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Richard Christie Mystery #4
The Odds
The Homicide Department is upside down—Richard Christie is in the hospital, Artie Dolan is headed away on vacation, John Potocki’s life is falling apart, and Colleen Greer is so worried about her boss’s health, she can hardly think. A young boy in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood dies of a suspicious overdose. The Narcotics police are working on tips and they draft Colleen and Potocki to help them. In this same neighborhood, four young kids have been abandoned and are living on their own. The Philips kids, brainy in school, are reluctant to compromise themselves. But they need cash. Connecting these people and their stories is Nick Banks, just out of prison and working off a debt to an old acquaintance involved in the drug trade. Nick is a charmer, a gentle fellow who’s had a lot of trouble in his life. One day he gives free food to the Philips kids, little guessing how connected their lives are about to become.
Kathleen George’s latest work pushes the edge—a spectacularly original crime novel.
Kathleen George’s latest work pushes the edge—a spectacularly original crime novel.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2009
9 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen George
2,663 books67 followersKathleen Elizabeth George (born July 7, 1943) is an American professor and writer best known for her series of crime novels set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
She was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and educated at the University of Pittsburgh: B.A. (summa cum laude), 1964, M.A. (theatre), 1966, Ph.D. (theatre), 1975, M.F.A. (creative writing), 1988. She teaches theatre arts at the University of Pittsburgh and fiction writing at the Chatham University Low-Residency MFA Program in Creative Writing.
She is married to the writer Hilary Masters, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. They reside in Pittsburgh.
She was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and educated at the University of Pittsburgh: B.A. (summa cum laude), 1964, M.A. (theatre), 1966, Ph.D. (theatre), 1975, M.F.A. (creative writing), 1988. She teaches theatre arts at the University of Pittsburgh and fiction writing at the Chatham University Low-Residency MFA Program in Creative Writing.
She is married to the writer Hilary Masters, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. They reside in Pittsburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 9, 2017
So there's this thing I've signed up to do. The local library system is hosting a first-ever Battle of the Books Tournament. You and your teammates have to read ten assigned novels, all of which are either about Pittsburgh or by Pittsburgh authors, and then answer trivia questions pulled from the books in September. Your team can break the reads up however you want - depending on the size of your team, maybe everyone reads 2-3 or more of the novels so those people can be experts on the titles. But because my team is just three of us, and we're all a bit neurotic, we're all sort of reading all of the titles because we have control issues.
This is the first book from that list that I have been able to read.
Anyone who knows me knows I have difficulty reading books out of order. Like if they're part of a series, I want to read the series in order because otherwise what's the point of life? But due to time constraints and other life responsibilities, I decided to be all YOLO and read The Odds, even though I knew going into it that it's the fourth book in the series featuring homicide detective, Richard Christie.
In the beginning of this novel, Christie is recently diagnosed with cancer. The story does not revolve around him that much, and since I don't know what the first three novels are like, I can only assume that this is not typical. I'm trying not to think about all the possible backstory I might have missed by jumping into #4.
There are a couple different storylines here: The Narcotics team pulls in Colleen Greer and John Potocki from Homicide to help investigate the overdose death of a young boy on the North Side; four siblings are abandoned in the same neighborhood; Nick, the guy at the pizza shop across the street, is working off an old debt to someone in the drug trade; and a questionable attraction between partners Greer and Potocki.
The best part of this novel, in my opinion, is the Philips children who have been abandoned. The story starts out with them, and through them we meet Nick at the pizza shop, and through them the rest of the story unfolds. They are smart children, not in an annoyingly precocious way, thankfully, but in a holy-shit-they're-sort-of-brilliant-and-I-want-to-know-more-about-them.
I lived on the North Side when I first moved to Pittsburgh in 2003. If such kids existed at that time, I never crossed paths with them. I would say children like this on the North Side are an incredible fabrication, but that's okay, it's fiction, we're allowed to suspend our disbelief.
The other storylines paled in comparison. I found myself not carrying that much about the "mystery", and I sure as hell didn't care about the relationship between Greer and Potocki. My belief is that they are probably in the first three Christie novels too, and maybe readers were all like "What's with that sexual tension?" or "Can you create some sexual tension between these two characters?" and since Christie himself is a bit unavailable due to his recent medical diagnosis, the author took this opportunity to really let the light shine on Greer and Potocki. Maybe if I was more invested in this series, I too would care about them. But as it is, I found them to be a distraction and an obstacle in getting back to the Philips kids.
