Customer Reviews

Given the Crime

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Garbage disposal is a multi-million dollar a year business in the Big Apple. The natural assumption to be drawn from this profit making venture is that there must be many indepedent entrepeneurs carving out a piece of the action. The Yellow Pages substantiate that theory. However, every listed company works under the umbrella of the Gotham Waste Removal Association (GWRA), a front for the Mafia, who believe in maintaining a monopoly by any means at their disposal.

Susan Givens, the head of the Manhattan District Attorney's Asset Forfeiture Unit, has enough on her plate without trying to clean up the mob. Her personal life is in shambles. The man she loves disappeared over eight months ago. Her spouse, who she has tried to throw out of her life, is spying on her. Even though her case load is full, her boss wants her to prove that the GWRA has committed criminal activities. While being taken hostage by a john who killed a prostitute, Susan learns that he has information to sweep the mob out of the refuse business. She manages to get the man placed into the Witness Protection Program, leaving her to think that it is over. However, the danger to Susan has just begun.

The female protagonist of GIVEN THE CRIME is a spunky person, who bravely copes with a difficult job, a crazy husband, and raising two daughters. At times the story line is satirical, allowing the audience to accept coincidences and circumstances that, if taken as serious, would be considered far fetched. Because of this refreshing tongue-in-cheek approach, Rudman and Dennis make a welcome addition to the legal procedural sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner

This book varies in quality throughout its pages. At times it is pretty interesting and you want to read the next chapter to know what will happen next and at others, well most of the book to be honest you're getting quite bored. The chapters with Junior or undercover cops are pretty interesting but Susan could have been made a bit less complicated and a lot more interesting.

The story is basically about Susan who is a New York District Attorney who specialised in repossessing proceeds of crime. New players in New York's garbage removal industry are having their dogs' heads cut off or drivers' heads smashed in. The Mafia doesn't want new players and the hot headed, low IQ'd Junior, son of mob boss Tesla is addicted to violence. Susan is also having domestic problems in the mist of accidentally getting involved in this garbage war. Can she gather enough evidence to prosecute before it is too late?

It was a clever idea to team up a lawyer with a script writer. Mrs. Barrett should be congratulated on apparently seeing her limitations.The result is a "new" kind of crime, written up with refreshing humor.This book is interesting and a good summer read for those who look for more than a 500-word vocabulary.