Customer Reviews

Little Girl Blue: A Novel of Crime

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4 star:		(6)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The small, nude body of a young girl is found one wintry night in New York City's Central Park. Her feet are cut and bloody and she is curled in a fetal position. It looks as if she ran as far as she could before collapsing in exhaustion, finally giving in to the bitter cold. Any cop would be troubled by Little Girl Blue, but Lieutenant Julia Brennan is moved as a mother, as well as an enforcer of the law. She has a young daughter of her own and cannot escape from the haunting image that pierces her mind.

The subtitle of "Little Girl Blue" is "a novel of crime," a very apt description. At the heart of this suspenseful, at times painful book are the most despicable of crimes, those committed against children. Lieutenant Brennan uncovers a child pornography and prostitution ring that lies hidden in the upper reaches of Manhattan society, sheltered for years by the wealth of those who participate in it. As soon as Brennan gets the scent of these perverted criminals, though, their days are at an end.

Although it features troubling subject matter, "Little Girl Blue" is written with such empathy and tactful restraint that it never strays into offense, something authors who have tackled similar stories have failed to do. It is appropriately tense, especially during the last twenty pages, but the mystery here tacks a backseat to the characters. The author explores his characters as people who think and feel in realistic ways, not as the cookie cutter puppets lesser writers use to populate their stories.

Lt. Julia Brennan is a hardened NYPD homicide detective who's seen it all when she catches the case of a small, naked girl found dead in Central Park. The sight of the tiny corpse, blue with cold, affects Julia like no other has, and she vows to find the killer, no matter what.

Working with Peter Foley, an undercover cop with the Sex Crimes Unit, Julia is appalled at the breadth and depth of perversity she discovers is flourishing in her city. Peter not only poses as a pedophile, but maintains a Web site designed to attract these bottom-feeders. Julia finds herself attracted to Peter, but wonders how wallowing in the dark sewers of depravity as he does could fail to affect him in ways she doesn't want to contemplate. As the investigation leads to foreign adoption agencies selling children into slavery, many of the potential suspects turn up dead. And Peter knew who and where each of them was. Can Julia trust him?

This is a chilling novel dealing intelligently with an ugly subject, tautly written with crisp dialogue and dazzling continuity flowing along at full-tilt boogie speed, absolutely compelling reading. I haven't figured out who David Cray is a pseudonym for, though I have a couple of guesses, but what a master of the crime novel.

NYPD Homicide Detective, Lieutenant Julia Brennan, thought she was hardened and unshakable. She had seen it all, the very worst elements of society, and the carnage they so often left behind. But this crime scene was different, and it had a profound effect on her. A little girl, no more than eight or nine, naked, and frozen, lying in Central Park. Her tiny blue body was curled in a fetal position, and her bare feet cut and scraped from running. Who was this "Little Girl Blue", where had she come from, and why had no one reported seeing a naked child fleeing down the streets of the upper east side? Against all her better judgement and police training, this case becomes personal, and Lieutenant Brennan finds herself investigating a part of New York City's underground that she didn't know even existed...the lucrative world of pedophiles, child pornography, and slavery. As the case progresses, she finds herself drawn into this world, and willing to risk everything to get to the truth, and bring Little Girl Blue's killers to justice..... David Cray is back with a dark police procedural that's tense, compelling, and full of riveting, suspenseful, and gritty scenes. His writing is engaging, crisp, and intelligent with a great ear for dialogue, and his well drawn characters are original and believable. But it's Mr Cray's atmospheric portrait of New York and its underbelly that makes this novel stand out, and his indepth research and attention to detail adds real credibility to the plot, and brings the story and characters to life. Little Girl Blue is a disturbing and realistic, fast paced, page turner that grabs you from page one, and doesn't let go. David Cray never disappoints. This is a novel that should definitely be at the very top of every mystery/thriller fan's "must read" list.

