Hollywood. Gritty, raw and rough-edged, but with perceptive observations about life and a tender heart at its center. It’s so good every time I had to stop reading I couldn’t wait to get back to it to find out what was happening to Kyle and his girlfriend Lizzie. Tense, terse and fast paced—a must read.” —Paul D. Marks, Shamus Award-winning author of White Heat

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 2, 2019

About the author

Joe Clifford is the author of several books, including Junkie Love, the Jay Porter Thriller Series, Say My Name, All Who Wander, as well as editor of Trouble in the Heartland: Crime Stories Based on the Songs of Bruce Springsteen and others. Joe’s writing can be found at www.joeclifford.com.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clifford's "Skunk Train" is a page-turning adventure traversing the length of a California from the redwood forests of Humboldt County to the run--down skid row of downtown Los Angeles. Yes, it's another twist on the theme of a young innocent (sorta) on the run with a bag of cash and all kinds of bad guys on his heels. But, the writing is so crisp that the theme feels fresh and new. Humboldt's economy has been not-so-secretly dependent on the pot trade for many years and things in that world (at least before legalization) often end up upside down. Here, fifteen-year-old Kyle gets caught up in his cousin's sour deal and on the run with the goods. It's a great mash-up of innocence and criminality, of naïveté and experience. Most of all, it's a damn fun read and we all need some fun these days.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book because I live in the town where the Skunk Train resides. I thought my town might be featured but no. This book is centered in a Humboldt town and the Skunk Train is refers to is a run down motel where violence by corrupt cops takes place. Oh well, the culture it talks about is very familiar to me.

Humboldt and Mendocino (my county) are famous for their marijuana cultivation. It's not such a promising industry now that is legal but it is still done. There are plenty of people living "off the grid" in remote sections of the area and growing the "crop". Kyle is a young high school student whose custodial uncle stumbles onto a big stash of marijuana at a murdered grower's house. Trying to unload the product is quite a problem.

There are lots of stereotypes in the book including motorcycle gangs and members of the Mexican Cartel. They are stereotypes because they are often true and I have seen enough of them to last a lifetime. Some of the situations are very real and some are far fetched. I think this may be a more male oriented book or maybe for someone who is not as familiar to the culture.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[Mike Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great adventure from Joe. Loved it!! easily becoming one of the best in the genre!

[John McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Skunk Train Inn is a sleazy, side-of-the-road motel up in northern California’s sparsely populated Humboldt County. That’s where the giant redwood trees grow, and it’s the epicenter of the state’s illicit pot-growing operations. Kyle Gill, who’s only a few days shy of his sixteenth birthday, lives in a run-down trailer with his older cousin Deke, up in the backwoods town of Dormundt . . . stuck so far in the redwoods that sunlight needs a roadmap to find it’s way in there. Kyle’s in high school, but he’s been cutting classes for the past three weeks. When he comes home early one afternoon, he finds Deke and his business partner Jimmy, are sitting on one hundred pounds of marijuana they found abandoned at another dealer’s house. Fearful that the owners of such a huge quantity will soon coming looking for it, and fearful of their response, Jimmy arranges for a quick sale at the aforementioned Skunk Train Inn. That’s where it all goes to hell in a handbasket.
The buyers turn out to be renegade undercover cops. Then some outlaw bikers show up, trying to hijack the cash and the crop . . . while a car full Mexican Cartel enforcers are on their way to make sure they get paid.
In the gunbattle that follows, two bikers are killed. Deke is killed. Jimmy and the bent cops flee the scene, while Kyle jumps into Jimmy’s truck and heads out for San Francisco with one hundred thousand dollars in cash, determined to find his absent film director father. Hot on his trail are two renegade cops and a bunch of Mexican enforcers . . . all of whom are bent on revenge and getting their stolen property back.
But once in San Francisco, Kyle meets Lizzie. That’s when everything changes in this high-octane-thriller from a master of crime fiction by the name of Joe Clifford. While this isn’t his first rodeo, it’s surely one of his best performances.

[K-BRC · Rating 5 out of 5]

A plot with more twists than a country road and with a love story to warm a reader’s heart; these teens may be more Thelma and Louise than Romeo and Juliet. They have challenges.Definitely a 5 star ⭐️ read!

