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Detroit #5
Stress
Follows the experiences of Charlie Battle, an African American rookie policeman, who joins an elite undercover squad known for its shoot-first philosophy and its anti-Black prejudice
243 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
18 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Loren D. Estleman
314 books279 followersLoren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter.
Estleman is most famous for his novels about P.I. Amos Walker. Other series characters include Old West marshal Page Murdock and hitman Peter Macklin. He has also written a series of novels about the history of crime in Detroit (also the setting of his Walker books.) His non-series works include Bloody Season, a fictional recreation of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and several novels and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.
Series:
* Amos Walker Mystery
* Valentino Mystery
* Detroit Crime Mystery
* Peter Macklin Mystery
* Page Murdock Mystery
Estleman is most famous for his novels about P.I. Amos Walker. Other series characters include Old West marshal Page Murdock and hitman Peter Macklin. He has also written a series of novels about the history of crime in Detroit (also the setting of his Walker books.) His non-series works include Bloody Season, a fictional recreation of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and several novels and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.
Series:
* Amos Walker Mystery
* Valentino Mystery
* Detroit Crime Mystery
* Peter Macklin Mystery
* Page Murdock Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 18, 2014
This novel, the fifth in the 'Detroit Crime Mystery Series', begins at a party on New Year's Eve 1972, at the Grosse Pointe estate of the Crownover-Ogdens, one of Detroit's prominent philanthropic families. Paul Kubicek, a hardened and cynical veteran of the Detroit Police Department, is moonlighting as security for the Crownover-Ogdens when 3 robbers gate-crash the party via motorboat from a nearby river. Kubicek kills 2 of the robbers after a short exchange and wounds the third. Kubicek pads him down and finds that he, an African American man sporting an Afro, is unarmed. Nevertheless, Kubicek has the final say with his .45. (In all the uproar, the driver of the motorboat had made good his escape.)
The circumstances surrounding the incident are not clear-cut, given that Kubicek had interfered with the crime scene to support an exaggerated account he gave his superiors at headquarters. (After all, moonlighting was strictly forbidden.) Enter Charlie Battle, a young African American cop who was posted to Special Investigations to uncover the truth behind the attempted Grosse Pointe robbery. Two older white cops are added to give Battle the benefit of their experience. But, in truth, both resent Battle and seek to undermine his investigation at every turn, one of the cops going so far as to share with Kubicek some details from said investigation.
There is also a former Black Panther and would-be revolutionary on the FBI's Most Wanted List (Wilson McCoy), who is holed up in one of the neigbhorhoods that figured prominently in the July 1967 riot. Increasingly paranoic, McCoy seeks allies and fresh arms, going so far as to enlist the services of a gunrunner for the desired weaponry.
Detroit is the centerpiece throughout the novel. It is a city in flux, plagued with increasing crime, and under the control of a white power base, which had always called the shots but is now reluctant to concede control to a rising Black political class (as exemplified by Coleman Young, a former state legislator who would be elected mayor in 1973) --- though it recognizes that the handwriting is on the wall.
Battle's investigation puts him in a crossfire between his superiors and Wilson McCoy, who, through his Native American lieutenant (aka Wolf) is trying to further drive the city into chaos to suit his goal of keeping "the Man" off-balance and establishing his own authority.
Twists and turns abound in this novel. But I refrain from saying more, because I don't want to spoil the reader from being surprised, startled, and shocked to his/her knees.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are not clear-cut, given that Kubicek had interfered with the crime scene to support an exaggerated account he gave his superiors at headquarters. (After all, moonlighting was strictly forbidden.) Enter Charlie Battle, a young African American cop who was posted to Special Investigations to uncover the truth behind the attempted Grosse Pointe robbery. Two older white cops are added to give Battle the benefit of their experience. But, in truth, both resent Battle and seek to undermine his investigation at every turn, one of the cops going so far as to share with Kubicek some details from said investigation.
There is also a former Black Panther and would-be revolutionary on the FBI's Most Wanted List (Wilson McCoy), who is holed up in one of the neigbhorhoods that figured prominently in the July 1967 riot. Increasingly paranoic, McCoy seeks allies and fresh arms, going so far as to enlist the services of a gunrunner for the desired weaponry.
Detroit is the centerpiece throughout the novel. It is a city in flux, plagued with increasing crime, and under the control of a white power base, which had always called the shots but is now reluctant to concede control to a rising Black political class (as exemplified by Coleman Young, a former state legislator who would be elected mayor in 1973) --- though it recognizes that the handwriting is on the wall.