Despite the sheer horror of the subject, child sex slaves and porn, David Cray writes brilliantly, not letting up for a moment and not letting hold of the reader...allow yourself time for long reads as you'll resent having to stop. Julia Brennan, a fast rising young N.Y. cop, finds herself becoming emotionally involved in the case of a young girl whose naked body is found in a park, frozen to death.As the case unwinds, the seedy, horrible world of child sex and children sold into sexual slavery from other countries to feed the depraved appetites of the so-called "chickenhawks",unfolds and, distasteful as the subject is, Cray covers it with compassion for the victims and without dwelling unnecessarily on the details. I became interested in the personal lives of Julia and her family and friends also and hope that another novel featuring these characters will soon follow.

As Andrew Vachss has proven on several occasions, stories which turn on the sexual abuse and enslavement of children are the true horror stories of the mystery genre. We have a primal reaction to the content which pulls us out of our comfortable lives and imbues the details of the novel with an intensity which many readers find deeply disturbing and uncomfortable. The reason is obvious. Nothing is as defenseless as a child, and nothing is more tragic than the inevitable ruination of a child's spirit.

David Cray opens 'Little Girl Blue' with a grim scene. Lt. Julia Brennan comes to a crime site where the victim is a 9 year old girl, frozen to death in Central Park. The evidence shows that the girl had been fleeing from something so terrible that she was willing to run exposed through the city and into the park. Without even raising a hand in violence the world of the pedophile has executed another victim. Brennan becomes determined to track down those responsible, and to give Little Girl Blue back her real name.

What follows is a story of justice and revenge. Brennan and her partner, Peter Foley find themselves one step behind someone who is determined to kill all the perpetrators of this crime and destroy the evidence. Foley, whose own daughter was kidnapped, resulting in his wife's suicide, is driven to hunt the perverse. But for Julia, his personal tragedy makes him a potential suspect. Even while working closely with her, he pursues his own hunt, heedless of the potential danger.

Such stories, built on the dark core of human evil are the true noir stories. Vachss's tales reveal a world where hope is futile and salvation is only accidental. David Cray builds a vision no less grim, but definitely less pessimistic. He dangles the possibility that at least some of the characters he lovingly portrays will be enlarged, not diminished by the tragedy. And that somehow, in the midst of a police procedural, there can be glints of healing.

'Little Girl Blue' provides a clinical distance which is both its most fatal flaw and the key to its success. After the girl herself is found, the next victims become the adults that people an underworld, rather than the children themselves. This deflection reduces stress and keeps the book accessible to the reader. On the other hand it makes the dark secret of its center a little less horrible than it should be. Child abuse is a prevalent problem which rarely receives the attention it should because it is too strong an issue to confront directly. 'Little Girl Blue' is a fascinating start, but there are miles yet to go.

David Cray enters uncharted territory and handles it skillfully. The world of child porn is uglier and more prevelant than most of us like to admit, and Cray takes us into that world and challenges the reader not to look away at this hideous crime. In any other writer's hands this plot more than likely would have been handled with sensationalism, as a plot tool, but not here. Cray offers up a twisted world and inserts a female hero who tries to make sense of it all. There are characters living in this novel that more defined than any of the best-selling thrillers, and New York City (Pre 9/11) exists an important charcter as well. That in itself should draw attention to this novel. For whatever reason, David Cray is not a household name, but he should be. This novel is a must read and I can't wait for his effort.

Perhaps because of the subject matter (child exploitation), I found this book very painful. The characters were also brilliantly done and that may have added to the impact. I was rooting for the tough female Lt. Julia Brennan from the first page and was snagged instantly by the mysterious loose cannon Peter Foley. Put the two together, which David Cray did, and you've really got something. Put the two together in a chase against someone killing off child porn dealers and cast suspicion against Foley himself, which David Cray also did, and you've got a book impossible to put down.

And yet ... and yet ... I did not finish Little Girl Blue. I couldn't. I think the subject matter touched me too much; I didn't want to read any more about it. Near the end, right in the middle of all the wind-up action, I bailed out.

Can I recommend this book? Definitely. Just don't tell me the ending. I may go back someday.

"Little Girl Blue," by David Cray, is a disturbing glimpse into the twisted world of fiends who prey on children. Lieutenant Julia Brennan is called to the scene when the naked body of a young girl is found in Central Park. It is surmised that the girl was running away from something, but what would cause a young child to go out naked into a bitter cold night?