[Rory Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a Pink Panther cartoon in which the Panther, a caveman, a small dinosaur, and a large dinosaur fight over a bone that keeps changing hands. It's a fast-moving chase that's often very funny, and so is Skunk Train. I found the more frequent humor welcome. That's a feature that's typically present in Joe Clifford's work -- especially his memoir, Junkie Love -- but it's more subdued in his grim and wintry Jay Porter series.

Also, the violence in Skunk Train is by no means cartoonish. Yet the dimension that's also present here is heart, as represented in particular by Kyle, the innocent teen at the center of the story -- as well as several other well-meaning characters.

In addition, Clifford's observations of San Francisco today are right on target.

[Avidlyreading Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** ARC provided by Netgalley via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ***
This is my first Joe Clifford read. He created interesting characters in a story with a fluid flow. Kyle is an angsty and somewhat angry (or average teenager) who has grown up in a rural area with a cousin, Deke, who is a small time marijuana dealer/tattooist. Deke makes a wrong turn and this tailspins his and Kyle’s lives into a fast paced, crime filled, bad cop-good cop, Mexican cartel, first love, first experience, coming of age story. There’s action packed in every chapter of this book and it’s awesome; there’s never a dull moment. I would definitely read more of Clifford’s stories and highly recommend this one.

[Kourtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Wow! Wow!

If you're looking for a heart-pounding, edge of your seat, joyride, then look no further!

I was hooked from the first paragraph! Met Kyle, he's 15 years old, living in a podunk town in California with his cousin, Deke, who sells marijuana. Kyle's mom died when he was 5 and his father abandoned him and lives in Hollywood, as a movie director. There's a drug deal that goes very wrong and sends this story skidding sideways, in all the right ways. Kyle ends up on a journey to find his father. He meets lots of interesting characters along the way....the Mexican cartel, that wants their stolen product back, crooked cops that want their money back, some street kids, pedophiles, and a beautiful girl that wants to help him out.

This is so well written and draws you right in to the story and doesn't let go when you're done reading!

Joe Clifford, I'm coming for your other books!

A special thank you to NetGalley, Down & Out Books, and Joe Clifford for providing me with a copy.

[Tiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another rollicking good ride from Clifford. 15 year old Kyle has been living with his older cousin, Deke, in a northern California town since his mom died and his father said he was too busy to look after him. Well Deke and his buddy/drug business partner Jimmy get themselves into a load of trouble by stealing a large amount of dope and a large amount of money. This leads to a deadly shootout and before you know it Kyle is hightailing it to LA in search of his father, with a whole roster of very bad people in his wake. A coming of age story of sorts, this was a fun, fast read. I have yet to read anything from Joe Clifford that I didn't enjoy.

[Rasmenia Massoud · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how sometimes, you're watching that Netflix show, Ozark and other times, you're watching Coppola's adaptation of The Outsiders and you think to yourself, "Man... someone really oughta dip that chocolate in this peanut butter and write a book that combines what I really like about these two stories." You know that feeling? Well someone did do that. Joe Clifford did that. And the result is a really fun ride. The protag here feels like a real person and I cared about him throughout the entire story. What can I say... I have a soft spot for juvenile delinquents making questionable decisions.

But, what I really dig here is the sense of place. I mean, I've never been to SF or LA's Skid Row, but I feel as though I have been now. I enjoyed the hell out of this book.

[Meri Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Train
Joe Clifford
is a flashback wild ride through the CA coast from San Francisco to Hollywood before legalization. These teens are being chased by dirty cops, dealers, and the Mexican mob. It’s a high-octane fast-paced storyline. Recommended read.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a wild romp through the CA in pre-legalization times. These teens race from San Francisco to Skid Row being chased by dirty cops, dealers, and the Mexican mob. It’s a face-paced roller coaster ride. Recommended read.

[Jim Nesbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

THERE AIN'T NO YELLOW BRICK ROAD

Most coming-of-age stories don't feature dead bodies, point-blank murder, duffel bags stuffed with weed, bent cops, bloody biker shootouts or underage rich kids popping Molly to the zombie beat of skull-crushing club music.

Then again, author Joe Clifford isn't telling a sugary, rose-tinted tale of Billy and Buffy's first taste of lust in his relentlessly grungy novel, Skunk Train.

Instead, Clifford wraps the hard-boiled blooming of teenager Kyle Gill in a noir-steeped story of losers and low-lifes scamming, stealing and hustling their way through hellscapes of dead-end rural desperation in northern California and suburban squalor on the edges of San Francisco and Los Angeles. This bleakness is leavened by the occasional peek at manicured enclaves where privilege is considered a birthright.

A classic noir dynamic is also in play -- losers grabbing for the brass ring of a crime caper to escape their desolate circumstances, a reach that often ends in death and disaster. In this case, the MacGuffin is those duffel bags of dope and an associated backpack stuffed with cash.

The dope presumably belongs to a Mexican cartel. And it's a grim windfall for Deke and Jimmy, two low-level dealers who discover the bloody bodies of their main supplier, Bodhi, and his two young wives in their mobile home, along with the duffel bags and a cache of assault rifles and semi-automatic pistols they also grab.

Deke and Jimmy know they're on a very lethal clock, figuring they only have a few hours to cut a deal to convert the dope to cash before cartel sicarios track them down. But they live in Dormundt, a sad little burg in Humboldt County, the heart of California dope country, where everybody is either growing, selling or smoking the primo chronic. A connection who can broker a deal for the weight they're carrying is hard to come by.

Jimmy winds up calling a fellow low-life "who knows a guy." They set the meet for oh-dark-thirty at the Skunk Train Motor Inn, a forlorn waystation where hope never checks in. It's a trap. The buyers are cops, but their takedown of Deke and Jimmy is interrupted by a biker gang that roars up and starts blasting.

Deke and Jimmy split up and beat feet. But not before Deke grabs the cops' backpack of cash and tosses it in the bed of Jimmy's truck. Now he's desperate to get back to the motel room where his half-brother Kyle is waiting, wide-eyed and staring out the window at the firefight. But the route he takes skirts the edge of the highway out front and he gets crushed by a hurtling tractor-trailer rig.

Kyle is all alone. The firefight is over. The cops are gone. With the dope. He creeps past the bodies of two bikers he knows from selling them dope at their favorite bar. He finds the keys to Jimmy's truck and drives away, heading south.

The book becomes Kyle's story now, a tale of a youngster forced to grow up fast, with bent cops and cartel killers on his tail and a backpack full of cash. He's focused on finding the father who abandoned him, a movie producer in Hollywood.

Or so he's been told. He also believes Deke was his cousin, not his half-brother. Kyle's journey reveals the difference between hard truths and wishful fantasy. And the power of ditching the dreamy lie and owning what's real, shouldering the pain and soldiering on.

The road also takes him to Lizzie Decker, a smart and gorgeous rich girl who hits the clubs of San Francisco, takes a shine to Kyle, helps him get the money back from Jimmy and drives him to L.A., the final leg of his quest to either find his father or the rocky truth.

There's a glimmer of connection between Lizzie and Kyle, despite the class differences and the slight difference in age. But there are bad dudes after Kyle and the money -- even Jimmy is an enemy now.

You find yourself rooting for Kyle -- and Lizzie -- hoping both will outrun the killers and crooked cops, shake free of the bullets, blood and loss, and maybe, just maybe, find each other at the end of this road.

Skunk Train, By Joe Clifford, Square Tire Books, Austin, TX, @ 2025, available in paperback and Kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Train-Jo...

Jim Nesbitt is the award-winning author of five hard-boiled Texas crime thrillers set in the desert outback of West Texas and northern Mexico and featuring a battered but relentless shamus and ex-homicide detective named Ed Earl Burch. https://www.amazon.com/author/jimnesbitt

[Kim Cabrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Train, written by Joe Clifford, is a sort of coming-of-age tale set against a backdrop of California’s grittier side. The hero of the story is 15-year-old Kyle Gill, who lives in the hills of Humboldt with his cousin, Deke. Deke and a friend, Jimmy, have come into possession of a hundred pounds of marijuana. In their attempt to sell it, they run afoul of some dirty cops, a biker gang, the Mexican cartel, and assorted others. Kyle and his new friend, Lizzie, end up on the run with a backpack full of cash.

The Humboldt hill country, where the story begins, is described fairly well. The communities mentioned by name are fictional, but there really is a Skunk Train, although it is not a motel, it’s an actual tourist train. As a resident of Humboldt, this reviewer found the descriptions of the rural life here relatively accurate. Kyle seemed a bit naive for his age, but it is partly due to his isolation in the hills with his cousin, who is a marijuana farmer. The communities described in the book seem to be based on mashups of many local communities, rather than just one town. The name of Kyle’s town, Dormundt, is an interesting play on words. Sounds like Dormant, which could be an interesting reference by the author to some of the ways of life here in Humboldt. The other fictional towns are Richter and Cutting.

