Customer Reviews

The Take Down

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Paula Winslow is a twenty five year old African American FBI agent who was stationed in St. Louis but who wants to get transferred to New York and her chance came when her boss asked her if she was willing to go undercover. The FBI knows but can't prove that the Calvino crime family is laundering money through Gun Clap records owned by Tyrell "Supreme" Morgan and fronted by Horse Hopkins who the public assumes is the real owner.

Paula goes undercover as Jessica Jackson owner of a modeling agency who supplies girls for videos and other legitimate enterprises to Gun Clap records, which leads to her meeting Horse and Supreme who end up trusting her. She also maneuvers her way into life of Angela, the daughter of the head of the Calvino family and introduces her to Horse. Briefly hip hop and the mafia are in bed together but when Supreme and Horse feel that the family is dissing them, they start a war that ends up with Jessica being kidnapped on a plane ride to Mexico.

There is plenty of action, intrigue and blood and gore in this seat of your pants thriller. Readers get an insiders' look at corruption in the record industry where collateral damage is the norm while watching the protagonist go to extraordinary lengths to keep the investigation moving in the direction she wants it to go. The characters are well drawn and readers know what makes them tick though the most sympathetic character is Angela Calvino who is trapped by birth into a lifestyle that doesn't suit her.

Harriet Klausner

This started off kind of slow for me, and then when I got into the story; I was hooked! Paula a.k.a Jessica Jackson stopped at nothing to get the job done! Maybe going a little too far at times. I loved all the drama at the end, my eyes were glued to the pages! I definitely think this was better than Lady's Night. I highly enjoyed this book. Pick this up; you won't be disappointed! Keep doin' ya thang Mr. Anthony!

There's a thin line between living legally and leading a life of crime and no one knows this better than Jessica Jackson, the main character in Mark Anthony's THE TAKE DOWN. Jackson is an FBI agent determined to bring down the head of Gun Clap Records and the Calvino crime family. She infiltrates the music scene by providing models for music videos through her modeling company, White Chocolate. Not only that, she also befriends Angela Calvino, the daughter of the great mob boss Paulie Calvino, and uses each of these relationships to gather information for her case. She becomes one of the Gun Clap Records family, partying, using drugs, and drinking with them whenever she can. By the end, her investigation has taken a turn for the worse and when all the evidence is collected and Jackson's case is over, her career may be over as well.

THE TAKEDOWN is the classic tale of a corrupt cop. The story is a fast-paced tale that reads more like a movie than a book. Anthony does a good job of describing the scenes so the reader can visualize them, rather than merely read them. He also develops the plot and characters in a way that the reader's interest will be held from beginning to end. Not only will the reader wonder what's next, he or she will also complete the novel wondering how far is too far when it comes to putting criminals behind bars.

Reviewed by Criss
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book was a good read. I was a little skeptical at first because of the product description, however Im glad I purchased this book. This is not your typical street fiction book, it was good to see street fiction in a different direction dealing with people whom have legit jobs but are still corrupt. Jessica Jackson is wild as hell in this book. Its a must read. Great job Mr. Anthony.

even though i thought this was a great read, the beginning was a little slow. it got really interesting in the middle and definetly towards the end of the book. i enjoyed how the author explained what happened with everyone in the epilogue, instead of just leaving you hanging. i have recommended this book to people i know enjoy reading a great book.

Takedown was a great read. It will leave you in suspense. I like Mark Anthony's style of writing. This book is definitely one of his better books. You'll really enjoy this book. I promise you!

Paula Winslow, better know as "Jessica Jackson" the FBI agent with a mission is definitely on a mission.

The FBI thinks it is to accomplish the "take down" of a criminal drug lord hiding under the title of a record label mongul and to "take down" Paul Calvino, the notorious mafia head man with New York City on lock.

But as I read the book, it reveals that federal undercover agent Jessica Jackson has some deep-rooted issues, both undetected by her employer, the FBI and by the hip hop world of ballers.

Jessica Jackson/Paula Winslow has an undisclosed mission of her own when she finally faces the truth with herself.

The novel is a fast-paced, page turning novel.

