Harbor Nocturne

Jul 02, 2012 Kemper rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, crime-mystery, 5-0

Joseph Wambaugh’s collection of beleaguered cops that make up the LAPD’s Hollywood Division are back and dealing with the general stupidity, weirdness and brutality that makes their jurisdiction so unique. This usually means breaking up fights among the costumed ‘superheroes’ hustling the tourists or dealing with a domestic dispute between a couple of tweakers by getting them to do a duet of Sonny and Cher’s I Got You Babe.

This entry borrows a page from The Wire by also having a story based arou...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Robert Carraher rated it 5 of 5 stars

There may just be no writer alive who more accurately writes L.A. in all its ravaged beauty. Told with grit, biting observations of the denizen that populated Los Angles and the surrounding area, and often with an extravagance that any Angelino could tell you isn’t extravagance at all. Los Angeles may just be the one place on earth where truth IS stranger that fiction. If his bad guys seem over the top to the reader, then the reader has never spent any significant time in L.A. because in L.A. ov...more

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May 27, 2012 Mal Warwick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Joseph Wambaugh Paints Los Angeles in Many Clashing Colors

When you read Joseph Wambaugh on the endlessly diverse “coppers” of the LAPD or the equally colorful denizens of their turf, you know you’ve met the truth. Listen as he describes three of Hollywood’s zoned-out derelicts:

“Their shirts and trousers were so stained and filthy they’d lost their color and seemed to sprout from them like fungus. Two had splotchy skin with open sores, and there were not twenty teeth among them. As younger transi...more Joseph Wambaugh Paints Los Angeles in Many Clashing Colors

When you read Joseph Wambaugh on the endlessly diverse “coppers” of the LAPD or the equally colorful denizens of their turf, you know you’ve met the truth. Listen as he describes three of Hollywood’s zoned-out derelicts:

“Their shirts and trousers were so stained and filthy they’d lost their color and seemed to sprout from them like fungus. Two had splotchy skin with open sores, and there were not twenty teeth among them. As younger transients, they’d covered more territory than Lewis and Clark, but as they got older they’d begun to vaporize into spectres that nobody really saw until they spoke. The unholy ghosts of Hollywood Boulevard.”

No, the world of Joseph Wambaugh and his creations who people the Hollywood police station isn’t pretty. It’s wild, gritty, funny, outrageous, and above all endlessly surprising. Wambaugh has walked these streets. He knows whereof he writes.

The harbor of the title is the shore of San Pedro, a portion of the Port of Los Angeles. Two of the town’s younger residents, Dino Babich, a longshoreman, and his childhood buddy Hector Cozzo, reflect the variously Croatian and Italian history of the place, and their renewed relationship becomes a central factor in the plot.

The story Wambaugh tells revolves around human trafficking and prostitution — and the unsavory people who profit from it. The plot works well and offers up tension and surprises to the end. However, Harbor Nocturne is much less a novel of suspense than it is a character study of the Los Angeles Police Department, as embodied in the coppers of Hollywood Station. If there is an overarching theme to this novel, it’s the extraordinary diversity of Los Angeles today, where 200 languages are spoken. The book features characters of Mexican, Serbian, Italian, Croatian, Korean, Russian, Japanese, African, and Jewish as well as plain old white-bread European descent.

Harbor Nocturne is the fifth and most recent novel in Wambaugh’s Hollywood Station cycle, which began in 2006. Like its predecessors, Harbor Nocturne takes us inside the station and inside the heads of the cops who staff its evening and early-morning “midwatch.” Familiar characters from the earlier novels feature prominently here: the sun-bleached surfer cops “Flotsam and Jetsam”; aspiring actor “Hollywood Nate” Weiss; and young Britney Small, who earned the respect of the “OGs” — the Old Guys of the station — by shooting a violent offender to death. and wishing she’d gained it some other way.

Wambaugh, now 75, is the author of 20 previous books, 14 of them novels. From his very first novel, The New Centurions, in 1971, Wambaugh has been winning acclaim and selling books about the police in very large quantities. The man knows how to write!

(From www.malwarwickonbooks.com)(less)

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May 07, 2012 PopcornReads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: joseph-wambaugh, bestselling-author, mysteries-thrillers, noir, romance, relationships, suspense

Bestselling author, Joseph Wambaugh is known for his gritty novels about Los Angeles and Southern California, and Harbor Nocturne is no exception. If it were a film, I'd rate it an R for sex and violence. This is definitely an adults-only novel, and not something for the squeamish among us adults. Drugs, sex, violence, and corruption - but no rock and roll sadly enough.

San Pedro is a little harbor town that's part of the southwestern Los Angeles mega-metro area but, like all of the other little...more Bestselling author, Joseph Wambaugh is known for his gritty novels about Los Angeles and Southern California, and Harbor Nocturne is no exception. If it were a film, I'd rate it an R for sex and violence. This is definitely an adults-only novel, and not something for the squeamish among us adults. Drugs, sex, violence, and corruption - but no rock and roll sadly enough.

San Pedro is a little harbor town that's part of the southwestern Los Angeles mega-metro area but, like all of the other little towns that make up the Los Angeles area, it's got its own identity and that identity has shifted over the years. What used to be a sleepy, solidly middle-class area has become more marginalized and prone to violence and crime.

The men in Dinko Babich's family has a proud history as San Pedro harbor longshoremen, and he's been kind of following in that tradition but not doing a particularly good job at it. Truth be told, his life is pretty messed up. He agrees to help a friend out by delivering a young Mexican bar dancer, Lita Medina, to a Hollywood club late one night; however, he's smitten as soon as he sets eyes on her. He doesn't realize that he's just stepped into the middle of an international human slavery ring or that he'll be caught between two rival gangs/factions like a deadly rock and a hard place. Dinko is in love and wants to do the right thing by Lita, no matter what, and Lita wants out of the trap she's found herself in. And those are the perfect elements for this very suspenseful noir novel.

Although I'm not going to review this novel for my web site because it goes a bit too over the edge compared to novels I normally review there, it is well written and poor Dinko has a good heart. Included in Harbor Nocturne are some of the more colorful characters who grace other Wambaugh novels, and who make for outstanding comic relief in this very dark story.

Should you read it? If you're a Joseph Wambaugh fan, absolutely! If you haven't read Joseph Wambaugh before but you like books about the gritty underbelly of life, then go for it!(less)

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Apr 14, 2012 Kathleen Hagen added it

Harbor Nocturne, by Joseph Wambaugh, a-minus, Narrated by r. C. Bray, Produced by Highbridge Company, downloaded from audible.com.

This is another in the Hollywood Station series, which I find heart-warming and funny, especially the police dark humor. In this one, which is more of a love story than usual, Dinko, doing a friend a favor, takes Lita Medina to her home from a Hollywood nightclub where she is working. He finds that Lita, a young Mexican girl, is one of the young women tricked into com...more Harbor Nocturne, by Joseph Wambaugh, a-minus, Narrated by r. C. Bray, Produced by Highbridge Company, downloaded from audible.com.

This is another in the Hollywood Station series, which I find heart-warming and funny, especially the police dark humor. In this one, which is more of a love story than usual, Dinko, doing a friend a favor, takes Lita Medina to her home from a Hollywood nightclub where she is working. He finds that Lita, a young Mexican girl, is one of the young women tricked into coming to the U.S. for a new life but instead finds herself enslaved to a pimp, entrapped because he paid her fee to the “coyote” for bringing her out of Mexico, and because her English isn’t great, and she knows no one there. In order to “pay off this debt” she has to work as a prostitute for her “handler.” The trouble begins when a Korean mob boss loses 13 illegal aliens who were being smuggled into the U.S. in a shipping container. The Korean realizes he has lost a large investment and looks for someone to blame. In the meantime, Daisy, who is a sister to one of the refugees coming over, is so horrified by all of those people dying in the container, that she leaves and tells her roommates that she is going to the police. Lita is one of those roommates. When Lita finds out that Daisy is dead, she flees to the only person she has met in America not part of this mob group-Dinko. He takes her in, and they fall in love. Dinko is attempting to alleviate the danger Lita is in by knowing that Daisy was going to the police. In the meantime, the comic relief is provided by the surfer dudes. One of them, who lost a foot in the previous book but retained his place in the police force because his artificial foot works so well that people mostly don’t know he has it, are picked by a vice cop supervisor to run a sting on a Russian who has a strange fixation on people with artificial limbs. The idea of the surfer dudes working under cover is fairly hysterical, and Wambaugh makes us laugh out loud with this story. Eventually the two stories connect as relating to the smuggled refugees killed in the shipping container. A very good edition to the series.
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Mar 12, 2012 Gloria Feit rated it 4 of 5 stars

Joseph Wambaugh and a new LAPD novel – not much more needs to be said, does it?

But I will anyway.

The characters in this novel fall into two groups: The cops [primarily in what used to be called the Hollywood Division, now Hollywood Station, a name more sensitive to the societal reaction to the old name - - typical of the sensitivity-training-filled culture imposed on the various precinct houses], and the denizens of Hollywood, mostly a mixture of various ethnicities – Asian, Hispanic, Eastern Eu...more Joseph Wambaugh and a new LAPD novel – not much more needs to be said, does it?

But I will anyway.

The characters in this novel fall into two groups: The cops [primarily in what used to be called the Hollywood Division, now Hollywood Station, a name more sensitive to the societal reaction to the old name - - typical of the sensitivity-training-filled culture imposed on the various precinct houses], and the denizens of Hollywood, mostly a mixture of various ethnicities – Asian, Hispanic, Eastern European – the majority of whom, it would seem, brought their less-than-honest proclivities with them from their native lands.

The cops with whom readers will be familiar from past Wambaugh novels are, happily, still here. As the book opens, the surf rats, “Flotsam” and “Jetsam” [the latter now having a prosthetic leg following a recent incident], are discussing with 28-year-old Sergeant Thaddeus Hawthorne [nicknamed “Sgt. Edgar” for his resemblance to Edgar Allan Poe] his scheme designed to bust a particularly gruesome criminal enterprise headed by a man with a sexually-based fascination with amputated limbs, aided by the aforementioned surf rats.

Much of the action takes place in the town of San Pedro, whose churches offer Sunday Masses in Croatian, Italian and Spanish, where we meet Dinko Babich, who describes the town as one “where the ocean meets the ghetto.” Sitting out a suspension from his job at the docks as a longshoreman, he picks up money where he can, primarily doing odd jobs for “facilitator” Hector Cozzo [known as Hector the Collector] tonight entailing picking up a stunning 19-year-old Mexican girl, Lita Medina, from a strip bar near the harbor to a similar enterprise in Hollywood. Dinko is immediately smitten with the girl, ultimately acting as her protector when a series of events [including a couple of murders] threaten her and, by extension, Dinko.

The author’s extensive knowledge of, familiarity with and affection for the cops of LA is made very apparent. The non-PC and, one must assume, realistic terms of reference are abundant throughout. Anything weirder than usual and otherwise inexplicable is explained as simply “this is f****** Hollywood!” and “the insanity of Hollywood will eventually overwhelm you.” Despite the fact that it starts out in low gear, the pace picks up as it goes along, and the book packs quite a wallop. Recommended.
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Apr 13, 2012 Elli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: police-life-and-issues, southern-ca

I like Joseph Wambaugh. Have been a fan of his since his first novel came out based on an incident that happened in San Diego. There's no cop show on TV that's quite like cops, crime, underbelly, dark side, etc. quite like through Joseph Wambaugh's eyes! He's a humorist, too. An excellent one. And he is an ex-cop with lots of time actively spent on the police force. Who, for instance could describe a brand new degreed sergeant with a bunch of older experienced whom he enticed to become part of a...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Mysterious Ed rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: law-enforcement

#5 in the Hollywood series. Wambaugh's ensemble cast of Hollywood cops have their usual, entertaining adventures around a story tied to different aspects of human smuggling and a fascinating look at the Croation community in San Pedro. It was my only encounter with the word ćevapčići since it appeared on a lunch menu in Darmstadt, Germany about 25 years ago.

Hollywood series - Surfer cops "Flotsam and Jetsam" get their first "intelligence-gathering mission" to ferret out the "money guys" behind a...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Gerald Kinro rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story is set in the Los Angeles harbor community of San Pedro and contains many of the police characters of the Hollywood Station: “Hollywood Nate” Weiss, the actor wannabe; the surfers “Flotsam” and “Jetsam”; and Britney Small, one who had to actually shoot someone in the line of duty. Duke Babich, a longshoreman transports a young Mexican dancer, Lita Medina, to a club, he falls in love and takes her home instead. A poignant love story develops as they are caught up in the activities of t...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 110-books-in-2012-and-do-it-again, abduction, advanced-copy-review, family-relationships, free-book-for-honest-review, mystery, police-procedural, read-in-2012, reviewed, thriller

The harbor district in San Pedro in Los Angeles is the center of action in this story. Besides the business activity around the busy port, the area is made up of many ethnic grops and adult entertainment clubs.

The overworked LAPD is attempting to patrol an area that has many street gangs and other residents who don't speak the same language as the police.

Dinko Babich is a second generation Croatian. He works on the docks but is currently suspended from work. He does a favor for a friend and take...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-version, mysteries, popular-fiction

I just love Wambaugh's Hollywood Cops series, even the corny bits. Highly recommended as audio experiences, especially if you are driving around the same tacky SoCal streets as those he describes, which is the case with me, more or less. There is a great crime policier here, with all the requisite pleasures provided by a master storyteller like Wambaugh---especially setting, detailed police procedure, ethics and morality (or lack thereof), and a lovely cast of nasties. Layered on top like gooey...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, mystery-thriller-suspense

I have been a fan of Joseph Wambaugh since his first book. I thought his non-fiction was brilliant and was sorry that a messy court case made him decide to stick to fiction. I also thought his fiction was terrific: the early books are filled with gritty humor and deep passion; the middle books showed all sorts of growth as a writer trying different techniques; and in the past decade or so, he switched to writing a fictional series with recurring characters. I'm not sure whether he became tired o...more I have been a fan of Joseph Wambaugh since his first book. I thought his non-fiction was brilliant and was sorry that a messy court case made him decide to stick to fiction. I also thought his fiction was terrific: the early books are filled with gritty humor and deep passion; the middle books showed all sorts of growth as a writer trying different techniques; and in the past decade or so, he switched to writing a fictional series with recurring characters. I'm not sure whether he became tired of creating new worlds or wanted more depth in an established one, but the level of passion has declined even as the writing became smoother. I'm not knocking that at all, but for someone who has never tried Wambaugh in his prime, they might get the wrong idea from this novel. "Harbor Nocturne" is a (relatively) quiet book. Yes, the kooky characters are here, as well as the bizarre anecdotes that pile up to form the backdrop for the plot. Yes, the setting becomes a character itself. But there's a depressive level that leaves the reader with a sad taste, and less of the passion of earlier writing. I don't mean sexual passion, I mean the heartfelt energy of the characters. They all seem just a little tired. There are a few lazy short-cuts as well. In earlier books, such as "The Black Marble", the author was able to provide lots of background on the Russian community in a seamless and unobtrusive way. In "Harbor Nocturne", right away a single character provides a literal travelogue to explain the entire Port of Los Angeles, Croatian work history and Mexican immigration. It is neither seamless nor unobtrusive. However, Wambaugh, even when he is not at his best, is better than almost anyone else. If you haven't encountered his work before, I'd strongly recommend starting with older books, such as "The Black Marble" or "The Delta Star". If you know his work but haven't read the Hollywood series, I'd recommend starting with the first book in the series, since there are significant developments in the lives of the recurring characters. I do recommend this book, but not without some earlier doses of Wambaugh's work. (less)

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Jul 23, 2012 Walt rated it 3 of 5 stars

Surfer cops 'Flotsam and Jetsam' get their first 'intelligence-gathering mission' to ferret out the 'money guys' behind a ring of erotic massage parlors, whose human trafficking operation may have resulted in the deaths of 13 Asian immigrants smuggled in a container at San Pedro's shipping yards. Jetsam's amputated foot is their entry to a wealthy Russian with an infatuation with amputees. Meanwhile, a Romeo and Juliet love burgeons between Dinko Babich, a Croatian longshoreman, and Lita Medina...more

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May 23, 2012 Laura Leaney rated it 2 of 5 stars

Cliched and overworked. The ghastly plot had not a single surprise. The characters are cardboard racial stereotypes: the Mexican pole dancer with a heart of gold; the Croatian slacker momma's boy who is changed for the better by the Mexican dancer with a heart of gold; the Croatian momma who cooks great quantities of food, who at first hates Mexican pole dancer but who changes her mind when son begins to shave and sit up straight; the Italian pimp; the scary Korean in black glasses who garrotes...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Joyce rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book - easy read. I grew up in the So. Bay nearby but never really did more than drive along the coast in San Pedro to and from Palos Verdes. My sister lives there now. I thought she was exaggerating about the crime and gangs. This book gave a history of the area I did not know and my sister has spoken of the Croatian Halls/bars etc. It is for the most part Mexican immigrants now. Having spent my formative years on the beach around surfers, the Flotsam/Jetsam dialog/ slang is dated/...more

