Dialogues of a Crime

Questions?

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He has two options for defense: He goes with the former, at his father's prideful wishes, and ends up spending a stint in jail. While in there, the inevitable occurs: Mike is assaulted, and permanently scarred. Skip ahead to , Detective Larry Klinger is exploring a long forgotten case, and is inadvertently wanders into Michael's current orbit. Michael is now an advertising exec, and a keeper of secrets. What is the ultimate price for fierce loyalty?

It becomes a battle of justice, with trust, and betrayal as the key players. I had a problem with the narrative, right off the bat. There was a clash of tones, one pulling me in the direction of intensity, and urgency, the other had me questioning the seriousness of the situations being portrayed. WHY was this mob "family" so hell bent on helping Mike?

I severely felt the lack of back story when it came to that relationship. There was just too much dialogue, too soon. Getting a solid grip on characters was my second qualm. Michael was constantly being referred to as both Michael, one second, and then "the young man," the next. The majority of the mob characters also had nicknames, and it got confusing, very fast, when trying to figure out who was who. By the time the second half of the book began, I was more confident about their identities, but I just felt like that could have been handled better to begin with. I've come to expect the topic of abuse to accompany a story line involving jail time, especially in a correctional facility for males.

I just wish this one didn't handpick that exact route; that the catalyst for the remainder of the book's events wasn't a stereotypical jailhouse sexual assault, and beat down. However, aside from not enjoying the plot line immensely, the messages in Dialogues of a Crime ran deep, and intricate. John Manos' writing was no hold's barred, to the point, and witty. It kept the the story flowing, and helped cement my attachment to Mike. His emotions, reactions, and life choices were made believable, and I couldn't help but root for him, even if the conclusion had me questioning his motives.

I liked the use of a gap in time, the way parts of the future reached back to enlist the help of truths from the past. It was this collision of facts, or lies, that added depth to the story, and propelled it forward. The dynamic of Michael and Larry's relationship was hard to make sense of, but it was interesting to watch play out. Overall, Dialogues of a Crime was an ambiguous crime mystery, with a real intention to highlight the bonds between people; between family, between friends, and among those we fiercely claim our loyalty to.

Recommended for fans of: When Mike, a college student in Illinois, is arrested on drug charges, his father insists he use a public defender. When Mike is picked up by the head of the mob, people notice. Flash forward to , when Detective Larry Klinger begins investigating the murders of two former Astoria inmates who were violently killed shortly after being released.

An informant—the third man who beat Mike—tells Klinger that the murders were committed by Calabria, the kingpin whom Klinger would like to see taken down. Klinger investigates, coming in contact with Mike, and the two form a friendship. Manos is extremely deft at allowing the characters to reveal the story and what motivates them. Klinger captures this particularly well; he ponders his role in the reality of crime and punishment, and Manos allows him to grow in the process: A character-driven crime novel ruled by complex men facing the past. The book opens with a snapshot of a brutal crime in progress.

Then the narrative switches to the story of college student Michael Pollitz being caught up in a drug sweep in Michael, who comes from a blue-collar family, quickly learns that the justice system is radically different for those who have money than it is for him. He tries to do the right thing, but what happens to him is anything but fair.

Fast forward to A lifelong criminal facing serious time tries to buy some leniency by saying he has information about a couple of cold cases—killings that occurred 21 and 22 years earlier. The story is a page turner; I read it straight through in two days. Yet it touches on interesting issues of justice, guilt, and loyalty. Given the current controversies over the privatization of prisons and the consequences of strict guidelines for sentencing drug-related crimes, this novel has contemporary relevance in spite of being set in the past. Anyone who likes mysteries and crime novels will enjoy reading Dialogues of a Crime.

Dec 03, Pat Camalliere rated it it was amazing. What made this novel special was the exploration of the relationship between the suspect, Pollitz, and the detective, Klinger. John Manos handles his characters in wonderfully realistic detail as the story unfolds. Klinger is investigating Pollitz as a step toward gathering criminal evidence to put away a boss of the Chicago Outfit, but he can never be sure if the outfit or Pollitz himself actually committed the crimes. Pollitz has no direct ties to organized crime, but has been a family friend What made this novel special was the exploration of the relationship between the suspect, Pollitz, and the detective, Klinger.

