Bravo for Dr. Maxine Thompson's Novel, LA Blues: Book Review by Suzetta Perkins

L.A. Blues is Maxine Thompson’s masterpiece. Told in first person by main character, “Z” short for Zipporah Saldono, you were witness to life in the mean streets of modern day Los Angeles with its overwhelming serving of gangs and drugs and, of course, a corrupt police department. You couldn’t help but root for “Z” with the opening scene, a young lady trying to move past her generational curse by bettering herself but is almost raped in an environment that had claimed her family, although she’s rescued by a passerby who becomes a pivotal person in her life years later.

As an abandoned and orphaned child, she wants to do better…she wants to make something of her life and reunite with her younger siblings–with her father having been killed for protecting her, her mother in prison for supposedly killing the man who killed Z’s father, and her brother, a notorius drug dealer in prison. But the life of a cop may not be the best coping mechanism as Z is reminded on too many occasions of what her life was like growing up as she hauls in drug dealers, gang bangers, and the other elements of the streets. And then she finds herself a target, the reason not immediately apparent but is somehow connected with the slaying of her partner.

There are so many elements to Z that most people can identify with. I was drawn to her resolve to fight when she was thrown off the force and had taken to the bottle to relieve the stress. Having her foster mother in her life was was a healing force and through all of her struggles it appears Z found what looks like real love.

This is a gripping tale that is so vivid it almost feels as if you’re living it. I was there every moment with Z, trying to protect her from the rapists, shielding her from the volley of bullets that ended her partner’s life, pulling her up from her drunken stupor to breathe life into her again…admonishing her not to give up and let Romero have a chance, to embrace her mother…especially when she learns the truth of her imprisonment, and being the best friend she could to Chica and Haviland. EXCELLENT READ!!’

Book Reviewer: Suzetta Perkins, Bestselling Author, Look for Upcoming Release, Betrayed. It’s a pageturner and a tearjerker.

http://www.suzettaperkins.com