Deke and Jimmy are the ones who set the events in motion when they help themselves to the stolen marijuana. Then, they attempt to sell it to some dirty cops, but that is interrupted by the biker gang. In the process, Deke is killed. Kyle ends up running off with Jimmy’s truck, which, unknown to Kyle, has a bag of money in the back. Kyle ends up in San Francisco, where he tries to locate his uncle. He loses the truck and the money and finds a girl named Lizzie, who eventually decides to help him. Kyle wants to find his father, who he believes is a movie director in Hollywood.

The story was believable and the characters were built up well over the course of the novel. Kyle does a lot of growing up in that time span. Lizzie has her own reasons for helping him. The situations Kyle runs into are unfortunately too common for runaway juveniles. The harsh reality of his situation seemed very realistic.

I liked that the novel didn’t try to make things seem too perfect. The reader sees the reality of life on the street and of the hidden side of our cities. The events seemed realistic for a kid from out of town with no money who knows no one in the area. What would he do to survive? How would he go about finding his father with the very slim amount of evidence he had to work with?

The plot moved along well and the reader will be eager to see what happens next. This was a pretty good page-turner and really drew me into the story. Characters are believable and the locations are well-described. Overall, I thought the author did a great job bringing this story to life. There is a sense of reality to it that is lacking in some fiction.

I give it five stars. A very enjoyable read. Recommended.

[Luanne Oleas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author (Joe Clifford) has got game and a distinctive voice to go with it. While trying to gallop along with plot of Skunk Train, I often had to step back to take in the setting. The depiction of the places intrigued me as much as the characters themselves.

Not only is 15-year-old Kyle out of his depths when it comes to large amounts of money, crooked cops, and the Mexican cartel, his upbringing in a small northern California town didn't prepare him for much. Maybe smoking pot and riding his bike. Certainly not dealing with the seedier sides of San Francisco and Los Angeles. And nothing had prepared him for someone as cool as Lizzie.

A story that starts with a gruesome murder and progresses with a balls-to-the-walls chase is enough to keep anyone reading into the wee hours. It doesn't seem like the place an innocent love story might bloom. But wait... these characters have depth. Their backstories are deftly woven into the storyline so slyly, it's almost unnoticed, but so crucial.

I've read several of Clifford's books, but this is one of my favorites. Definitely worth a read. You can go to the bad side of town without the risk, but with all of the color.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Clifford writes with a ton of grit, pace, and style. Skunk Train adds a good dose of heart and soul to the mix. Told primarily from the perspective of fifteen-year-old Kyle Gill, Clifford delivers a bildungsroman of sorts that manages to keep the reader's heart pounding while at the same time tugging at its strings. Clifford handles Kyle (and Kyle's seventeen-year-old love interest, Lizzie Decker) with a deft touch, managing to capture the protagonists' raw teenage emotions without in any way sacrificing his signature touch: delivering a compelling crime drama.

More than anything, I was impressed by how quickly this book got its claws in me. Mystery and crime novels aren't normally my cup of tea, but I've read and enjoyed Clifford in the past, and I really liked the title and cover of this one. By the end of Chapter Two I was hooked. Kudos to Clifford. This book covers a decent bit of plot in a short amount of time, but it never loses sight of the teenage themes that speak to us all.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Clifford writes with a ton of grit, pace, and style. Skunk Train adds a good dose of heart and soul to the mix. Told primarily from the perspective of fifteen-year-old Kyle Gill, Clifford delivers a bildungsroman of sorts that manages to keep the reader's heart pounding while at the same time tugging at its strings. Clifford handles Kyle (and Kyle's seventeen-year-old love interest, Lizzie Decker) with a deft touch, managing to capture the protagonists' raw teenage emotions without in any way sacrificing his signature touch: delivering a compelling crime drama. More than anything, I was impressed by how quickly this book got its claws in me. Mystery and crime novels aren't normally my cup of tea, but I've read and enjoyed Clifford in the past, and I really liked the title and cover of this one. By the end of Chapter Two I was hooked. Kudos to Clifford. This book covers a decent bit of plot in a short amount of time, but it never loses sight of the teenage themes that speak to us all.

