Customer Reviews

Thieves' Paradise

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Thieves' Paradise has to be my favorite book by Eric Jerome Dickey. I did enjoy his others tremendously and I think he's an excellent writer. But I really enjoyed Thieves' Paradise because of the dangerous edge and the other books didn't have that element. Chalk it up to my being an 18-year-old male and not knowing all the in's and out's of romantic/real love. Although, the other books were without a doubt entertaining and well written as well.

Dante and Jackson were working for this dude named Scamz. Scamz was the big dawg, running the whole con-game show.

Dante was the narrator and somewhat of a protege to Scamz, although he really wanted to be an honest man. Dante was sweatin this chic named Pam, until he eventually broke her down after he convinced his Scamz to let her (a rookie)participate in a con where she almost got everybody killed.

Dante also got Scamz to put his friend Jackson on because he caught a $16,000 child support case. Jackson had a woman who loved him and a baby mama causing mad drama. He needed fast cash to get her off his back so he could be with his lady, Robin. He went into panic mode and like Pam, almost got everybody killed (including himself).

Now that I think about it, everybody in this book almost got everybody killed, or tried to kill everybody themselves.

Oh, and the sex scenes were tight - and plenty. Thieves' Paradise is a damn good book in my opinion. Also, his characters had depth. I guess that's what the professionals would look at.

Keep up the great work Dickey. 5 stars!!

INTENSE! ENTERTAINING! EXCITING! Thieve's Paradise will definitely give readers a greater respect for Eric Jerome Dickey (if that's possible) because he successfully broke the paradigm without losing the romance/sensuality, excitement, emotional depth and humor elements that have made him a literary icon.
Thieves' Paradise was a story about people from different backgrounds who are now all on the same common ground, which is
needing a hustle to make a serious 'come-up'. The reader learns very early that even the characters that seemingly wouldn't 'hurt a fly' would do anything to turn life's tables to their favor. Also, for this to not have been an isloated romance novel, it is filled with relationship drama and is INTENSELY SENSUAL.
Thieves' Paradise was an enjoyably fast-paced story, taking place in three days (and it has to be a gift to fill three days with enough action and romance to write a complete novel!) and I was right there the whole time waiting to see when these wonderfully-developed, unpredictable characters would crack under the extreme pressure put on them by this incredible author.
I am so excited for Eric Jerome Dickey for being able to write such an EXCEPTIONAL story that strays from what his readers are accustomed to without losing his gift of sapid story-telling.
Summarily, this book was on point and off the hook!
5 stars from me!

INTENSE! ENTERTAINING! EXCITING! Thieve's Paradise will definitely give readers a greater respect for Eric Jerome Dickey (if that's possible) because he successfully broke the paradigm without losing the romance/sensuality, excitement, emotional depth and humor elements that have made him a literary icon.
Thieves' Paradise was a story about people from different backgrounds who are now all on the same common ground, which is needing a hustle to make a serious 'come-up'. The reader learns very early that even the characters that seemingly wouldn't 'hurt a fly' would do anything to turn life's tables to their favor. Also, for this to not have been an isloated romance novel, it is filled with relationship drama and is INTENSELY SENSUAL.
Thieves' Paradise was an enjoyably fast-paced story, taking place in three days (and it has to be a gift to be able to fill three days with enough action to write a whole novel!) and I was right there the whole time waiting to see when these wonderfully-developed, unpredictable characters would crack under the extreme pressure put on them by this incredible author.
I am so excited for Eric Jerome Dickey for being able to write such an EXCEPTIONAL story that strays from what his readers are accustomed to without losing his gift of sapid story-telling.
Summarily, Thieves' Paradise was on point and off the hook!
5 stars from me!

After reading most of EJ Dickey's book, I was beginning to get a little bored with his themes. He seemed to be doing the Baskin Robbin's technique with his books---31 flavors of the same thing, but with Thieves' Paradise he flipped the script and brought us something fresh and exciting. This was so different from anything he's ever written and it was wonderful. Dante is a man struggling to stay on the straight and narrow when life keeps handing him near-death blows. He's sympathetic towards women and anyone with a hardluck story. But it's that sympathy that's gets him into some serious trouble. The story spans a small piece of time in his life (3 days, I think), but in that time his life irrevocably changes.