A fine enough read, however. One of my teammates complained to me that there is no real mystery in this novel, though it claims to be a mystery. I agree-disagree with that, as in I wasn't bothered by that whatsoever until she brought it up. Do we know what's happening essentially from the very beginning? Sure. But the motivation, the background, the path leading to what happened is also shrouded in mystery, and that's what these characters kinda sorta eventually all work out.
I may go back and read the first three novels at some point. I don't know if all of the books center on the North Side, but it would be cool if they did. I understand the author lives there, and from her writing I could gather she really knew the neighborhoods pretty well. The North Side is an underappreciated part of Pittsburgh with a rich history, and I like when I get a flash of other parts of the area that I was not quite brave enough to venture into myself.
This is the first book from that list that I have been able to read.
Anyone who knows me knows I have difficulty reading books out of order. Like if they're part of a series, I want to read the series in order because otherwise what's the point of life? But due to time constraints and other life responsibilities, I decided to be all YOLO and read The Odds, even though I knew going into it that it's the fourth book in the series featuring homicide detective, Richard Christie.
In the beginning of this novel, Christie is recently diagnosed with cancer. The story does not revolve around him that much, and since I don't know what the first three novels are like, I can only assume that this is not typical. I'm trying not to think about all the possible backstory I might have missed by jumping into #4.
There are a couple different storylines here: The Narcotics team pulls in Colleen Greer and John Potocki from Homicide to help investigate the overdose death of a young boy on the North Side; four siblings are abandoned in the same neighborhood; Nick, the guy at the pizza shop across the street, is working off an old debt to someone in the drug trade; and a questionable attraction between partners Greer and Potocki.
The best part of this novel, in my opinion, is the Philips children who have been abandoned. The story starts out with them, and through them we meet Nick at the pizza shop, and through them the rest of the story unfolds. They are smart children, not in an annoyingly precocious way, thankfully, but in a holy-shit-they're-sort-of-brilliant-and-I-want-to-know-more-about-them.
I lived on the North Side when I first moved to Pittsburgh in 2003. If such kids existed at that time, I never crossed paths with them. I would say children like this on the North Side are an incredible fabrication, but that's okay, it's fiction, we're allowed to suspend our disbelief.
The other storylines paled in comparison. I found myself not carrying that much about the "mystery", and I sure as hell didn't care about the relationship between Greer and Potocki. My belief is that they are probably in the first three Christie novels too, and maybe readers were all like "What's with that sexual tension?" or "Can you create some sexual tension between these two characters?" and since Christie himself is a bit unavailable due to his recent medical diagnosis, the author took this opportunity to really let the light shine on Greer and Potocki. Maybe if I was more invested in this series, I too would care about them. But as it is, I found them to be a distraction and an obstacle in getting back to the Philips kids.
A fine enough read, however. One of my teammates complained to me that there is no real mystery in this novel, though it claims to be a mystery. I agree-disagree with that, as in I wasn't bothered by that whatsoever until she brought it up. Do we know what's happening essentially from the very beginning? Sure. But the motivation, the background, the path leading to what happened is also shrouded in mystery, and that's what these characters kinda sorta eventually all work out.
I may go back and read the first three novels at some point. I don't know if all of the books center on the North Side, but it would be cool if they did. I understand the author lives there, and from her writing I could gather she really knew the neighborhoods pretty well. The North Side is an underappreciated part of Pittsburgh with a rich history, and I like when I get a flash of other parts of the area that I was not quite brave enough to venture into myself.
February 28, 2010
Sheriff Richard Christie is in the hospital and about to begin chemo. His department is worried about him and he has a changed view of life.
Four young children of the Phillips family are abandoned by their step-mother. Since their father had already died, the children are alone. The eldest is Meg, age fourteen. She and her brother and sisters are very hard workers, each providing what they can to have the basic necessities. They are afraid of asking for official help because they worry about being placed in foster homes.
Nick Banks is a new employee in the neighborhood pizza parlor. When Meg doesn't have enough for food, he lets her have the food for what she has. He also gives her food saying that it is day old and he couldn't sell it.
