SOLVED. Fiction* novel (part of series) set in Newark,NJ about a gangster turned criminal mastermind [s]

[Lindsay]

I have been trying to find a book from my husband's preteen years he read when going through a juvenile treatment facility. (Around 2004-05) He is not much of a reader but was captivated by this book & has to find it! Here are the notes I took from what my husband recalls from this mystery book-


-Entire book set in Newark, NJ

-Main character is a criminal mastermind who grows up in a stereotypical bad neighborhood- works his way up creating his own organized crime empire.

-Main character gets caught up with fbi & gets sentenced to prison while in court he had female gang group called "charlies angles" who during the sentencing, barged into a courtroom & shot up the courtroom & he escapes to a different country.

-Book is part of a series

-Fiction*

-Set in the gang 80s/90s era


Thank you all in advance, what y'all do here is truely a gift!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Was the MC white, black, Latino, other? Was the organized crime Italian Mafia-related, or some other type of org. crime?

[Lindsay]

The main character was black & the organized crime was more 90s gang (crips vs bloods) than mobster/italian mafia type. He thinks* the main character is a "blood" gang affiliate but can't remeber for sure.

[Kris]

Lindsay, what happened after he escaped to a different country (where)?

What are the other books in this series about?

If there any chance this is a fiction book?

[Lindsay]

Kris wrote: "Lindsay, what happened after he escaped to a different country (where)?

What are the other books in this series about?

If there any chance this is a fiction book?"



Oh my goodness I can't believe I didnt see I had posted it as non-fiction! Sorry for the confusion!
The MC flees to London/Paris/France at the end of the book. My husband remebers there being at least 3/4 other books to this series, one being on the female gangster group the "charlies angels" (not the Charlie's Angels from tv). Another novel of the series was a a continuing story of the MC's life in France after fleeing from his life in the US.


Sorry for all this trickle info & confusion! Thank you for your time!

[Kris]

Dutch (2003) by Teri Woods seems to match your description. The other books in this trilogy are Dutch II: Angel's Revenge and Dutch III: International Gangster.

Some Goodreads reviewers say: "...dutch is standing in a courtroom about to be sentenced to death and...(view spoiler)[he stands up in front of the judge, pulls out a cigar, lights it, and then has a gang of hot lesbain assassassins called Angel's Charlies shoot everyone in the courtroom (they snuck in dressed as old ladies) (hide spoiler)]" and
"Like every crime lord/drug lord, Dutch has a crew. his main crew consists of Angel, Roc, Zoom, Qwan, and Craze: Angel, and Roc are spending life in prison for associating and working with/for Dutch and the things they did while doing so."

I used this Google search -- site:www.goodreads.com "fiction" "newark" gangs "african american"

[Lindsay]

You have found it! Thank you so much! Amazing!

[Kris]

Great! So glad we could help. I hope your husband enjoys re-reading this book. The series gets very high ratings.