Dickey shows us that sometimes we have to make hard choices in life to stay afloat. However, when we choose to make those certain decisions we have to be man or woman enough to accept and understand the consequences. I think Dickey did an excellent job of giving us insight into Dante and his motivations.

The only flaw I found with the story was the limited insight we gained on the other characters. They were all major players, but we didn't get to understand their motivations. Dickey revealed very little about Scamz who was a major player in the story. Plus we were never given any background about the Dante/Jackson relationship. Where'd they meet? What was the basis of the friendship? Maybe I skipped that part trying to finish the book. If I did, please someone out there in bookland let me know.

However, despite that one flaw, I thought Thieves' Paradise was a great read.

In Thieves' Paradise, Dickey inserts a microscopic lens into the lives of characters struggling in the belly of a recession. These in depth characters drag themselves in and out of days of drama and danger. "Lots of days I get mad because I woke up again and have to go through another day." Dickey gives us a frontal view of the affects 9/11 had on those living and breathing just shy of broke and almost at hopeless. Desperate, they resort to various frauds to make ends meet, using street smarts to survive, but inevitably paying an extremely high price.

The story takes place in the streets of Los Angeles, where money is the Alpha and the Omega. Contrary to the title, Thieves Paradise is actually about survival. It's about making sacrifices, learning from mistakes, and unconditional friendship. Our main character, Dante, faces unemployment in the wake of 9/11. His efforts to find a job produce only sterile results. His friend and mentor Jackson carries the same unemployment disease as Dante. Enhancing Jackson's unemployment hardship is some tortuous baby mama drama. Amongst a myriad of catch-twenty-twos, Dante and Jackson are damned if they do and dead if they don't. For a variety of reasons, both Jackson and Dante make a deal that terribly fractures them.

Thieves' Paradise is an attention-grabbing story. Poignant. Erotic. Great character development. I knew these characters well, and I cared about them. The dialogue was pertinent and greatly enhanced the story. I really enjoyed the very detailed and erotic, but tastefully written, love scenes. Dante was our sole narrator, which limited me to a single perspective...that barely satisfied the intrigue and curiosity that the storyline built up. At least one more voice from `the other side' would have given me a deeper understanding of the Thieves Paradise.

With excitement, emotion, and eagerness, Dickey's characters unravel a tale of hardship, tribulations, and commitment. Thieves' Paradise sucks you in, where you feel as if you are running on the streets of LA, fighting to survive. I enjoyed this book, and if you like intrigue and excitement, I think you'll enjoy it too.

Reviewed by KaTrina Love (Miss Love)

I enjoyed this book. The descriptions, the graceful and rhythmic tempo of Mr. Dickey's writing created an emotional connection and realism to the characters. I was expecting the ending to be different. However I had a few minor issues with the book:

1) I found a minor error in the book that almost ruined the realism of the characters. On Page 26 of the book, Robin, Jackson's girlfriend's car, is described as a silver Passat with EYE FLY 4U vanity plates. It reads as follows: "Robin's silver Passat was pulled to the side down at Wilshire at Mariposa, across from the Equitable Building. She was easy to spot because her vanity plates read EYE FLY 4 U."

On page 271, it read that Robin owned a green Nissan. It reads as
follows: "Robin was ready to go. We headed out to the parking lot. I was dead on my feet and eight miles from home. I asked Robin to give me a ride to North Hollywood. I expected her to turn her nose up at me, but she motioned for me to follow her. She hit the remote, the lights flashed on EYE FLY 4U, and we both got in her green Nissan.

The green Nissan belonged to another character in the book, Pam.

2) Another problem I had with this book was the negative portrayl of African American women which is pretty uncharacteristic of EDJ's writing. Sabrina is the vindictive and scorned ex-lover of Jackson who is making his life miserable and causing him to make mistakes. Robin, who started out as positive, was later portrayed as a cheating and lying fiancee. Pam is portrayed as scandalous, money-hungry, sex-starved, and insecure. All of the females in Dante's life let him down, including his mother, who committed suicide. Unlike his novel, Friends and Lovers, there were positive African American females in that novel.

