Shame the Devil: A Novel by George P. Pelecanos

Shame the Devil: A Novel by George P. Pelecanos

Features
Hardcover

Book Description
The boys are back in town

Frank Farrow is a natural-born killer. Roman Otis is a fine-looking crooner who does his killing on the side. On a hot D.C. afternoon Frank and Roman hit a pizza shop called May's. When the hit was over, four people were executed. A cop was shot. A boy was dead. And when the sirens stopped wailing and the killers vanished into the heat, dozens of lives were shattered forever.

Now it's three years later, and Dimitri Karras, who lost a son, is starting to live again. But Dimitri's old acquaintance, a P.I. named Nick Stefanos, has just unburied the past--by discovering the killers' identity. Suddenly the second act of a crime story is about to be told. Because the May's pizza parlor killers are coming back into town: where they'll be greeted with open arms, broken hearts, and at least one loaded gun.


Reader Reviews
a tight, well-developed crime novel.., April 7, 2003 Reviewer: lazza from London 'Shame the Devil' is the last in a series of novels by George Pelecanos tracing the lives of Greek immigrants and their decendents living in downtown Washington. While there is no need to read all the previous three novels, which I haven't done, I suggest reading at least one (perhaps the first, 'The Big Blowdown') to gain a historical perpective to the characters, the setting, etc. 'Shame the Devil' is very well-written, complete with excellent characterizations. While it doesn't have much of the drug culture found in the author's other novels it does contain more than its fair share of violence, extreme sadistic violence. The book drips with evil. Simply put, the story is about revenge and redemption. Certainly not in the same league as 'Crime & Punishment' but nonetheless a fine story. My only criticism is that at times, especially towards the end, the author gets a bit soppy. The good guy characters start hugging and snivelling. Why the author chose to insert "Kodak moments" into this hard-hitting novel is anyone's guess. Bottom line: George Pelecanos is really a terrific crime writer. Enjoy.