Battle's investigation puts him in a crossfire between his superiors and Wilson McCoy, who, through his Native American lieutenant (aka Wolf) is trying to further drive the city into chaos to suit his goal of keeping "the Man" off-balance and establishing his own authority.
Twists and turns abound in this novel. But I refrain from saying more, because I don't want to spoil the reader from being surprised, startled, and shocked to his/her knees.
February 23, 2013
It is the 1970s in Detroit. This is the fifth of seven books in the Detroit Crime Mystery series found at http://www.goodreads.com/series/51470.... If you want to read nice things about the police, this book is not for you. Stress is about a barrel of bad apples. You might not have a hard time counting all the good apples on one hand. They just sink into the background with the exception of Charlie Battle. You will remember his name from book four where he was a child in the 1950s being raised by his aunt and uncle. It seems they did a good job. Now he is grown up and a police officer who actually thinks To Protect and Serve is not just a police slogan. There are a few threads from other books in the series but reading them in order is of only minor importance. In fact the series itself does not follow the decades in order. For example, the previous book was in the 1950s followed by this one Someone has put them in chronological order I am sure, but it wasn’t me. I am not aware of the reason they are ‘out of order’ but there is only one common character throughout the series, the City of Detroit, so it is more about there being connecting threads rather than there being a linear order of events. Estleman is best known for the Amos Walker Mystery series found at http://www.goodreads.com/series/51472... .
There are several stories within the story. An off duty cop moonlighting as security at a very high class New Year’s Eve party shoots and kills three black men at the otherwise white party. They were invading the party to commit armed robbery. Only it turns out that the third man was an innocent bystander. The police frame him as being one of the invaders rather than acknowledge his innocence. Charlie Battle is assigned to the police investigation team as the token black. Problem is he tries to actually investigate the incident. The book makes it clear that the third man was indeed innocent and is being railroaded by the police. There is also illegal gun dealing and a kidnapping of the daughter of a wealthy couple for ransom by members of the Black Power movement.
I enjoy Estleman’s writing. He has a narrative style that is easy to read and there are often shades of humor. He does not let the issue of believability interfere with telling a good story. The fictional events are imbedded in a historically correct location with reality improvised with real events, streets, locations and politicians. As usual in this series, some knowledge of Michigan adds to the enjoyment but the story does not depend on the reader having that knowledge.
One of the signatures of an Estleman story is the run-on list of verb descriptors:
I have the feeling that something like this appears several times in each of his books. It is more fun than necessarily emblematic of excellent writing. It’s a little bonus reward that you get and that I look forward to.
This is an author that I have dependably found hard to put down and l look forward to the next book. Four stars easily for Stress. Another Estleman book that I read pretty non-stop in two days. It was a manageable 276 pages that never got boring. But, like I already said, it is pretty rough on the police.
There are several stories within the story. An off duty cop moonlighting as security at a very high class New Year’s Eve party shoots and kills three black men at the otherwise white party. They were invading the party to commit armed robbery. Only it turns out that the third man was an innocent bystander. The police frame him as being one of the invaders rather than acknowledge his innocence. Charlie Battle is assigned to the police investigation team as the token black. Problem is he tries to actually investigate the incident. The book makes it clear that the third man was indeed innocent and is being railroaded by the police. There is also illegal gun dealing and a kidnapping of the daughter of a wealthy couple for ransom by members of the Black Power movement.
I enjoy Estleman’s writing. He has a narrative style that is easy to read and there are often shades of humor. He does not let the issue of believability interfere with telling a good story. The fictional events are imbedded in a historically correct location with reality improvised with real events, streets, locations and politicians. As usual in this series, some knowledge of Michigan adds to the enjoyment but the story does not depend on the reader having that knowledge.
One of the signatures of an Estleman story is the run-on list of verb descriptors:
They all appeared to know what they were doing, he gave them that. While the actors and extras stood around pounding their shoulders and gulping steaming coffee and tea from Styrofoam cups provided by a catering truck, young men and women in baseball caps with film titles stenciled on the fronts unwound miles of cable from portable reels, pulled out the telescoping legs of tripods, erected big silver umbrella reflectors, swung booms, plugged cords into the backs of control panels, trundled cameras, switch-started a gas-powered generator the size of a city bus, laid out hand props on a folding table, and just generally screwed tight, spread out, clamped down, snapped shut, winched up, rolled, pounded, dug, tested, taped, chalked, wired, strapped, wheeled, pushed, tugged, slapped, cursed, replaced and shouldered equipment both familiar and alien to the sergeant from 7:00 A.M. until noon, at which point everything shut down for lunch.