A young boy is found dead from drugs and homicide detectives John Potocki and Colleen Greer are assigned. Since the death involved drugs, the detectives are temporarily assigned to the Narcotics division.
The police suspect that the pizza parlor might be a place where drug activity is happening and ask Colleen to see if she can become friendly with Nick Banks to see what she can learn.
Nick has a history with some of the drug dealers and is obliged to help when asked. He is going with an enforcer but when that person wants to harm a yong boy, Nick resists and is injured.
Nick and the Phillips children become involved with each other in a way that no one could forsee. The connection is beautifully done.
The author has provided a group of memorable and touching characters. We are also given a lesson of drugs in the inner city and how easy it is for children to become involved in the drug trade. We also see the difficulty for children to avoid drugs and lead a drug free life with the peer pressure that children face.
A memorable novel that was well told.
Four young children of the Phillips family are abandoned by their step-mother. Since their father had already died, the children are alone. The eldest is Meg, age fourteen. She and her brother and sisters are very hard workers, each providing what they can to have the basic necessities. They are afraid of asking for official help because they worry about being placed in foster homes.
Nick Banks is a new employee in the neighborhood pizza parlor. When Meg doesn't have enough for food, he lets her have the food for what she has. He also gives her food saying that it is day old and he couldn't sell it.
A young boy is found dead from drugs and homicide detectives John Potocki and Colleen Greer are assigned. Since the death involved drugs, the detectives are temporarily assigned to the Narcotics division.
The police suspect that the pizza parlor might be a place where drug activity is happening and ask Colleen to see if she can become friendly with Nick Banks to see what she can learn.
Nick has a history with some of the drug dealers and is obliged to help when asked. He is going with an enforcer but when that person wants to harm a yong boy, Nick resists and is injured.
Nick and the Phillips children become involved with each other in a way that no one could forsee. The connection is beautifully done.
The author has provided a group of memorable and touching characters. We are also given a lesson of drugs in the inner city and how easy it is for children to become involved in the drug trade. We also see the difficulty for children to avoid drugs and lead a drug free life with the peer pressure that children face.
A memorable novel that was well told.
January 20, 2013
This first book in the Detective Colleen Greer series is a winning multi-perspective crime procedural. At the center of the story is a family of four children (ages 7-12), who've been abandoned by their flaky stepmother. As they try and survive without anyone discovering they are on their own, their paths cross with that of an ex-con who's being hunted by some nasty local drug dealers. Meanwhile, Det. Greer gets involved in investigating a related murder, while struggling with her conflicting feelings toward her (married) boss, who's undergoing chemo, and her partner on the force, who has just gotten separated. The debut does a nice job of giving enough information about every character to orient the reader, while not making a big song and dance about presenting everyone's full backstory. Much of the backstories do emerge throughout the book, but this never feels like an awkward info-dump, it's all part of the plot. The balance of the personal lives with the crime story brings to mind The Wire, although the emphasis is much more on the kids and cops than on the criminals. The one area the book didn't really shine was in the setting -- it takes place in Pittsburgh's North Side neighborhood, but there's not a lot of sense of place to be had. The minor quibble aside, this is highly recommended for those who like crime procedurals. One could also make the argument that the family of kids are completely unrealistically mature and responsible, but if you can suspend disbelief in that area, they become totally compelling. I'll definitely be seeking out the next in the series to read!
October 17, 2013
Pretty good book. I gave it a4/5 stars for a great plot being described very well be George. I tend to like mysteries, but this book is a new level. This is the main overview of the book. The Homicide Department is upside down, Richard Christie is in the hospital injured from a previous case, Artie Dolan is headed away on vacation(probably because he needs some rest, or just hates his coworkers), John Potocki’s life is falling apart(Due to his love life struggles), and Colleen Greer is so worried about her boss’s(Richard Christie) health, she can hardly think. A young boy in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood dies of a suspicious overdose of drugs, and so the Narcotics police are ready for a new case.. The Narcotics police are working on tips and they draft Colleen and Potocki to help them. In this same neighborhood, four young kids have been abandoned and are living on their own, because their parents were very irresponsible and selfish. The Philips kids, brainy in school, are reluctant to compromise themselves. But they need cash to survive in the old beat up neighborhood of North Side. Connecting these people and their stories is Nick Banks, just out of prison and working off a debt to an old acquaintance involved in the drug trade. Nick is a charmer, a gentle fellow who’s had a lot of trouble in his life. One day, he gives free food to the Philips kids, little guessing how connected their lives are about to become, just because of one meal. I feel that Kathleen George’s latest work pushes the edge. This book is a spectacularly original crime novel.
April 17, 2014
Four kids are at the center of Kathleen George's novel. Abandoned by their feckless stepmother, earlier abandoned by their dad (who died) and their mother (who walked out on them), they try to live on their own and to stay together. Ranging in age from six-ish to almost fourteen, they are smart kids who deserve better. Another essential innocent, Nick, comes to their aid. He manages a pizza joint that is a front and cash-laundering mechanism for a drug dealer/middleman. Nick knows it, but doesn't have a lot of options himself, for reasons that emerge slowly. Coleen Greer, a Pittsburgh detective investigating a couple of suspicious deaths that are connected to Nick's boss, tries to save both the kids and Nick, while taking out Nick's boss.
George writes novels that feature mysteries, but their core is character-driven, not mystery-driven. They feature procedural detail (some more than this one), but are focussed on people, especially innocents, who are in tough places through no fault of their own. George writes extremely well, though the pace is deliberate. The pace and focus may not catch every reader's interest, but they catch mine.
George writes novels that feature mysteries, but their core is character-driven, not mystery-driven. They feature procedural detail (some more than this one), but are focussed on people, especially innocents, who are in tough places through no fault of their own. George writes extremely well, though the pace is deliberate. The pace and focus may not catch every reader's interest, but they catch mine.
September 23, 2009
Four enterprising children, the eldest only 13, are abandoned by their stepmother and decide to fend for themselves rather than be separated. In the same neighborhood, Nick Banks, a troubled young man with a gambling debt, kills a thug in self-defense and is wounded himself. When one of the children finds him lying injured in an abandoned house, the two stories mesh. All the elements that keep pages turning are here as Nick is pursued by both police and vengeful criminals and the children are always on the verge of hunger, not to mention discovery. What's wonderful about the book is that the characters - complex, sympathetic, unpredictable - are even more interesting than the plot, and the ending is believable, a denouement neither as good nor as bad as it could have been. I'll be looking for this author's other books.
Read
February 4, 2010One of LJ's Best Genre books of the year. Reminded me of a Ross Macdonald or The Wire. More an examination of characters and situations than a whodunit, the suspense in The Odds comes from its characters- will the Philips kids make it on their own, can Nick Banks stay straight, how will Det. Greer navigate personal and professional challenges- not the usual mystery question and answer plot or suspense novel set-ups. The prose is straight forward, not showy, but effective, and the ending more open than many books in this genre. Highly recommended, but with warnings for traditional genre fans.
July 9, 2010
This is the first book I have read by Kathleen George and it is a terrific read. Four children under the age of 14 are left to fend for themselves after their stepmother decides she wants her own life. The oldest girl, Meg, (14 going on 35) and her resourceful siblings find ways to gather small amounts of money and food to keep them going while they try to figure out what the future will bring.
The plot centers around the amazing kids, a guy on the run, mobsters, druggies, and the police. The author does a marvelous job of ramping up the tension, keeping the numerous storylines moving, and providing a reasonable resolution.
The plot centers around the amazing kids, a guy on the run, mobsters, druggies, and the police. The author does a marvelous job of ramping up the tension, keeping the numerous storylines moving, and providing a reasonable resolution.
August 20, 2009
Fast moving mystery. Not riveting, but interesting
November 14, 2022
I am not a fan of the rating system.
I’m one of those readers who doesn’t give star ratings and I don't read books based on ratings. I believe everyone has their taste in literature, and it's totally fine. Not everyone loves the same books.
I do admit that I was surprised when I found that this book received few ratings. After reading it, I told myself I have to let everyone know how good this book is.
I had a hard time putting it down. It's a great read that is easy to get into and keeps you wanting more. I love a good crime book. And I love a good slow-burn thriller. This one checks both boxes.
Don't be afraid to just read. Don't care about the ratings, because you know what: if it's a book that you want to read, your mind will tell you and mark it down as one of your favorite books.
A book without any rating has a lot of potential in it. I highly recommend this book to all people who love reading and want to be introduced to some unique voices. A book with a low rating can be just as good as a book with 4-5 stars. Of course, not every book has the same level of quality, but I hope that you get something out of this book regardless of the ratings you have.
