Last month, I reviewed “The Ninth Step” by Gabriel Cohen..
I really liked that book but it is the 4th in a series about Detective Jack Leightner. At the time I mentioned that I planned to look for the earlier books in this series. As it turned out I found the first of the series in our county library and enjoyed that as much as the other. Here is my review of the first in the series, “Red Hook” .
Although Gabriel Cohen’s books (or at least the two that I’ve read) are crime novels, they are so much more. “Red Hook” begins with a young Dominican man who is found murdered near the Gowanus Canal. The questions are who and why and there is no obvious answers. Sure the book is a crime mystery and in it Jack investigates a this crime and risks his career doing what he thinks is right (and his superiors disagree) but it is more importantly a story of an imperfect man dealing with his past and working toward a better future.
Jack grew up in Red Hook and is haunted by his childhood (his relationship with his father and the death of his brother mostly) and his failures as an adult (especially a failed marriage, an uneasy relationship with his son, and difficulties in relationships). This is an excellent read and now that I’ve read the fourth and first novels in this series, I plan on reading numbers two and three.
Since the sense of place is so important in Gabriel Cohen’s novels, these books are wonderful for those who either know Brooklyn or want to know more about Brooklyn.
Since this book is apparently out of print and almost 10 years old, a good bet for finding it is the local library. But if you’ve no luck there or just want to own a copy, there are many options. Some local book stores have used books or are able to order them. You can also find used books online in several places. Amazon has them but my favorite site for used books is half.com. So I’ll finish up with a few links you might find useful or interesting: