raymond_murphy 's review for:

Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos

3.0

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I wish I could give this a 3.5. Reminded me of Michael Connelly in the sense that his main character is a sort of anti hero. Derek Strange is a complex man with moral conflicts of his own but is also driven by a strong sense of right and wrong in the bigger world. Connelly does a good job as an author keeping the focus at the individual level whereas Pelecanos flirts with making statements about systemic change.

My concern is that his message is a little muddy as so much if the story and this type of drama relies on a sensationalistic and over generalized perspective on urban life.