Give every book a chance and you might surprise yourself.
I’m one of those readers who doesn’t give star ratings and I don't read books based on ratings. I believe everyone has their taste in literature, and it's totally fine. Not everyone loves the same books.
I do admit that I was surprised when I found that this book received few ratings. After reading it, I told myself I have to let everyone know how good this book is.
I had a hard time putting it down. It's a great read that is easy to get into and keeps you wanting more. I love a good crime book. And I love a good slow-burn thriller. This one checks both boxes.
Don't be afraid to just read. Don't care about the ratings, because you know what: if it's a book that you want to read, your mind will tell you and mark it down as one of your favorite books.
A book without any rating has a lot of potential in it. I highly recommend this book to all people who love reading and want to be introduced to some unique voices. A book with a low rating can be just as good as a book with 4-5 stars. Of course, not every book has the same level of quality, but I hope that you get something out of this book regardless of the ratings you have.
Give every book a chance and you might surprise yourself.
February 19, 2023
Always fun to read books with a local setting but particularly good experience with this one because it is so well plotted and the characters so vividly drawn. And it's a bonus that the title refers to any number of situations in the novel, most of which have somewhat ambiguous endings, or really no endings at all because the narrative makes it clear that "The Odds" are always out there and no single situation is ultimately stable. The author definitely keeps the reader guessing as to the outcomes for individual characters but ultimately understanding that all outcomes are provisional. I have read some of the earlier books in this series and intend to go back and reread or catch those I missed
August 16, 2017
I read this as part of the adult battle of the books at CLP. I didn't realize until just now that it was part of a series...and now so much make sense. I was concerned about the lack of character development and how the author made it seem like we should totally know everyone already...which I guess we should have.
That being said, this still wasn't a great book. It had an engaging beginning, a decent middle, and a lackluster ending.
I don't think I'll be picking up any more from this series anytime soon....
That being said, this still wasn't a great book. It had an engaging beginning, a decent middle, and a lackluster ending.
I don't think I'll be picking up any more from this series anytime soon....
September 24, 2017
I read this as a part of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Battle of the Books for Adults. I hadn't realized that this book was #4 in a series, otherwise I would have either tried to read the first three or not at all (which is more a critique of the CLP's book choice than of George's writing abilities).
That said, I found the book difficult to follow and the ending was, while probably more realistic of what happens in the world, kind of a let-down. The kids end back up with their stepmother, Allison, and there's really no concrete ending of what happens to Nick.
That said, I found the book difficult to follow and the ending was, while probably more realistic of what happens in the world, kind of a let-down. The kids end back up with their stepmother, Allison, and there's really no concrete ending of what happens to Nick.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2018
A little bit different
The book was pretty good. I enjoyed reading it because of some of the Pittsburgh references. It had an air of mystery to it, and solved some. There were unanswered questions at the end, though, and I wished they would have been and.
The book was pretty good. I enjoyed reading it because of some of the Pittsburgh references. It had an air of mystery to it, and solved some. There were unanswered questions at the end, though, and I wished they would have been and.
August 15, 2019
For an Edgar Award contender, this was a pretty mediocre book. It read like it was translated "from the Swedish" but not as good as a Swedish book. Very flat-feeling plot. Too bad as I'd been looking forward to it.
March 19, 2018
Was alright. Expected a better ending.
July 16, 2018
It was a little slow but I liked it because it was different than most normal cop mysteries.
Loved the kids, even if pretty unrealistic. Wouldn't we all be foster parents if kids were like that.
Loved the kids, even if pretty unrealistic. Wouldn't we all be foster parents if kids were like that.
Want to read
October 6, 2019Synopsis: when a boy dies of an overdose, the Pittsburgh homicide department is short; even Christie is in hospital! How is this going to work out?
August 6, 2019
4.5 really
April 13, 2010
Read this because of nomination for Edgar Best Novel. Didn't find out until later that it includes an ongoing group of police officers. The main plot reads fine as a stand alone. The preoccupation of Det. Greer with Commander Christie's cancer treatment is irrelevant to the plot, adds nothing to the story but angst, and there's already plenty of that to go around.
A somewhat unbelievable story of four very smart, well-behaved children abandoned by their totally irresponsible stepmother (What was she thinking? They aren't even a problem!) in a very rundown, and seemingly drug-ridden area of Pittsburgh. The story of the children's concerns and struggles overshadowed much of the mystery, to the point where there wasn't much of a mystery for the reader, only for the police trying to solve two murders. While the eldest worried and scrimped, and tried for normal, her concern for food struck me as short-sighted and a bit "Pollyanna-ish". What would they do for housing when the rent and utilities came due? I hoped for a bit of a different ending for the kids.
I sort of liked the characters, but found them mostly unbelievable. I found some of the writing a bit stiff. And in the end I didn't think it was much of a "Mystery." I will try her first novel and see if I like it any better; always good to broaden my reading list and find new authors.
August 4, 2009
Four kids (the oldest 14, the youngest 7) left to survive on their own...once again. Their stepmom who abandoned them again (I also felt a little sorry for her for having to deal with 4 children when she had trouble taking care of herself) and asked the oldest (Meg) to call for her to get placed into foster care...but to give her a couple of days being calling anyone (what? geez stepmom). The children don't want to go to foster care so struggle to make it on their own.
A man (Nick) in the wrong crowd, owing the wrong people, trying to break away and live a clean life. Nick and the kids' paths meet, and after a couple of decisions, their fates become tied.
I ended up loving the kids, thinking that I want to adopt them, and loving and rooting for Nick. Even so, the story was just 'ok' for me. Nothing absolutely gripped me, and it wasn't as fast paced as I liked them. Besides the relationship between Nick and the kids, I didn't find myself caring all that much about the relationships between the other characters or what they may be going through in their personal life.
A man (Nick) in the wrong crowd, owing the wrong people, trying to break away and live a clean life. Nick and the kids' paths meet, and after a couple of decisions, their fates become tied.
I ended up loving the kids, thinking that I want to adopt them, and loving and rooting for Nick. Even so, the story was just 'ok' for me. Nothing absolutely gripped me, and it wasn't as fast paced as I liked them. Besides the relationship between Nick and the kids, I didn't find myself caring all that much about the relationships between the other characters or what they may be going through in their personal life.
April 11, 2017
An Edgar nomination and my home town setting made me very interested in The Odds, but I didn't really enjoy it at all. Some of the character bits are effective (and the kids are lovable), but they don't add up to much. I wouldn't have finished it even, but for the hope that a dramatic ending would save the day - instead it peters out in away that is no doubt meant to be realistic, but just seemed lazy and unsatisfying.
I actively disliked Colleen Greer, the lead cop. I guess her romantic ambivalence was meant to make her seem less "girly," but it actually made her unsympathetic to me. Do it, don't do it, whatever, but don't do it and act like a twat.
And this is probably just me, but the book seems to take a weird attitude towards gay men. There are numerous refences to gay predatory behavior, and a "comic" look at the home of a couple queens. It's all pretty 70's, and not in the good way.
I actively disliked Colleen Greer, the lead cop. I guess her romantic ambivalence was meant to make her seem less "girly," but it actually made her unsympathetic to me. Do it, don't do it, whatever, but don't do it and act like a twat.
And this is probably just me, but the book seems to take a weird attitude towards gay men. There are numerous refences to gay predatory behavior, and a "comic" look at the home of a couple queens. It's all pretty 70's, and not in the good way.
February 9, 2014
Obviously I've missed out because I haven't read any of the earlier books in this series. The writing is beautiful, the characters come alive and have an amazing depth to them. Colleen, the police detective is a likable yet realistic young woman who works hard and is good at her job. Nick seems worthy of a better life but is unsure of how to go about it, or perhaps not motivated to look for it himself. The children, especially Meg and Joel are great characters, and it's nice to see an adult writing about children as if they can understand the frailties of the adults in their lives, accepting them and working with or around them for the good of the family unit.
This is a police procedural novel but also a very insightful book about people doing their best to survive in difficult situations.
This is a police procedural novel but also a very insightful book about people doing their best to survive in difficult situations.
November 11, 2014
Four kids are left alone when their stepmother walks out on them. They're determined to stay together as long as they can. Meanwhile, a drug ring is operating in their Pittsburgh neighborhood out of a pizza parlor. As police try to find who is behind the drug ring, the two stories collide.
The cover of this book calls this a mystery. However, it really isn't much of one, more of just fiction. Because it was a finalist for the Edgar Award I had expected more. It's also scattered in it's story so that it's unclear who it's really supposed to be about.
