Official Review: Darkness of Blue by Gary A James
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Official Review: Darkness of Blue by Gary A James
Darkness of Blue by Gary A. James is a crime thriller that tells the story of a police officer and a civilian in a prison facility. Myles Konrad was once a detective in a special investigation unit whose goal was to neutralize gang activities in Oklahoma City. A case of mistaken identity led to terrible fallouts, challenging Konrad’s ethical stance as a police officer.
Meanwhile, Troy Devante Jones has been spending the last fifteen years in prison. In his conversations with his confidant, Jordan Conley, Troy recounted the events that occurred prior to his detention and how his life tied to a police officer named Myles Konrad.
Amid Black Lives Matter protests and controversial police-civilian encounters, this book holds so much relevance. On the one hand, the story explores the lives of the police. It depicts the dangerous nature of their job as well as the corruption within the institution. On the other hand, the story understands that there are factors beyond control that make a criminal resort to illegal activities.
The author approaches these pertinent issues with an open mind, which is what I like the most. Criminals aren’t simply caricatures in the story. They get to tell their sides of the story, exhibit their personalities, and lament their struggles. Through them, we learn that some criminals were also victims of their circumstances who have made the wrong decision once and found no way out since then. The story also scrutinizes a corrupt system that rewards those who follow and punishes those who resist. The author further pushes the narrative that unless the good cops stop the bad cops, there are no good cops. At one scene, a criminal spat on the face of a police officer. The officer, as a textbook definition of a dirty cop, retaliated by beating the guy. Konrad stepped in to subdue his colleague.
Apart from these comments, the book maintained a firm grasp on the quality of the story. I appreciate how Konrad, the protagonist, is not a one-dimensional good cop. The author introduces gray morality in the narrative, where he is often conflicted between doing the right thing and succumbing to corruption. The author employs non-linear storytelling through switching timelines. Most of the characters have perspectives, so a reader gets to see all angles in the story. The story also provides answers to the problems at hand, which I also appreciate.
Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for the excellent characterization and the tactful exploration of pertinent themes. There is nothing I dislike about it. The editing quality was relatively good, as I only found a few errors. I recommend this to adults who like novels about crimes, police encounters, and gang activities. Graphic violent scenes are present, so readers who are sensitive to those contents should proceed with caution.
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Darkness of Blue
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