Eyes of the Innocent

November 1, 2010
After a house fire kills two young brothers in a rundown Newark, N.J., neighborhood, Carter Ross of the Newark Eagle-Examiner gets the word to write yet another story about the dangers of space heaters in Parks's enjoyable second mystery featuring the street-smart investigative reporter (after 2009's Faces of the Gone). To complicate a routine assignment, Carter must take beautiful, spacey intern Lauren McMillan (aka "Sweet Thang") to the scene of the tragedy. In a tense confrontation with Akilah Harris, the mother of the two boys, Lauren displays an unexpected talent for getting her to talk. Akilah's hard-luck story could be front-page news if true, but when it begins to fall apart and then dovetails with the disappearance of veteran council member Wendell "Windy" A. Byers Jr., things get hot quickly. Once again, Parks, a former Washington Post reporter, deftly brings the personalities and dynamics of a modern-day city newsroom to life.

December 15, 2010

Investigative reporter Carter Ross returns to chase the case of the vanished city councilor. After all, who says white men can't jump?

The star reporter for the Newark Eagle-Examiner looks every inch the bred-in-the-bone, "can't-dance-a-lick WASP." Carter Ross himself would be the last to deny it. He parts his hair carefully, wears neatly ironed shirts, unfailingly white or blue, and is seldom seen without his tie knotted in the half-Windsor that's become his signature. "Even white people tease me about how white I am," he acknowledges, but that's OK. In inner-city Newark, his journalistic stamping ground of choice, he flourishes. Carter's authenticity works for him. He honestly likes the city, worn-down parts, broken people and all. Which explains why he can respond so empathically to grief-stricken Akilah Harris in her terrible time of trouble and make her story heart-tuggingly real to his readers. Never mind that it's basically unreal, that her troubles have a basis other than the one she cited—that they're tied directly to the disappearance of crooked Councilman Wendell "Windy" Byers, Akilah's sweetie. Suddenly Carter finds himself confronting evil forces ruthlessly intent on inflicting serious harm. But street-smart Carter, appearances notwithstanding, has all the moves he needs to stay one step ahead. Or one jump.

A breezy, entertaining sequel to Parks' well-received debut (Faces of the Gone, 2009).

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Starred review from January 1, 2011

When a house fire kills two small boys left home alone, investigative reporter Carter Ross and one of the Newark Eagle-Examiner's interns are sent out to investigate. What at first appeared to be a simple story on how a space heater caused the fire turns into a front-page exclusive about the mother who has lost everything and a window into a real-estate scam that targets the residents of the poorest neighborhoods. But then it turns out the mother isn't what she appears to be. VERDICT Zany characters, witty dialog, and a plot that races to a bang-up finish are guaranteed to have readers cheering for the good guys. Parks's sequel to his acclaimed debut, Faces of the Gone, is as good if not better. Think Lisa Scottoline meets Richard Yancey. [Library marketing.]

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