Lush Life

Yes, there's been a dearth of blogging in April. Guilty as charged. I've been working and writing and spending a little time in Fargo, ND recently (six inches of snow in late April).

Not much Lost Squad news recently and I'm not ready to let the cat out of the bag on the new stuff I've been writing so I thought I'd post a quick book review.

I'm about half-way through the new Richard Price novel LUSH LIFE and it's fantastic.

If you're not familiar with Richard Price, I'll clue you in: he's the author of CLOCKERS and FREEDOMLAND and writer of such movies as SEA OF LOVE, RANSOM, THE COLOR OF MONEY and a smattering of THE WIRE episodes amongst others. If you dig the crime beats of Lehane and Connelly, you need to go find you some Richard Price. Right. Now.

LUSH LIFE spins a yarn around a tale of murder, a mugging gone wrong on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Told from the perspective of a survivor turned suspect, the homicide detective working the case, and the perps, the book elevates beyond a simple police procedural into social commentary and potrait of an ever-changing urban neighborhood. Some are comparing this book to Tom Wolfe's writing in tone and texture. You'll feel like you're walking the same streets past tenements and upscale watering holes just as the characters do. The prose paints a vivid picture.

And, don't get me started about the dialogue. It crackles. Price is a master. You can have Mamet and Sorkin (both of whom I love), but I'll take Price and have seconds on Sunday.

I'm only half-way through, but already I can't endorse this book enough. Go and read it.