Friday 14 May 2010

The Way Home by George Pelecanos

DATE PUBLISHED: 2008


DATE READ: May 2010

NOTES: Chris Flynn is a troubled teenager from a good home. As the book opens he is incarcerated in a facility for young offenders in Maryland. His parents’ disappointment in him is all too apparent and it is uncertain whether Chris will continue with his criminal behaviour or whether he will mature into a reasonable law-abiding adult.

The narrative moves on and Chris is now released and working in his father’s carpet-laying business. His partner is Ben – an old friend from the youth facility – who is also trying to get his life together. While laying a carpet in a house that is being refurbished they find a bag of cash. What to do? Chris persuades Ben to leave the cash where it is and say nothing about it. From this one incident a whole train of events occur…..

The Way Home is a cracking read. Although superficially this is a crime novel it has a very human heart. The characters struggle to do the right thing and it is acknowledged that while Chris has the advantage of caring parents many young men are not so lucky.

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