Pollitz has no direct ties to organized crime, but has been a family friend since childhood. Although the crime in question happened over twenty years ago, its resurrection stirs up trouble in an organization that has changed through the years. During the investigation, Pollitz and Klinger develop mutual respect and even fondness, as suspicions develop and each strives to be loyal to their principles.

Manos handles the dilemmas of both men masterfully. This is a fascinating read about real people. Jun 29, Bandit rated it it was ok. I don't love Mafia stories, never have. Because of its subject matter, it took me a while to get into, but once I did it was actually a quick and reasonably entertaining read. For a thriller there wasn't enough excitement or mystery, for a I don't love Mafia stories, never have. For a thriller there wasn't enough excitement or mystery, for a drama, there was too much gray territory and ambiguity, especially evident in the overwhelmingly anticlimactic conclusion.

Decent enough of a read and quick enough at that, but unless you're really into the subject, doesn't really offer all that much. Jun 14, Jay Amberg rated it it was amazing. I've recently read Dialogues of a Crime for the second time, paying particular attention to the development of the friendship between Michael Pollitz and Larry Klinger. While some might see moral ambiguity creeping into the relationship, the story is really about coming to understand and respect another person and to appreciate more deeply the human condition.

My point is that, unlike most crime fiction, Dialogues of a Crime is worth rereading. May 23, Michael rated it did not like it. Using God's name in vain is enough for me but the author continued on in vulgar language. I've heard them all and still don't appreciate reading it in print.

The part I read was a little slow and every 2 or 3 paragraphs was a chapter. This is a well-crafted crime novel with depth. I enjoyed the walk down memory lane but more important the relationships he created between the young man and his father, his surrogate father and the relentless detective bent on solving a 20 year old cold case.

May 04, Barbara Fett rated it it was amazing. I finished this book in bed late at night. It left me puzzled, disturbed and curious! I fell asleep but woke a couple hours later with my mind still occupied with the plot! I love it when this happens! I will recommend this book to my bookclub because I know we will have a really good discussion! Obviously, based on the title, I thought it would be about a crime, and either someone would get away, it would turn out to be justified, or the perpetrator would suffer his or her due punishment. Instead, we have a series of character portraits revolving around events in Yes, there was a crime, and yes, there were punishments, just not the way you expect.

We also have the story of the long twilight fall of the Chicago Mob, from a position of heavy-handed influence to death in the shadows. In , a kid is more-or-less railroaded into a plea deal that sends him to prison. It all seems like the worst coincidence of circumstances, but it turns out differently than expected because Michael Pollitz has connections, and because the Mob casts a long shadow.

All he did was show an undercover agent to a dorm room where he could buy drugs. It was the sort of thing that probably everyone knew and anyone would have done. When Michael is raped, beaten and brutalized in prison, the perpetrators are marked for death. It haunts him, and it haunts the reader. I was caught up in this from the moment that the rather late investigation starts, because the CPD cop, Larry Klinger, may not be the most sympathetic detective ever written, but he is dogged and he asks questions, both the right questions and the wrong ones.

Also in the way that the influence of the Mob bought restaurants, strip clubs, and prison guards. I drove some of the same roads that Pollitz does, and at the same time period. I almost felt like I recognized some of the restaurants, and maybe I did. In the newspaper and TV news of that area, the Mob was still a force, but fading. There were always stories of places that were owned, or people who went to school with the children of mobsters, just as Michael did. The mystery, some of which remains a mystery, was compelling, and the Chicago felt right. Sep 29, Judie rated it it was amazing.

In , nineteen-year-old Michael Pollitz, a college freshman in central Illinois, was asleep in his dorm when he was awakened by a bang on the door and two men entering his room. He knew the others were all involved in drug sales. He used drugs occasionally but had no conne In , nineteen-year-old Michael Pollitz, a college freshman in central Illinois, was asleep in his dorm when he was awakened by a bang on the door and two men entering his room.