I have the feeling that something like this appears several times in each of his books. It is more fun than necessarily emblematic of excellent writing. It’s a little bonus reward that you get and that I look forward to.
This is an author that I have dependably found hard to put down and l look forward to the next book. Four stars easily for Stress. Another Estleman book that I read pretty non-stop in two days. It was a manageable 276 pages that never got boring. But, like I already said, it is pretty rough on the police.
August 21, 2010
Officer Charles Battle has a problem. Picked to join the internal affairs investigative team because he's black, he is actually taking the investigation of an officer shooting seriously. Sgt, Kubicek a decorated cop and a member of S.T.R.E.S.S., was working as a security guard for a large party at one of Grosse Point's society mansions, in violation of departmental policy. During an attempted robbery, he courageously shoots two of the robbers, both armed, and then thinking he sees another one fleeing, he shoots Junios Harrison, a young black man who had been invited to the party, in the back. Realizing his mistake he lays down a perp gun. The other detectives on the squad have rallied behind Kubicek. realizing it was a mistake, but pressure from the black community is pushing them all into cover-up mode.
The prevailing mood of the black community is, as one tells Battle, "I believe you when you say you're here to find out. You're a tame dog. You shuffle here and shuffle there and sniff around and bring back what you dug up like a good yard nigger before anybody else can dig it up, and your lily-white boss rubs your head and says, 'That's fine, boy, now you go put on a clean pair of overalls and drive the commissioner's wife down to Hudson's.' And what you brought goes into a locked file."
Here's Battle ,using on the Mod Squad (most of you won't have a clue about that show): "Linc, the black and beautiful undercover cop with a weakness for wraparound sunglasses, hula-hoop afros, and dashikis short enough to run in without having to hold up the hems like Scarlett O'Hara. . . A few minutes and several commercials later, having made his collar, he would receive a pat on her upholstered head from his partners, the Hollywood hippie and the blonde tart in love beads, and the three of them would go to a rib joint and celebrate. It was enough to make Battle nostalgic for Amos 'n' Andy."
I remember watching the Mod Squad only a couple of times when it was on TV so I poked around a bit and discovered it was considered by some to be high social commentary, a celebration of anti-authoritarian youth. (Admittedly, most also seemed to have a crush on Peggy Lipton.) Another Aaron Spelling's wishful thinking.
The book is somewhat dated with references to the Detroit riots of the sixties, but for anyone who lived through the period, the racial tensions within all levels of society are accurately portrayed and a reminder of a time, not so long ago, when things were very different. An author's note at the end places some of the events in historical context. Be sure to read it last.
3.5 stars really, but not quite 4.
The prevailing mood of the black community is, as one tells Battle, "I believe you when you say you're here to find out. You're a tame dog. You shuffle here and shuffle there and sniff around and bring back what you dug up like a good yard nigger before anybody else can dig it up, and your lily-white boss rubs your head and says, 'That's fine, boy, now you go put on a clean pair of overalls and drive the commissioner's wife down to Hudson's.' And what you brought goes into a locked file."
Here's Battle ,using on the Mod Squad (most of you won't have a clue about that show): "Linc, the black and beautiful undercover cop with a weakness for wraparound sunglasses, hula-hoop afros, and dashikis short enough to run in without having to hold up the hems like Scarlett O'Hara. . . A few minutes and several commercials later, having made his collar, he would receive a pat on her upholstered head from his partners, the Hollywood hippie and the blonde tart in love beads, and the three of them would go to a rib joint and celebrate. It was enough to make Battle nostalgic for Amos 'n' Andy."
I remember watching the Mod Squad only a couple of times when it was on TV so I poked around a bit and discovered it was considered by some to be high social commentary, a celebration of anti-authoritarian youth. (Admittedly, most also seemed to have a crush on Peggy Lipton.) Another Aaron Spelling's wishful thinking.
The book is somewhat dated with references to the Detroit riots of the sixties, but for anyone who lived through the period, the racial tensions within all levels of society are accurately portrayed and a reminder of a time, not so long ago, when things were very different. An author's note at the end places some of the events in historical context. Be sure to read it last.
3.5 stars really, but not quite 4.
January 20, 2018
Historical crime fiction set in Detroit in 1973. At first, I liked reading all the familiar sites and names, then after the umpteenth mention of the 1967 riots, it became tiresome. The riots were mentioned in every other sentence to emphasize how crime had skyrocketed since that time. The plot does have a very exciting and unbelievable courtroom climax, which actually is part of Detroit's lore.
