This book tells about Derek Strange and his family from his early days, up to his days as a policeman, including why he left and became a PI. If you're a fan of this series, this will be an interesting read. As usual, it's down-to-earth gritty and violent, but also educational, telling about what life is like for blacks in Washington, DC. This one includes the days of MLK and his death, and the violence that broke out in DC afterward.

And by the way, this was a new narrator for me, Charles Canada, and I thought he did an excellent job. ( )

George Pelecanos' 2004 novel, Hard Revolution, is the fourth book in his Derek Strange/Terry Quinn series. While his first three books in the series take place in present time with Strange and Quinn being private detectives in Washington, D.C., Hard Revolution is almost a prequel to the other three books as it traces Strange's development through his childhood and early years on the Metropolitan Police Force in Washington, D.C. as the inner city turns to riots, arson, and looting in the wake of Dr. King's assassination.

This is no ordinary crime novel. It transcends genres being at once a crime novel and a sociological history of the fifties and sixties in D.C. The writing is so crisp and the characters so well developed that it almost makes one want to go back and reconsider all the ratings given on other books. Few can measure up to how good this book is.

This is both a crime novel and a fictionalized history novel that explores the twentieth century and race relations through the civil rights era. It does so by exploring the characters involved and is quite an excellent accomplishment. Through small clues like soda fountains and radio stations, Pelecanos captures the spirit of the times and does so quite well. ( )

Very enjoyable book. Main character is Derek Stange a Black Policeman in Washington DC book is set in 1968, during the run up to Martin Luther Kings assassination.
Very easy to read book. I imagine this book captures this period in time very well. Worth reading. I will look out for more of Pelecanos books. ( )

Part of a series featuring Derek Strange. This is not the first one written but it is the first chronologically. It features kids & young adults in Washington DC in the 60's; the main part takes place in the days leading up to the assassination of MLK Jr., and the immediate aftermath. It is well-written with lots of period color, particularly the music (although I wondered if he would have mentioned Solomon Burke if Burke hadn't re-emerged.) There are ugly Black criminals & ugly White ones, and heroes & ordinary people. He gives little credence to th honest revolutionary sentiment that some people would have felt at the time.