I hadn't realized this was the middle of the Richard Christie series. Maybe it's better if you start with the first. At least I hope so.
However, the author was nice enough to chat with our book group. She was so interesting that some people said they want to check out George's other novels.
The cover of this book calls this a mystery. However, it really isn't much of one, more of just fiction. Because it was a finalist for the Edgar Award I had expected more. It's also scattered in it's story so that it's unclear who it's really supposed to be about.
I hadn't realized this was the middle of the Richard Christie series. Maybe it's better if you start with the first. At least I hope so.
However, the author was nice enough to chat with our book group. She was so interesting that some people said they want to check out George's other novels.
July 20, 2016
So, I had to read a mystery book as part of a library challenge, and my librarian picked out this one. (Not because she had read it, just because she saw it and it was a mystery.)
I am not even sure HOW this is considered a mystery? There was no mystery to it, at all Right from the beginning you knew exactly what happened, who had done it, and why.
And if I am being honest, it was rather boring too.
I did like how it was written from different POV's, but there were so many different characters, I wasn't even sure who the book was supposed to be about. You don't get enough info about any of them to really connect, so you are just going along, waiting for something to happen. And then you just keep waiting.
I did realize halfway thru that this is book 4 in a series, so maybe it would be better read in order, but I m not certain that would even make a difference for me.
I am not even sure HOW this is considered a mystery? There was no mystery to it, at all Right from the beginning you knew exactly what happened, who had done it, and why.
And if I am being honest, it was rather boring too.
I did like how it was written from different POV's, but there were so many different characters, I wasn't even sure who the book was supposed to be about. You don't get enough info about any of them to really connect, so you are just going along, waiting for something to happen. And then you just keep waiting.
I did realize halfway thru that this is book 4 in a series, so maybe it would be better read in order, but I m not certain that would even make a difference for me.
August 3, 2011
I picked this book up at the local book store largely because it was set in Pittsburgh's North Side, an area I am familar with. Plus, it was an award finalist. It was billed as a "mystery" and I am not a big mystery reader. After reading it, I am not sure I would classify it as a classic mystery. It was more of a crime novel, polic drama -- but different. The plot -- four young, precocious kids are abandonded by their step-mother and are determined to live on their own rather than be separated in foster care. Enter a former prison inmate with a gentle soul who involves them in a dangerous situation with some major drug dealers. There was some sweetness to the characters -- folks you might normally expect to be hardened. Good story that kept me engaged.
June 2, 2011
Some very interesting characters, (the four abandoned children), some predictable characters, (ex-con with the heart of gold, the driven/lonely female police detective), and a pretty standard cop/investigation story line. Not really sure why it's referred to as a mystery though, it's just a story about cops investigating a crime and a family trying to stay together.
I do feel the ending was very weak though. It didn't end so much as feel like time ran out and everything was just stopped. Perhaps that is partly due to this being a book within a series? This was my first book in the series so I'm not sure if that's a commonality in the other volumes or not.
I do feel the ending was very weak though. It didn't end so much as feel like time ran out and everything was just stopped. Perhaps that is partly due to this being a book within a series? This was my first book in the series so I'm not sure if that's a commonality in the other volumes or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2012
The odds are against Nick Banks, just out of prison and managing a pizza parlor to pay off a debt to a dangerous acquaintance involved in the drug trade. The odds are also stacked against detectives Colleen Greer and John Potocki who are on loan to the narcotics department instead of concentrating on their investigation into a homicide. However, the true “odds” in this story are four unbelievably brainy children who have been abandoned by their stepmother and are attempting to live on their own. You have to like a story where the author gets so much mileage out of a simple title.
January 17, 2013
The Boxcar Children are alive and well, and living in the 21st century! That was my first reaction as I read this book. And I enjoyed the four siblings just as much now as I did when I was eight. Scrappy, resourceful, smarter than the average bear. If your childhood included them, you'll enjoy this book.
What is interesting about the book is that it's part of a series - but I found the supporting cast of characters more compelling than the stars who reappear in each book. However, I really like the author's writing style and will read more of her work.
What is interesting about the book is that it's part of a series - but I found the supporting cast of characters more compelling than the stars who reappear in each book. However, I really like the author's writing style and will read more of her work.
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