[Bill Zarchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyle had a difficult upbringing. His mother had passed out of his life, forcing him to live with his cousin Deke, who gave him a place to live, but little in the way of material or emotional support. His father, reputed to be a famous film director in Hollywood, had forsaken any relationship with him. And Kyle had to face the consequences of skipping school for three weeks.

It's difficult to imagine how things could get worse, but they did. Kyle must deal with piles of money, bags of pot, and a drug deal gone bad. A semi truck roared through town with crushing results, sending Kyle on a wild flight from his small northern California hamlet in a stolen truck, and propelling him into a series of misadventures that took him and his new girlfriend Lizzie across the state in search of love, redemption, and a semblance of normal family life.

Joe Clifford knows how to create tension in his books and sustain it for many pages, and Skunk Train is no exception. Fast-paced, engrossing, and hard to put down.

[Michelle Isler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skunk Train was a fun book. It was fast paced and light. Kyle is only 15 and caught up in a drug deal gone wrong. After witnessing a traumatic event he tries to skip town but nothing is working in his favor. Until he meets a down on her luck rich girl named Lizzie. She hooks up with him and they head to Hollywood. Unfortunately one of the guys from the drug deal is hot on their heels.
It is a fun ride. I definitely loved Junkie Love more but this was like a young adult Junkie Love.
Joe Clifford is definitely talented. He can make you feel like you are right there in the conversation with the characters. I was pushing for them. But, he does that in every book. It is his voice coming through the words. I gave it a 4 because Junkie Love will always be my favorite. But, I highly recommend it.

[Domi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really nicely written coming of age story about 15 year-old Kyle (almost 16) who, after some unfortunate incidents, comes in possession of a bag full of (drug)money and ends up taking an eventful roadtrip to LA in search of his father, a famous producer in Hollywood. Along the way he is chased by criminals, dirty cops and Mexican gangmembers, but also finds a girl to fall in love with.
This was a fast-paced story where the characters and side characters aren't necessarily good or bad. There were a lot of gray areas where people you thought were assholes surprisingly did help out and people you thought were the good guys didn't conmpletely have good intentions. I flew through this book as it was a very enjoyable read and more than enough plot twists to keep it interesting.

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ***

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pair of teenagers, one a poor lad from backwater Northern California, the other a rich girl high school senior from San Francisco make for odd protagonists. This unusual pairing for a crime novel, results in a romp of a story with endearingly flawed heroes. Whilst in some ways a cultural reflection on the criminal underclass, overall, it’s an enjoyable enough read with a three-star rating. With thanks to ARC and the author for a preview copy for review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are freely given and totally my own.

[Tim Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clifford combines the teen journey with neo-noir in a tale that travels down the California coast from Humboldt to L.A. Kyle Gill is fifteen and has been raised by his cousin Deke since Kyle's mother died when he was a child. Deke is a small time drug dealer in Humboldt County (before legalization). Kyle doesn't fit in and just wants to join his Dad, who he's been told is a movie and TV director, in L.A. Following a drug deal gone bad, Kyle flees down the coast in a stolen truck with a bag full of money, pursued by Deke's partner, bent cops, and members of the drug cartel. Along the way he picks up Lizzie Decker in San Francisco. Lizzie is a poor little rich girl who decides that Kyle is someone worth her interest.

I knew Clifford from a number of short stories, but this is the first novel of his that I've read. It won't be the last. Though it's not without faults, Clifford keeps the action moving and the plot chugging along. Dealing with teenage protagonists allows for the lead characters to act in some dumb ways and to ignore the obvious without causing the kind of irritation it does when adult characters do so.

A quick fun read and a worthy addition to the neo-noir canon.

[Nick Phelan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to #netgalley for copy of #skunktrain. I'm afraid I didn't enjoy it very much. The plot and characters seemed like many I've read before. The writing was good but I'd have liked something that wasn't so derivative.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this! Something a little different! If you like slightly mad adventures, with characters that don't really deserve what happening to them! This is for you! A good fun read! Oh what bad luck!!

[Joanne Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Skunk Train. It’s fast paced, with both a touch of noir and a touch of humor, although the characters do find themselves in dire straits at times.

[Rusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyle is a great character. Clifford writes a really believable young protag, and this book is well worth your time.

[Diogenes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, gritty, yet tender tale of a naïve teenage boy who runs afoul of dopers, bent cops and the Mexican cartel. The dialog is sharp and realistic and the characters ring true, even the worst of them.