Dirty To The Grave

by Karen P. Williams

Karen Williams, author of Harlem on Lock and The People Vs. Cashmere, brings you this dark street tale. Follow the highs and lows of Cha, Goldie, and Red, who come together for fun, laughs, and sometimes treachery in Long Beach, California. For these three ladies, survival was always about getting over by using lies, deceit, and sex. But when a plan goes dangerously wrong, Cha and Goldie take a step back out of the life. Cha desperately wants to rid herself of the demons of her past so she can at least feel normal enough to raise her son, Omari. Goldie ain't feeling the hood life anymore. She's tired of going from man to man, and knows her parents are rolling over in their graves at the life she chose for herself. Red craves the streets, and will cross anyone, friends included, to get what she wants. She steps deeper in the game, making her dirtier than she already is--so dirty that she will betray both Cha and Goldie, leading to horrifying consequences. Dirty to the Grave goes harder than Karen Williams has ever gone, with an explosive ending that will shock you and make you wonder: Are your friends really your friends? They say life is hard from the cradle to the grave, and once you think people can't get any dirtier, they do!

Genres: Urban

214 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Karen Williams has worked as a Probation Officer II for 12 years. She now works as a School Counselor. She is the author of “Harlem On Lock,” “The People Vs. Cashmere 1 and 2,” “Dirty To The Grave,” “Sweet Giselle,” “Thug In Me,” “The Demise of Alexis Vancamp,” “Politics As Usual”, “Hail Mary 1 and 2”, Aphrodisiacs: Erotic Short Stories, and “Diamond In The Sky” in the anthology, “Around The Way Girls 7”. She also the author of “Dear Drama 1 and 2” under the Pen name, Braya Spice. She loves writing urban, contemporary, and thriller fiction. When she first started writing, she was inspired from her work with juveniles, as a Probation Officer, and wanted to tell their stories. She wanted to give real people a voice. She is the mother of two lovely children. Karen loves good R & B music, movies, and to cook and bake for families and friends. She recently finished her 13th novel “Forever Reign”, and is working on another.

Reviews

[Danita Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read. I enjoyed this a lot.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this the same Karen Williams who wrote The People Vs. Cashmere? Dirty to the Grave is so medicore it's scary. This is what I would expect from a first time author with a small amount of talent hidden away that *might* be able to be coaxed out eventually.
Williams had to either have had some severe problems with white people in her life or she's got mental issues with race. You'd be hard-pressed to find one chapter, actually, I don't think it can even be done now that I really think about it, where racism isn't overly played on... and here's the kicker: for NO reason. If the subject of racism could move the plot forward or play up a character fine. But for no reason? Simple to throw it in? Whites and blacks are called every idiotic name in the book and not one relationship between two people of two different races played out without severe racism. White people displayed as punks, as being intimidated by blacks, as hating and abusing blacks. Black people portrayed as hating whites, the list goes on and on. And on and on and on some more.
I was brought to laughter because I couldn't, and still can't, believe Williams would write this. I would think, as an author, the goal, at least one of the goals, would probably be not to limit myself but push myself farther. I would probably have the desire to maybe help change some minds. Williams does nothing with this book. Nothing. It's useless. I'm only giving it the two stars because I finished it and there were parts that flowed. Unless her writing changes she'll never be anything more than an average author who has a handful of readers. What's especially sad is I think the talent is there and I think she could be so much bigger. Then again, if her beliefs on race relations stand where I think they might IMO she doesn't deserve it.
The plot, for the most part, goes absolutely nowhere. Complete standstill. Things happen and then are never mentioned again so the reader has no idea what happened. Some of the characters are completely contradictory.
Probably the "best" (meaning worst) part for me was the main characters. These three women have had everything negative under the sun happen to them. You name it, it happened. Dumped in the garbage as an infant? Check. Raped as a baby? Check. Gang raped? Check. Saw your man murdered? Check. Mother a p.o.s.? Check. Absent Daddy? Check. Mother sold you for crack? Check. Aliens came down and demanded blow jobs while you were transporting a brand new street drug? Check. Well, no, not really, believe it or not that last one didn't really happen. Yet. I'm sure it'll be in Dirty to the Grave 2, which, by the way, I'll be passing on.
Before reading this crap I've recommended Williams to urban fiction readers as well as new readers. That's been taken away from me now. I refuse to lose friends because they're insulted I gave them such garbage.
This is dissappointing to say the very least.
Oh, and for the record, I'm white. And not scared of black people. For the record some more, I'm not so scared of white people either. Or purple people. Orange people with green spots don't scare me either. Let me be honest though, those last two might be a little scary.
I'm not intimidated by black people or any people. So, Miss Karen Williams, that rebukes your little theory that I know is your own which you tried to show (I would say the world but infact the group of readers that this will touch will be about the size of a college and no more I'd bet) people. You can do better. In many ways.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes. Some 8th graders told me this was their favorite book so I decided to check it out. I was expecting the language and the sex scenes, but the over-the-top violence was unexpected. The women in this book are constantly taken advantage of and brutally raped, but continue seeking out dangerous people and situations to try to "hustle." Instead of banding together to rise above their situation, the women, formerly friends, turn against each other, which results in a violent end for most of them.

Definitely not my cup of tea, and not just for the violence. The writing is terrible, and poorly edited. Did anyone proofread this before publishing?

[Quastarcella Borom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about troubled women

This story really got to me. The things that happened to them occur but are overlooked. People should be aware of the pain that is caused by what they do. Red was a mess due to the abuse she suffered. Cha was dealing with a lot of pain but a loving mother. Goldies pain was self inflicted but she was a loyal friend. The ending was sad but some good occupied.

[Delonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good just not as good as her previous two books!

[Lei Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book short chapters, lot of action page turner!!!!

[Alexis Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lot of action and very interesting

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

fast page turner.
very good book

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody that smiles in your face is not your friend.

This was the first book that I've ever read by this author but I must say, she did not let me down. This book had me all in my feelings from the beginning to the end. The ending was not what I expected but none the less I was far from disappointed. This is a must-read, I highly recommend it.

[Lesa Divine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good. Karen did a great job with this book.

Red was growing up with her mom mistreating her and calling her nigga and making her sleep with the dog. Red grew up with no love in her heart and treated everyone around her like dirty to get her way. Mainly money from pimps and drug dealers. Her friends was Goldie and Cha which she didn't too much care about just used them to get what she wanted.

Goldie mom was killed when she was little right in front of her. She grew up with the love from her grandmom but, she didn't want it she went sleeping with all types of men and found herself living in the projects helping Red and Cha to rob drug dealers to pay ends meat.

Cha a single parent to her son after her boyfriend Onyx was killed right in front of her and her son. She grew up with being rapped by everyone she trusted even at the forster home she grew up in. She found love from the one person that was taken away from her and that was Onyx. Red her friend took advance of her the most because Red knew that Cha needed money a lot more and knew she could get away with it with Cha.

Cha and Goldie find thereself getting into trouble due to Red's during that caused them to go though some things. But, Red got into some trouble with a big time drug dealer at the end and found herself in trouble on her own thinking Goldie was going to help her. Goldie did meet a guy name Rick that she found to like a lot.

[Khaleelah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay read , three friends who backgrounds were similar but different. While I know some of the actions that these girls displayed were possible , a lot were just downright dumb. Karen writing to me was all over the place, the story could have been good but seems to me the events and situations were rush writings. I like Karen novel the People Vs. Cashmere that what lead me to read this. Cha , Red and Goldie needed some serious help.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every tragedy imaginable rolled into one story. Seeing the various POVs as a trend in street lit. But seriously, can I be an editor for Urban Books? So many misplaced quotation marks, missing commas...drives me nuts!

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely rates 5 and I give it a 10. Red was dirtier than dirty. I could not believe she did all that to her friends esp. Cha and laughed about it. Oh, bu she got hers in the end. It is true "Karma is truly a Bitch." I liked the ending also with Goldie. This book was excellent!!!!!

[K Nikki Waden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow another banger by Karen Williams. This book had so much drama from the beginning to the end. That Red was the worse person ever, my emotions was all over the place reading this book.very happy with the ending.Another great job Mrs. Williams

[Sara Maese · Rating 1 out of 5]

wtf kinda stuff is this every one is this book is messed up and then to top it off to a horrible horrible endding they light that chick on fire ..no one deserves to be lit on fire ..wtf and honestly this was just a bunch of crap put together the WORST book i HAVE READ All year !

[Nikki Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fake friends come in all forms. These days its money over loyalty and for Red that's exactly what her mentality was. Three different friends with three different issues that are bond to touch your heart but keep you reading.

[Laura Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was a mind blower love her work

[Authoress YungLit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK ! But I Jusst Hated The Ending Tragedie with Cha ; Red got what she deserved ! &&Im Glad Goldie Found Love :) 5Stars handss Down

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

The racist mother was too much for me to stomach.

[Erica L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Everything that happened in it was profound!