Violent Crimes by Hugh Holton


Violent Crimes
Title : Violent Crimes
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0812571878
ISBN-10 : 9780812571875
Language : English
Format Type : Mass Market Paperback
Number of Pages : 512
Publication : First published March 1, 1997

A Black Muslim mosque is blown off the face of the earth. A novice nun is stalked, tortured, and raped. A famous Chicago columnist is slain in vicious ritualistic fashion. And suddenly Commander Larry Cole is on the trail of Martin Zykus, the most cunning killer he has ever faced. To solve these crimes, Cole will have to dig deep into both his past and his present. He must return to a long-ago search for another sexual psychopath in another time - and a terrifying chase through the bowels of an abandoned, rat-infested Loop hotel. He must also deal with a vastly different man. Steven Zalkin, a mysterious tycoon, is engaged in a program of prodigious philanthropy in which he is giving away untold millions to Chicago's most worthy citizens and institutions. What is the connection between Zykus and Zalkin? Sister Mary Stallings, one of Zykus's earliest victims, holds the key to Cole's case - a case he must solve before her tormentor returns to settle an ancient score.

Violent Crimes Reviews

  • Sheila

    It's good to read crime fiction by Black writers, and to see strong Black protagonists. But there's something missing from this book: the violent crimes of the Chicago Police Department. For example, the secret black ops site they used to torture people in order to get confessions. And by now everyone has seen the horrible footage of Laquan McDonald being gunned down in cold blood. In the scenes at the police stations, none of the cops ever use the n-word... which author Holton undoubtedly heard, if he worked in the CPD for 30 years.

    Like contemporary movies, there is gratuitous sexual violence in the book. It's one thing for the crime to occur as part of the plot, another to linger on the description of women's bodies. Most of the female characters that appear are victims. For a deeper look at crime, society, and racism, I recommend the mystery novels of Barbara Neely, Walter Mosley, and Sarah Paretsky (the latter's books also take place in Chicago.)

  • Cat.

    I like the writing, don't get me wrong. I think Holton is a good writer and he knows his stuff: he worked in the Chicago Police Department for almost 30 years.

    BUT...this was just too gooshy and awful for me to finish. I got to approximately page 150 and realized that I didn't like most of the characters. I certainly didn't want to find out why people turned out the way they did (the plot takes place, in flashbacks and flashforwards, over about 15 years). There is too much icky stuff going on in 'real life' lately.

    Basically, this was another book that sat, unread, for over three weeks without being touched. Maybe I can come back to Holton. Maybe he needs to be removed from The List. I'm thinking it over.

  • Jim

    Ten years ago I read an earlier Holton book, "Windy City," and picked this up because of the local author and Chicago setting. Holton could use a strong editor, but he tells a good story.

  • James

    Great book.

  • Beverly

    Here's another gentleman that I met at Magna Cum Murder--I really enjoyed his work. Wish he was still around to write more.