He used drugs occasionally but had no connections with distributing them. It turned out that one of the policemen had gone into the dorm and Michael had shown him to the room where the detective purchased some drugs. Michael was considered to be an accomplice. In all, ten men, mostly college students, were arrested. The college paid their bail expecting to be reimbursed. Even though they were much more heavily involved in the drug trade, the more wealthy students were able to get good lawyers and have their charges reduced. Not wanting to disrespect his father, Michael agreed.

The lawyer, a friend of the college president, had no experience defending a case in court or working with an innocent defendant. He convinced Michael to plead guilty so he would get a better deal and have his record expunged.

It was a disaster. Michael was sentenced to a medium security facility for between thirty and ninety days, then placed on probation for two years. Behind the scenes, Dom contacted some people he knew to ask them to protect Michael. The request came two late. After being locked up for a little more than a week, Michael was seriously attacked by three men. He spent several weeks in the hospital and then was released. He was very angry with his father and, upon release, told Dom what he hoped would happen to each of the three.

The book moved to One of the three men was arrested and tried to use information from the case to reduce his punishment for his recent crime. It looked like an opportunity to land a very big fish. The police located Michael and try to get him to turn on Dom. Michael told them what he knew he knew he is not a good liar but he really knew very little. But some of the members of the Mafia became worried about what was being said about them.

Some do appear to be stereotypes. This book was a free Amazon download You have everything you need for a story when it involves the mafia, or mobsters, even if they are fictional. As soon as someone says The Mob, what do you expect?

How did you like the book?

I expect, as a fundamental part of a mobster story, dominate, cold-hearted, calculating characters surrounded by seedy opulence and ostentatious luxury. I expect loyalty and jealousy in equal measures. I expect a hapless victim being thrown in too deep and a subtle war for supremacy.

There was some of the above, but Dialogues of a Crime does focus more on varying levels of friendship, loyalty, and the shifting dynamics of those friendships when they span years. The crime itself was not the main intent of the story, as far as main plots go, but was more of a driving force to thrust individual characters together and display their personalities. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between characters, especially Mike with Dom. There was a sadness to him I could appreciate given the circumstances of his prison-stint, but also a credible wholesomeness at his core.

I loved how the story was told over years, with each part broken up into , , and I grew to love the characters, except for Larry Klinger and Dan Whittaker. By the time I reached the part of , I was very much into the story and was saddened by the ending. In , Michael Pollitz was a college student. The police stormed his room and he was arrested, along with others, and he had no idea why. His best friend, John's father, Dom, who was part of the Mafia wanted to help by providing Michael a lawyer but Michael's father wouldn't allow it. Instead, he was represented by an incompetent public offender and there were serious ramifications.

In , the police were trying to take down Dom. A seasoned officer, Larry Klinger, got some information from a In , Michael Pollitz was a college student. A seasoned officer, Larry Klinger, got some information from a criminal source about Dom which led them to Michael, now an advertising executive. As Larry investigated, he got to know and like Michael and was torn between using him to get to Dom or protecting him.

KIRKUS REVIEW

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it. I liked the writing style and thought it moved along at a good pace. I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. It's written in third person perspective. As a head's up, the language is for a mature reader. I liked the characters. Klinger is an experienced cop and is tenacious in digging into the year-old history to get something on Dom.

We see a human side of him with his interactions with his girlfriend, Dora, and Michael. When we meet him in , despite being friends with members of the Mafia but not involved with them, he is extremely loyal to John and Dom. I liked the interactions between Klinger and Michael as they became friends. I did find it was hard to keep the members of the Mafia straight because they were referred to by their first names, last names and nicknames I would recommend this book.

See a Problem?

If you love a really good mystery with some thrilling parts in it, then this is the book for you! I wasn't too sure if I was going to like this book in the first chapter because I really don't like the way some laws are performed and the punishment didn't fit the crime and I think Mike got a really bad lawyer, but it makes for some very interesting reading. I will tell you that there is only one bad scene in the book and the rest is just assumed. There really is no details of the crim My Review: There really is no details of the crimes other than that they happened but nobody ever finds out who did it and in a strange way, I was very glad about that.

Because what was done to Mike was really awful and everyone in the book except for the State Attorney, really wanted Mike to be left alone. Even the detective investigating this 20 something year old case didn't have quite the stomach for it. If you love a good mystery with justice being served although rather in a strange way with no clear concept of who the real culprit is, you will love this book as much as I did.

