4 out of 4 stars
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Darlien C. Breeze has written A Life of Crime in a realistic way. Two reporters, Steve Simon and George Smitts want to write a book on past crimes. They interview retired Josh Cummings, who had been in law enforcement for fifty years. They visit the elderly Josh and listen to his life stories of crime cases that happened in places like San Diego, Las Vegas, and in Reno. It felt like the reader was invited to sit on the porch along with the two reporters and listen to Josh as he smoked his cigars and reminisced.
Many of the stories are interesting and entertaining with some twists and surprises. There are more than twenty cases that Josh describes. Each story is told as if it is happening in the present. The reader is led wanting to figure out some of the crimes with unpredictable endings. It is as if Josh remembers his favorite cases to share, cases that bring a smile to one’s face or baffle one’s mind.
I enjoyed the variety of the different cases told and the names of them. For example, some of the criminal cases were named: “Worth the Wait”, “Presto Change-O”, and “The Dream Judge”. This was a good way to divide the chapters and tell about the crimes. I liked the story of “Caitlin” the best. It was a longer recollection and had some great story elements of greed, murder, and surprise.
Though there wasn’t much to not like about the book, I did not like the bold print used throughout the book. Some of the stories were not clear in following the author’s details and mind twisters. The chapter called “The Perfect Crime” left me pondering what really happened, but maybe that was the author’s intention. I least liked “Diplomatic Immunity” because of the kidnapper’s personality and actions. I greatly disliked his character! This story seemed a bit darker than the others.
I rate A Life of Crime 4 out of 4 stars. The book has very few errors and is written in a conversational way. It made me think I was listening to a good storyteller. The title of the book describes not only the life of crime experienced by Josh as a law enforcer, but it also has a double meaning. One will need to read the book to find out what that double meaning is.
Adults who enjoy reading short and varied murder mysteries and detective stories will most surely like delving into these seemingly real-life cases. People who have an aversion to reading about criminal cases or prefer other types of books may like this book the least.
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A Life of Crime
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