September 29, 2008
Freeze. Against the Grain: A Novel. One World: Ballantine. (Nikki Turner Presents). 2008. 288p. pap. F~With an endorsement from Nikki Turner, this impressive debut will need very little selling by librarians. Rocking a Baltimore/Virginia setting, incorporating authentic prison scenes, and detailing the inner workings of the gangster lifestyle, Freeze's tale fits right in with the popular rags-to-riches street-lit theme. Strongly recommended for all urban fiction collections. Background: Haunted by the death of his best friend during a bank job gone wrong, Arkadian "Kay" Frost pulls his nine years in prison and once out quickly establishes himself as a major player in Baltimore's drug industry. Relying on his mentor, Scatter, a reformed drug user, Kay skyrockets to untold wealth in the heroin trade. His friend Mike works the cocaine side of the business but wants more. Can Kay's woman, the sexy Shu-Shu, be trusted? Kay has it all: expensive cars, sleek women, and a party at Virginia Beach that is pure gangster. Once at the top, though, the only way is down, and Kay soon finds out how fast the script can flip.--Rollie Welch, Cleveland P.L..