The Cut

October 31, 2011
In Pelecanos’s latest, ex-Marine Spero Lucas, returned from Iraq, is trying to maintain some semblance of humanity and morality while sleuthing on the mean streets of Washington, D.C. Soon he finds himself accepting a job from a notorious crime boss and descending into a world of violence and intrigue. Narrator Dion Graham lends each character—including Lucas, his no-nonsense mother, his well-educated African-American stepbrother, his sullen convict client, and a couple of naïve thieves—a distinctive, appropriate voice. Graham also shines in his rendering of the author’s lively, naturalistic dialogue, while his oddly fluctuating, almost singsong narration becomes less and less distracting as the action ramps up, with Lucas searching for a cache of stolen drugs and his place in civilian life. A Little, Brown/Reagan Arthur Books hardcover.

Starred review from May 30, 2011
Pelecanos's excellent first in a new crime series introduces Spero Lucas, a 29-year-old Iraq War vet who does investigative work for a Washington, D.C., defense attorney. Anwan Hawkins, an imprisoned marijuana dealer who has taken notice of Lucas's cool, efficient work, offers him a cut of the proceeds if he can recover several large stolen marijuana shipments. Though Lucas is in some ways an idealistic young man, he's no innocent. He accepts Hawkins's deal, a choice that nearly destroys him. As the body count mounts, Pelecanos (The Night Gardener) provides glimpses of Lucas's multiracial family, from his adoptive parents to his three siblings, two of whom are African-American. In the end, the group of hardened criminals responsible for the theft, including a former D.C. cop, set their sights on Lucas and those close to him. Both vital and timely, this remarkable novel also connects D.C.'s past and present as only Pelecanos does. Readers will want to see a lot more of Lucas.

George Pelecanos knows detective fiction, and he knows Washington, D.C. Both genre and setting play an integral part in his latest novel, which introduces the character Spero Lucas. The modern-day maverick investigator endears himself to his family, friends, and hometown. Dion Graham shines in his narration. As Lucas--a former Marine who served in Iraq--probes the mystery of several missing packages, Graham's voices and delivery of street slang are distinct and creative. Spero's erudite and streetwise brother; a young, innocent student; and assorted friends and colleagues all come alive in the listener's ear. Graham is exceptional in his portrayal of the psychopathic ringleader of a criminal enterprise. Here's hoping Pelecanos brings Lucas back--with Graham as narrator. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine