George Pelecanos, Drama City

Drama City

George Pelecanos

Little, Brown, Mar 2005, $24.95, 336 pp.

ISBN: 0316608211

After spending eight years in a cell, Lorenzo Brown enjoys freedom, refusing to do push-ups as they represent incarceration after doing five hundred a day while in prison. He regrets not knowing his daughter as he was in jail when she was born and her mom refuses him any contact. To keep him company while he goes straight, Lorenzo rescued a canine Jasmine. To the shock of his former street pals, Lorenzo works for the man as a Humane Society Officer, a "Dog Man" protecting animals from the abuse of humans.

His dedicated parole officer Rachel Lopez tries to do the right thing for her clients, but also has her own woes and addictions to contend with. Lorenzo and Rachel regularly meet over tuna subs to discuss how he is doing. However, Lorenzo's life suddenly gets caught up in illegal, brutal animal fights that return the game into his life though it is not what he wants. He learns of the murder of two young new players; he knows a thug from the old times killed them, but staying straight, the hardest job Lorenzo ever held, means staying out.

DRAMA CITY is a terrific, insightful thriller that focuses on how difficult it is for someone to stay straight when they return to the same neighborhood that incubated their criminal behavior. The storyline mostly follows Lorenzo as he tries to remain out of trouble, but wonders if the local mantra, once a player always a player, is a truism. George Pelecanos provides a thought-provoking thriller on struggling to stay alive while going straight.

Harriet Klausner