Steel Toes: A Novel

by Eddie Little

Eddie Little, author of the hit Another Day in Paradise and who The New York Times describes as "Reminiscent of Hunter Thompson and William Burroughs," is back with a new gripping crime novel. Little writes about the world he used to inhabit, a place filled with drugs, crime and danger at every turn. His electrifying prose brings to life the rough, raw, and seedy life of Boston's underworld where corruption lies at the heart of every deception.

Bobbie is a young criminal prodigy. Living in Boston he's approached by a mysterious Greek on behalf of an anonymous shipping tycoon, who wants to commission a theft. The Fogg museum is the target; a collection of ancient Greek coins the score. Everything goes fine with the burglary, but with easy street just around the corner Bobbie's life takes an unexpected twist and his big score evaporates. With his life on the line, Bobbie must learn who he can trust when trusting anyone can make you lose everything.

Steel Toes is as close to reality as fiction can get. Little draws you in with his knife sharp writing, his authentic and unflinching characters and plot as tight and strong as the hold of addiction.

Genres: Crime, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know before I started this book that it had the same characters as Another Day in Paradise. I liked catching up with them.

[Patrick O'Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, boy howdy - Peckerwoods from the joint on a crime spree. I mean this is my kinda shit. Junkies, cons, guns and armed robberies - you'd think I'd be down like a mo-fo. But it took me a while to get into Steel Toes. I don't know, sometimes it felt like Eddie Little was trying too hard. Like he thought I hadn't read the jacket flap and didn't know he was "a lifelong criminal and drug addict." Didn't realize I could parlay the patois, dig on the vernacular, and pontificate like any homeboy down for his cliche. And then seriously, when I really thought about it, the whole damn thing sounded like some lifer talkin mas shit in front of the boys on the yard - I mean if you listen to every and anybody in the joint, they was all doin big thangs on the outs - "but uh yeah, I'm a little short this week homeboy, think I can get a smoke til..." Well you get the picture. But other than, hey I'm an 18 year old junkie rollin large look at the big crimes I'm doing part of it - I thought it was a pretty good book. Read the whole damn thing. Word.

[Jonathan]

Next to Harry Crews i'd probably call Eddie Little most underratted. This is one of the best junky adventure books that exists. Pardon the cliche but I really could not put it down.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rousing account of a youth tangled in the world of heavy drugs and big time crime, Steel Toes is every bit as riveting as its predecessor. Graphic, tragic, and adrenaline pumping.

[Debbie Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This guy writes from the depth of experience. Gritty and engaging!

[Andrew Vachss · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever wondered why "reform schools" produce the most dedicated criminals, look no further.