March 1, 2020
Estleman's an excellent writer, and this book isn't chopped liver, but I found it a bit strange because much of the content (especially the wild climactic scene) had been repeatedly foreshadowed (or even explicitly described) in earlier volumes of the Detroit series. As a result, I "knew where the story was going", so to speak, which is a little odd since Estleman's work often hinges on surprising plot twists.
May 22, 2025
One of Estleman's excellent Detroit series, loosely connected books about the history of the city from the late 1800s to the 1990s. This one is about the early 70s, trying to deal with black activists, hippie radicals, and the changing political landscape. Crime has skyrocketed in the city since the 1968 riots, driving people out of town.
The story is centered around a special tough on crime unit called STRESS which is a bit rougher and tougher than the usual cops, but gets results however they need to. A new young black detective is put on the case of a shooting, to get the politicos off the back of the department and an investigation ensues, weaving in and out of Detroit's criminal and police sectors, ending with an explosive courtroom scene like you've never read before.
This is grimmer and sadder than most of Estleman's books, and you wonder if anyone is going to make it out alive, or clean. The characterization is exceptional, and you feel drenched in early 70s street culture.
The story is centered around a special tough on crime unit called STRESS which is a bit rougher and tougher than the usual cops, but gets results however they need to. A new young black detective is put on the case of a shooting, to get the politicos off the back of the department and an investigation ensues, weaving in and out of Detroit's criminal and police sectors, ending with an explosive courtroom scene like you've never read before.
This is grimmer and sadder than most of Estleman's books, and you wonder if anyone is going to make it out alive, or clean. The characterization is exceptional, and you feel drenched in early 70s street culture.
May 28, 2016
#5 in the Detroit series.
Detroit novel - After three men are shot by Paul Kubicek, an off-duty cop moonlighting as a security guard, during an attempted robbery at a posh New Year's Eve party, the Detroit Police Department greets 1973 by declaring that Kubicek was working undercover for STRESS (Stop the Robberies, Enjoy Safe Streets), a notorious "police crackdown squad." Even so, the DPD can't bury the fact that the three men Kubicek shot were the only blacks at the party, and that only two of them were involved in the robbery. To head off a scandal, black policeman Charles Battle is assigned to investigate, and he comes up against the racism of the old-boy cop network. It turns out that the heist was organized by Wilson McCoy, one of the FBI's 10 Most Wanted, a marijuana chain-smoking black radical who's trying to get money to buy illegal weapons.
Detroit novel - After three men are shot by Paul Kubicek, an off-duty cop moonlighting as a security guard, during an attempted robbery at a posh New Year's Eve party, the Detroit Police Department greets 1973 by declaring that Kubicek was working undercover for STRESS (Stop the Robberies, Enjoy Safe Streets), a notorious "police crackdown squad." Even so, the DPD can't bury the fact that the three men Kubicek shot were the only blacks at the party, and that only two of them were involved in the robbery. To head off a scandal, black policeman Charles Battle is assigned to investigate, and he comes up against the racism of the old-boy cop network. It turns out that the heist was organized by Wilson McCoy, one of the FBI's 10 Most Wanted, a marijuana chain-smoking black radical who's trying to get money to buy illegal weapons.
February 17, 2008
I've read a lot of Estleman and generally enjoy his work, though most of it to me is like a good steak - you know what to expect, it goes down well, tastes good but it doesn't necessarily make your "best meals ever" list. "Stress" is classic Estleman, but set in an earlier period in Detroit. I can't vouch for accuracy, but the good-ol-boy cops network seems plausable, and the city comes alive in Estleman's hands. I've reatined my copy of this one and look forward to rediscovering it in a few years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2015
While working security at a New Year's eve party in a Detroit mansion, (white) Sargent Kubicek shoots and kills three armed black men trying to rob the guests. What follows is insight into a black officer assigned to find the truth, gun runners trying to make a profit, wealthy people trying to jockey for power, a possible police coverup and the city of Detroit in the late 1960's/early 1970's. Estleman masterfully blends each players actions and thoughts without loosing the reader. Gritty, realistic - no sugar coating.
June 9, 2015
Early strike against this one for more foul language than usual in an Estleman story. It didn't get much better. Weak story, weak dialogue, by far his worst effort I've read yet. Ugh.
Turn to these instead:
A Smile on the Face of the Tiger (The Amos Walker Series #15)
King of the Corner (Detroit Crime Series #3)
which I rated 5 stars.
Turn to these instead:
A Smile on the Face of the Tiger (The Amos Walker Series #15)
King of the Corner (Detroit Crime Series #3)
which I rated 5 stars.
December 2, 2014
Interesting and realistic for time period. Language. Audio narrated clearly, with empathy by Ezra Knight (?sp). Recommend for history and mystery buffs.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews