In bestselling and Emmy-nominated writer George Pelecanos' "taut and suspenseful" new novel, an ex-offender must choose between the man who got him out and the woman who showed him another path (Booklist , Starred Review)
Michael Hudson spends the long days in prison devouring books given to him by the prison's librarian, a young woman named Anna who develops a soft spot for her best student. Anna keeps passing Michael books until one day he disappears, suddenly released after a private detective manipulated a witness in Michael's trial.
Outside, Michael encounters a Washington, D.C. that has changed a lot during his time locked up. Once shady storefronts are now trendy beer gardens and flower shops. But what hasn't changed is the hard choice between the temptation of crime and doing what's right. Trying to balance his new job, his love of reading, and the debt he owes to the man who got him released, Michael struggles to figure out his place in this new world before he loses control.
Smart and fast-paced, The Man Who Came Uptown brings Washington, D.C. to life in a high-stakes story of tough choices.
**
Review
"The thriller plot is taut and suspenseful, as jolting as it is carefully nuanced, but it is Pelecanos' focus on character, on his ability to show the richness and depth of his people, as well as their often-heartbreaking yearning for something more, that gives this novel-and all his work-its special power."โ** *Booklist, Starred Review***
"Using his customary knowing dialogue and stripped-down, soulful prose, Pelecanos skillfully, sensitively works the urban frontier where the problems and stresses of everyday life cross the line into the sort of criminal behavior that could tempt anyone-anyone at all."โ** *Kirkus** *
Praise for THE MARTINI SHOT:
"one of [Pelecanos'] freshest and most original recent works."
โJanet Maslin , *New York Times *
"Here we see what makes Pelecanos' best writing so resonant: the sense of longing, of miscommunication, the way love does not enlarge us but rather makes us small."โDavid L. Ulin , *Los Angeles Times *
"His writing is properly hard-boiled, his heroes are attractively flawed and his villains leave trails of blood from here to yonder. But even at his most gripping...he sets his aims high, bringing a sociologist's concerns to the street -level dramas that play out in his hometown of Washington, D.C."
โLloyd Sachs , *Chicago Tribune *
"fast, dark, and dangerous...The gritty world [Pelecanos] knows so well provides ample fodder for the vignettes in this book, the characters are strong and the dialogue is sharp. The collection is a solid read for anyone who's a fan of crime writing and especially Pelecanos' work."โTim Alamenciak , *Toronto Star *
"bracing and witty...an inventive study of deception and fakery--one of Pelecanos's best works, at any length."โMark Athitakis , *The Washington Post *
Praise for THE DOUBLE:
"It's astonishing all the good stuff Pelecanos can pack into one unpretentious book that make the story so rich."โMarilyn Stasio , *New York Times Book Review *
"Pungent, funny dialogue...believable black-and-white friendships...outstanding scene-setting...The Double is fast-paced, its villains feel fresh...Call me a hard-core Pelecanos junkie."โJocelyn McClurg , *USA TODAY *
"Every time I read one of George Pelecanos's novels, I'm left a little awed...The guy's a national treasure."โDennis Lehane
About the Author
George Pelecanos is the bestselling author of nineteen novels set in and around Washington, DC. He is also an independent film producer, and a producer and Emmy-nominated writer on the HBO series The Wire and Treme. He lives in Maryland.