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May 25, 2013 John Kinsedahl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: so-cal-mysteries

I used to live near San Pedro, and Wambaugh captured that changes in the community over the last 20 years.
For every institution, locally each forms a unique community and the Hollywood Station is no different. I have read how Wambaugh writes and I have read about his creative process. I can believe that such a place exists for police like he describes. Also the honor Dinko Babick shows toward his friend Lita is so well described. I could feel his pain at the loss he felt in the last chapter. Sa...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was my first book by Joseph Wambaugh, although he has been around for as long as I can remember. I very much enjoyed the details of day-to-day police work in Hollywood district. They paint a vivid picture of humor, misery, and humanity, laced with danger. The overarching story was good, but the details are what will lead me to read another in the series. I listened to the unabridged audio edition of the book. The reader was fine, but I felt he relied too much on stereotypical accents to dis...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Eileen rated it 3 of 5 stars

The zany police officers of Hollywood Station's midwatch are back at it. Highlighted in this book are Flotsom and Jetsom, the surfer cops, who use the craziest, kookiest tactics to apprehend the bad guys. This series of books interweaves several story lines, all coming together nicely at the end. Classic bad guys vs. the cops, but very fun to read. The cop lingo and antics the officers pull are good for a few giggles, even though the story lines are pretty simple. I could see this actually happe...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Paul Lunger rated it 1 of 5 stars

Joseph Wambaugh's "Harbor Nocturne" is a detective novel set in Los Angeles that honestly leaves a lot to be desired. The story revolves around a wide variety of characters from Dinko Babich a longshoreman to Lita Medina a Mexican dancer to 2 cops called "Flotsam & Jetsam" amongst others. The story is full of sexual innuendo that doesn't help the plot at all. The language is coarse to a point of almost needing a censor & what little plot there is flows almost from sex act to sex act with...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Tobin rated it 4 of 5 stars

What does one say after another strong series of tales of Hollywood Division? Maybe I mention the complexity and depth of characters. Perhaps I talk about the humor and humanity captured by Wambaugh. I could also mention the Cops & Robbers genre and say that it has only been done this well over this long a period in shows like Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue.

The bad guys always get what's coming, albeit not in the most expected ways, and while the good guys always win the victories don't com...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Ray Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Like all of the other Hollywood Station novels, it's enjoyable and funny yet also melancholy. It's not quite as good as the others, however, because of 2 reasons. One, the most interesting cops from the other books aren't present much in the plot--like Nate Weiss--and the only reoccurring people are Flotsam and Jetsam, who, while funny, are rather simple-minded characters. The new cops aren't as interesting or well-drawn. And while Wambaugh gives a nice detailed description of San Pedro and the...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Richard rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone interested in Los Angeles, cop culture, police procedurals, gritty writing.

Recommended to Richard by: I read all his work.

I am torn between 3 and 4 stars. This is a typical Wambaugh LA cop book, full of tales he gets from his cop buddies and then polishes up. But there is a strong story inside all the little things that make police work in Hollywood and San Pedro distinctive to those locales.

Mr. Wambaugh got me hooked with The Onion Fields and I have read everything he has written to date.

With writers like Le Child and Michael Connelly and journals like Booklist and Library Journal praising his writing, how can I a...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Mark rated it 3 of 5 stars