Sometimes, just sometimes, it's worth it getting justice for a wrong that should have never happened. Even the prison guards wanted the men responsible who did this awful thing to be punished, so I rest my case. When bad people get what they deserve, I feel no guilt, no qualms, no lost sleep. They got exactly what they deserved. If all criminals got the same punishment that they themselves inflicted on innocent people, just maybe, we wouldn't have so much crime and murder going on if they knew that the same fate awaited them if they got caught.

I for one, would look the other way and say, I didn't see anything. Maybe, just maybe, then everyone could breathe a little bit more and feel safer in this world.

Dialogues of a Crime is a mystery involving a young man who happens to be kind of in the wrong place at the wrong time. While in college in , Michael is arrested for 'walking' a DEA agent to another dorm room to buy drugs.

He of course did not know that the guy was an agent and a few weeks later he is arrested, along with others in a drug bust of the dorm. Even though he keeps telling them that he doesn't sell drugs he is charged anyway. Michael has been good friends with John Calabria whose Dialogues of a Crime is a mystery involving a young man who happens to be kind of in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Dialogues of a Crime

Michael has been good friends with John Calabria whose father is head of the mob Outfit in Chicago and Dom Calabria insists that Michael use one of his lawyers, but Michael's father insists he use a public defender, which he does and takes a plea bargain that gives him sentence of a maximum of 90 days. His stay there in not pleasant as he is beaten and raped by three inmates. The trail leads him to Michael and from there the clues mount up. Did Michael have anything to do with these murders?

That is what Larry is determined to find out. He is suspicious of Michael because of his ties to the Calabria family, but as he gets to know Michael he is no longer sure of his assessment of him. This is a murder mystery spanning events that happened to Michael in to Full of Soprano like characters or Soprano wanna be's. I love a good mystery and this one is in that league, fast paced full of family dynamics, suspense and justice, maybe not the right kind, but mob justice. Sep 22, Charles Ray rated it it was amazing.

In , year-old college student Michael Pollitz got caught up in a drug bust and through an unfortunate combination of circumstances wound up in jail where he was brutally assaulted by other inmates. Michael just happened to have a friendship connection with the son of a leader of the Chicago mob, and two of his assailants ended up murdered after they were released. Two decades later, when the third assailant is arrested on an unrelated charge, he brings the old case up, which gets veteran In , year-old college student Michael Pollitz got caught up in a drug bust and through an unfortunate combination of circumstances wound up in jail where he was brutally assaulted by other inmates.

Manos is a riveting tale that explores human relationships and the politics of crime and punishment that is a unique tour de force in the crime writing genre. The author, using mainly conversations between the various characters involved in the old case, takes the reader inside the system, on both sides of the law. There is no neat resolution of the crimes, and in the end there are no real winners or losers, just a group of people caught up in events over which they have little or no control—much as it is in real life. A completely satisfying read that will bring you to tears in places, and have you fuming in righteous indignation in others.

Dialogues of a Crime was not the suspenseful thriller that I was hoping I would get. Honestly, I thought the book was very slow and not really engaging. I never got the feeling of mystery or suspense that I was hoping to get. Marlowe is irresistible, partly because such laconicism signifies bravery.

BEST INDIE THRILLS AND KILLS OF 2013:

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Exercise 1: Reporting a crime

Here, the relentlessly pushy and psychopathic Charles Anthony Bruno is beginning the entrapment of Guy Haines into his plan for the perfect double murder: He put his hand over the glass Bruno was about to refill. The working-class spy hero of this novel was called Harry Palmer in the film of the book. In the book itself, he is unnamed. Just ill-informed, misguided and ignorant ones. The female detective, Hoolihan, is quizzing the partner of Jennifer Rockwell, an astrophysicist who committed suicide.

You begin to want to see a fresh face. This is the second book concerning the misadventures in showbiz of Chili Palmer, who is encountered here getting off on the wrong foot with the dangerous Raji:. You have something to say to me fuckin say it so we be done here. Could have been checkin the quality. Getting ready to trade.

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