Lightning Men / Thomas Mullen - 3.5***

[Book Concierge]

Lightning Men – Thomas Mullen
Digital audiobook performed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
3.5***

Book two in the Darktown series continues the story of a newly integrated Atlanta police force in the 1950s. Officer Danny Rakestraw (“Rake”) and “Negro Officers” Lucius Boggs and Tommy Smith have their hands full. Rake’s brother-in-law tries to rally the Ku Klux Klan to “save” their all-white neighborhood after a handful of black families, including Smith’s sister, beginning moving in. Boggs and Smith, meanwhile are trying to shut down the supply of white lightning and drugs.

There’s a lot going on here from the basic police procedural involving the crimes the officers are trying to solve, to the racism on the force, to the ugly and dangerous tactics of the Klan, to some personal marital issues, to political corruption. It certainly captured my attention, but I felt a little lost regarding the relationships between the characters. Still, Mullen crafts a tight thriller, with complex characters, and a couple of stunning scenes.

I came to this book because it was recommended for my F2F book club by one of the members. I hadn’t read the first book in the series and I think I really missed something because I didn’t fully understand the interrelationships of the characters. When I asked the person why she didn’t recommend the first book, she said she thought this one was better written, and that “If you are interested enough in the characters you’ll go back and read the first book.” Clearly, she doesn’t understand the concept of spoilers. I expect that knowing what will happen to these people will completely spoil the author’s attempt to develop their relationships in book one.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II does a good job of narrating the audiobook version. He sets a good pace and tries to give the many characters sufficiently unique voices to distinguish them from one another.



LINK to my review

[Booknblues]

Are you going to go back and read the first one?
It does sound like it could be an inter sting series.

[Book Concierge]

Booknblues wrote: "Are you going to go back and read the first one?
It does sound like it could be an interesting series."

I'm not sure, Fran.
I'm really rather irritated by the woman who recommended book two. There are some significant events in book 2 that I'm sure will spoil anything that happens in book one.

Maybe in a couple of years when I've forgotten more of this one, I'll go back and read book one.