Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Eliot by Michael A. Wood Jr.


Drug dealers are dropping like flies on the east side of Baltimore. One homicide detective sees the connection between the brutal slayings but is dismissed at any mentioning of it. Risking career suicide he pursues what he believes is a vigilante killer. On the other side of the city, a dirty cop helps a kingpin rise in the hierarchy of drug distribution. A mother grieves over the loss of her child and the lack of justice. In a flash, they all come crashing together.

Eliot is written by an actively serving Baltimore Police Department Officer, it doesn't get any more real than that.

I am Michael A. Wood Jr. I have spent the last nine years as a Baltimore Police Officer, the last three as a Sergeant, and four years in the Marine Corps. My new book "Eliot" is a fiction novel about Baltimore's new hero, the vigilante Eliot. Without giving up too much about the surprise plot, the story centers around 4 main characters. The vigilante killer who is a Baltimore Police Officer, his wife who provides insight into Eliot's softer side and the tragedy that motivates him, a dirty cop working for a high ranking drug dealer, and the detective that is the only one connecting any of the dots. From vicious kills, a car chase, tear jerking moments, the thrill of the pursuit, and surprises around every corner, Eliot has it all. The police interactions are completely true to life, as I bring the reader into the real world of Baltimore and it's police department.

There is also a website with extras to enhance the experience.
michaelawoodjr.com/



What a fun book this was. Once I started it, I read it in about two days, since it is very entertaining and fast-paced enough to keep the readers from getting bored.

There’s a good sense of suspense throughout the novel. Even as we meet and see who the vigilante is, we don’t really know much about him or what makes him do the things he does, so we don’t feel entirely comfortable. Which is exactly the point. He is a nicely done character with different layers that make him fun to read about. The only other really captivating character was Noah, another detective who is a bit of an outcast in the police force. One character I didn’t really understand much and I would have liked to have had her more involved in the story is Eliot’s wife. She appears only a few times with little point to her other than to advance the other character’s actions.

There’s a lot in the book about police procedure which was fascinating to read about since it’s not something that is really as prominent in novels as you’d imagine. I actually wished there was more of it, more details on the day-to-day lives of one or two of the characters, just to give the reader the idea of what’s normal and what’s not in the police force.

I do recommend this one. If you like fast-paced thrillers, then this book just be a good choice for you.





1 comment:

Jae said...

This book sounds really good. Have you seen the TV series The Wire? Reminds me of that because it involves police, drugs, and is set in Baltimore. I'm definitely going to check this out!