Wambaugh, a former L.A. cop, has churned out over twenty novels pulling on experiences he went through ‘on the job.’ He tells us there are two types of cops; that since the years after the Rodney King beating the department became full of “risk-averse cops who wanted to get through their closely supervised careers safely” and the “retro action-oriented risk takers, who always ran straight to the sound of guns.” He makes it pretty clear which one he would have us believe he is.
The cops are regurg...more Wambaugh, a former L.A. cop, has churned out over twenty novels pulling on experiences he went through ‘on the job.’ He tells us there are two types of cops; that since the years after the Rodney King beating the department became full of “risk-averse cops who wanted to get through their closely supervised careers safely” and the “retro action-oriented risk takers, who always ran straight to the sound of guns.” He makes it pretty clear which one he would have us believe he is.
The cops are regurgitated characters from his last four novels, ‘Hollywood ’ Nate and Flotsam and Jetsam, charismatic figures in the Los Angeles police Hollywood Station series who are once again called upon to carry the story-line with their side-kick partners. The stories are entertaining and probably gleaned from truth to life told to Wambaugh but more recent police escapades. None of the coppers or their adventures are as awe inspiring as his first few novels and you get a feeling Wambaugh knows this as he can’t help himself but to remind us of his illustrious writing past by referring to his 1973 masterpiece “The Onion Field,” and still have all his officers touch a picture of The Oracle, a figure from his past, as they exit the station every day, just like The Green Bay Packers getting a blessing from Lombardi every time they play; tradition is strong within the department.
Wambaugh comes to his own in this latest narrative when he gets away from the police department and wanders into the character development of the seedy side of San Pedro and explores the lives of Lita Medina, a down-on-her-luck illegal alien from Mexico who has been caught up in the entertainment business, taking her clothes of in a local strip club. With Koreans and Russians plying their trade in the human smuggling and making these young girls pay to play local hoodlum, Hector Cozzo plies his trade as a procurer of talent for his new bosses. A chance meeting with Lita and on of Hector’s old high-school chums, Dinko Babich soon leads to true love and the unraveling of the flesh trade in San Pedro.
With his typical dark humor Wambaugh leads us through his latest entertaining, suspense filled and tragic story-line with gritty reality. Another entertaining read from the master of police dramas.
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Jul 11, 2012 Vernon Area Public Library rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-fiction, audio-book, realistic-fiction

This was my first book by Joseph Wambaugh, although he has been around for as long as I can remember. I very much enjoyed the details of day-to-day police work in Hollywood district. They paint a vivid picture of humor, misery, and humanity, laced with danger. The overarching story was good, but the details are what will lead me to read another in the series. I listened to the unabridged audio edition of the book. The reader was good.

Reviewed by: TS, Adult Services Librarian

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May 15, 2012 Bill rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't read the last few Wambaugh books for the plot--such as it is. Wambaugh is an expert at setting up cops/criminal's/citizens in outrageous vignettes that explore the wild side of human nature. He bounces back and forth between role call in the squad room, the cops on duty, various criminals going about their illegal business, and also tries to show the soft side of some low lifes. The book is a mish-mash of these scenes that somehow works wonderfully.

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Mar 31, 2013 Roger rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love Joseph Wambaugh's ear when it comes to police jargon and slang. This book is packed with it, many of the discussions in LA's Hollywood division. This is an obviously colorful area of town, and the book reflects that. The "surfers" are back with one of them seriously injured and the centerpiece of the plot. Russian mobsters, a Croat love affair, and a fascination with San Pedro. Got better as the book got longer. Loved it.

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Jul 16, 2012 Virginia Walter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

Dinko Babich, the son and grandson of Croatian longshoremen in San Pedro, gets mixed up with some very bad characters in Hollywood when he falls in love with a Mexican girl working in a strip club. The cops we know from the earlier Hollywood Division novels are here again, including Flotsam and Jetsam, the surfer cops. Great dialogue, a lot of humor, and some heart-wrenching stories of people living on the margins of society.

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Jul 17, 2012 Mary Vitale rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had not read Wambaugh in long time and was reminded how much I love his style and humor especially in this gritty cop story of his LAPD and the doings in San Pedro, a LA harbor town .It has great plot lines and characters
as he follows the seedy story of the exotic dancers, human smuggling and the zany cops of the LAPD. It manages to be a heartwarming tale at the same time. It was very good read!

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Jul 04, 2012 Phillip Frey rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Joseph Wambaugh fans.

Recommended to Phillip by: Robert Carraher of "the-dirty-lowdown.blogspot.com"

Taking place between the district police stations of Hollywood and San Pedro, this is a quick-moving police-procedural crime book. It's not as hard-boiled as I prefer, but it kept me thoroughly engrossed.

The book is currently only in Hardback. The paperback comes out this December, 2012. I had bought the paperback, then when I discovered it's release date, I deleted my Amazon order and got the hardback.

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Jun 11, 2012 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

While this doesn't say that it's a Hollywood Station novel, it is. The only difference is that there isn't quite as much focus on the cops and the parallel stories of the bad guys take most of the spotlight. Once again Wambaugh saddens me with the ending of his stories but in real life not everything ends with 'happily ever after'. Flotsam/Jetsam are highlighted more and I got my laughs from them (Transient Jeopardy sounds fun!). Nate and Britney are there and there were a couple of other office...more

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