Julia's horror grows as she learns what happened to this young victim, whom she calls "Little Girl Blue." The case becomes even more complicated when other dead bodies turn up. Pete Foley, a cop who is desperate to find his own missing daughter, assists Julia in her investigation. Patti Foley, Pete's daughter, was snatched five years earlier from a day care center, and Pete has not laid eyes on her since. In an effort to find Patti, Pete has become an expert on pedophiles, and his knowledge proves to be very helpful in this investigation.

"Little Girl Blue" is one of the most unflinching and hard-hitting police procedurals that I have read in some time. Without being overly graphic, David Cray makes the reader care deeply about the pedophiles' helpless victims, and we strongly identify with those law enforcement professionals who track down these monsters.

Julia Brennan is a terrific character, with seemingly contradictory personality traits. She is hardened from a difficult childhood with an alcoholic mother, but she has retained a feeling of compassion for the underdog. A single parent, Julia is devoted to her adolescent daughter, but she is also hoping for a promotion to a high position in the NYPD. Cray deftly depicts Julia's growing romantic relationship with Foley, a deeply wounded individual with many unresolved issues of his own.

Cray's dialogue and plotting in "Little Girl Blue" are on the money. There is an immediacy about Cray's writing style that puts the reader right in the middle of the action. His description of police procedure is superb, and the book is extremely fast-paced. If you are a fan of this genre, put "Little Girl Blue" on your must-read list.

The corpse of the preadolescent girl in wintry Central Park leaves its mark on all the law enforcement officials who saw the blue colored dead body. The Assistant ME and the Manhattan North Borough Commander simply want the culprit dead for such a vile act. Even NYPD Lieutenant Julia Brennan, normally a stoic ambitious cop, strongly reacts, but she knows she must contain her feelings to thoroughly lead the investigation.

Julia and her team begin to make inquiries that quickly lead to pornography mostly focused on child prostitution and a link with international adoption. Obtaining the help of sex crimes expert Peter Foley, Julia personalizes this case in every possible way in order to see that the culprit who did this heinous crime to LITTLE GIRL BLUE faces justice.

LITTLE GIRL BLUE is a strong police procedural that allows the audience to follow Julia and her cohorts as they dig deep into the underbelly of Manhattan to try to solve the crime. The exciting, well-written story line is a delight for sub-genre fans because the investigation is intelligently designed while keeping the readers' attention. The psychological impact on Julia, who has a teen daughter, adds depth though the author never allows his character's emotions to overwhelm her work. This strong tale will send readers investigating bookstores for previous works by Mr. Cray (see BAD LAWYER).

Harriet Klausner

from the courtroom to the scene of the crime.

His prior novel, "Bad Lawyer" featured a down on his luck attorney, with memorable plot and characterization. These were no flukes! Cray seems to be as comfortable when his main character is a female, and a cop, as he was with Sid Kaplan.
He manages to capture all the difficulty a woman on the force has with the balance of job and family, authority and friendship, in his heroine, Julia Brennan.

Andrew Vachss has successfully dealt for years with the seamy side of crime - child prostitution and pornography. Cray tackles these crimes with the discovery of a dead child...whose memory resonates in Brennan's head. She pushes on with partner Foley, uncovering a band of deviants who are among New York City's most wealthy. Cray keeps a little more distance than Vachss, dealing with the crimes with compassion, but blending the stark reality with characters who, on the surface, seem normal, although they are sexual predators.

There are some excellent supporting players in Julia's team, along with Foley, (a difficult man to read), the profiler, Julia's uncle,( a journalist), and her daughter. Chief among the players is Anja Dascalescu; the "Little Girl Blue" of the title. Although we never meet Anja in life, in death, she represents the thousands of children who are forced to live as victims by predators who think only of themselves.

Little Girl Blue is a powerful novel, with an exciting climax, and characters you would like to meet again. David Cray, whoever you are, you've done an outstanding job!

Buy it, read it...be prepared for some despair.