The author did a vivid and clear insight on the decption of the law and some rules apply for some & not for others. ANOTHER success from the author Mark Anthony.

Mark Anthony, the Essence bestselling author's fourth book; The Take Down is about Paula Winslow, a twenty-five year old African American FBI Agent
living in St. Louis, Missouri. She loves her job but not for the
sake of upholding the law. She is interested in making money by
any means necessary and if it indicates getting her hands greasy, she
would be up for it. Living in Missouri did not afford her the
opportunity to work cases that would lace her pockets. She was able
to dabble in cases that included money laundering, kidnapping, and
bank robberies but it was not enough to just do those assignments.
She wanted to eventually attain celebrity status and celebrity
dollars! Paula was aware that this would never happen if she
continued to be assigned to cases in the small hick towns of
Missouri.

Her desires came to fruition when an assignment became available in
New York City. Paula pitched a perfect plan to her superior that
included a modeling agency "White Chocolate Models Inc." and an
undercover name of Jessica Jackson. Paula's a.k.a Jessica's
assignment would be to obtain incriminating evidence that would
implicate the Calvino's ( a mob family) in supplying
Tyrell "Supreme" Morgan (Gun Clap Records Executive) with start up
money to 'wash'. This is an illegal act of providing someone funds,
usually from drug sells, to funnel through a business in an attempt
to make it look legitimate. The FBI had gotten close to the
Calvino's in the past but not close enough to make any of the charges
stick. Paula promised to not only deliver what her superiors asked
for but also to bring them the head of the largest and most
dangerous crime family; Paulie Calvino.

When Paula was approved to head the case, she knew it would give her
the things she desired; money, fortune, and fame. The reader goes
deep cover with Paula as Jessica while she risks life and limb to
make sure she solves this case successfully. Told in the first
person point of view, Mark Anthony takes you on a journey as Jessica
wrecks havoc in the word of Rap and organized crime. How many times
will she sacrifice her soul or break the law to achieve her goals?
How will she overcome demons in her 'real' life that haunt her and
guide some of her decisions?

I highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy entertaining,
concrete storylines and excellent character development. Kudos must
also be given because there are no unraveled ends left for the
reader to mend. I felt complete and satisfied when the tale was
over. Be prepared to gasp and let loose belly laughs on this wonderful
exploration of the underground world of music and mayhem!


Darnetta Frazier
APOOO BookClub

Mark Anthony introduces us to a very aggressive lady named Paula, aka Jessica Jackson, FBI agent. Jessica enters the scene and sexily infiltrates hip hop's ballers and shot callers! Playing the game likes she wrote the book, she even connects the mafia with hip hop! Maneuvering, careening, hit and running, Jessica does what she has to do to get the job done with a ploy that will benefit her on all sides as the end result. Join Mr. Anthony as he takes you on the Indy 500 with hip hop, mafia, and police work! Whew! Imagine that, you can't, well come along and let him show you how it all works as only he can!

Excellently written! Magnificent if I have to say so myself! My hats off to you my brotha! Continue to make it do what it do!

This book was definitely a different type of scenario that I'm used to seeing from Mark Anthony. He amazed me again. Being as though this is his fourth time out of the starting gate he freaked us again with The Take Down.

FBI agent Paula Winslow put everything on the line when she went undercover as special agent Jessica Jackson, CEO of White Chocolate modeling. Her grand idea of killing two birds with one stone (The take down of the mafia family the Calvino's and the boss of Gun Clap records Horse), she went into the game ready to wreck shop only to have the tables twisted on her. Before Jessica knew it she was knee deep in some ish that she wasn't sure she was ready for. On the flip side of all that she had a fiance at home that couldn't deal with the demands of her job, and a family and past that she was running from.

This book was filled with so many twists and turns that it was truley UNPREDICTABLE, and that made for an excellent read. The down side was I wanted the ending to be different, but so goes the minds of readers. I am wondering if there will be a part two because the author never said how Paula dealt with her family when she got back, and even though Angela was in the witness protection program, no one can run away from the mob, even when it's your own family.

If you are looking for an action packed read that will have you on the edge of your seat, The Take Down is definitely it. Go cop dat TODAY!!!