I love EDJ's writing, I just wish there could have been a different ending. I also thought his characters were real and well developed. I just wish that Dante and Pam's relationship could have had a happy ending. The way their relationship ended was so abrupt, especially considering how much they had opened up to each other after he and Scamz were attacked.

I thought the final phone call between Jackson and Dante was so impersonal. It brought little closure for me as a reader between these two men who were the best of friends.

Thieves Paradise was no doubt a five plus! This story was full of action, drama and hot sizzling [scenes]! EJD sure does know how to create a sex scene. [Those] scenes are always THE BOMB!

I thought I had this book figured out, but it ended in a totally different way. I can't choose any favorite characters with this story because I loved them all!

Dante- main character that was constantly haunted by his past.

Jackson - Dante's best friend. He got a whole lotta problems and often turns to Dante who is younger than him for advice.

Robin- Jackson's girlfriend

Sabrina - Jackson's baby momma

Scamz- the one man that could get you out of trouble and in trouble at the same time. He was like God to some people...they looked up to him. The women worshipped the ground he walked on.

Pam- the older woman that Dante fell in love with too fast.

Sierra- One of Scamz's women (watch out for this lady)

Arizona- One of Scamz's women (watch out for this lady)

Big Slim- An old man with a nasty attitude who has a closet full of secrets.

Nazario- Dante's worst enemy. (HATED HIM WITH A PASSION)

My mouth flew open at some of the crimes they got away with in this book. Even though I knew they were doing wrong I was hoping they wouldn't get caught. The crimes they committ will have you sitting on the edge of your seat biting your nails.

If you haven't read Thieves Paradise yet...what you waiting on?! It was SOOOOOOOOOO Good! Loved it from the first sentence to the last.

This book was better than I could have ever imagined. I was looking for Mr. Dickey to talk about the life of a hustler who found love and changed. I did not expect the book to end as it did. The ending was a total surprise for me. I was happy to Mr. Dickey allowed Dante' to change for the better and finally do something for himself. Dante' reminds of people that I encounter on a regular basis, they don't have a bad heart but they do what they need to do in order to survive. All the trials and tribulations Dante' had experienced he still had a desire to go to college and achieve his goals. I never would have thought that by Pam telling Dante' that saying about fraternities would make him want to pledge. Well done Mr. Dickey. I must say I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.

This time EJD is back with an action thriller. One that will have you on the edge of your seat as he gives you a quick glimpse into the streets of Los Angeles, and how those who are down on their luck survive. It's hard to believe all the action takes place over three days.

Dante learned survival early on and though he tried to better himself and get a real job, when the going got tough he found himself unemployed and barely able to pay his bills. Jackson, a 50-something, laid off "dot-commer", who tried to do right, has baby mama drama and finds himself owing a tremendous amount of child support. Although, they both have been on the right track, in order to make ends meet they feel the need to return to the life of running cons for an extra buck. Enter Scamz, the mastermind of the games. You get a gig with Scamz, then you are sure to make a little extra cash.

Since this is an EJD book, you know there is also more than these guys running scams. Dante finds himself infatuated with a waitress/actress named Pam. He also hooks Pam up with Scamz when he learns she needs money. But his main goal is to get with this older lady and let her know that young guys can satisfy. Hot and steamy is the title of their story.

I have followed EJD since the beginning and he is yet to disappoint me. He has tackled different genres and never lost his talent in providing excellent dialogue, great character development, and a sensuous scene or two. There are also other characters in this novel that provide the missing pieces and contribute greatly to this story. In this book the action is fast paced and exciting. This is one you must read this summer.

Jeanette Wallington
APOOO bookclub

All I can say is Eric Jerome Dickey has done it yet again. Thieves Paradise pulls you in from the very first page and keeps you there until the end. What a powerfully, edgy and gritty book, that's sure to be another bestseller for the man with the magic touch and insight. Since I've read his first book, I've been a "HUGE" fan of Eric's and he hasn't disappointted me yet. I like the fact that his books don't all have the same plot or storyline and that he carries people over from his books. It makes for a more realistic type of read. T.P. follows the life of Dante Black and some of his colorful friends like, the unforgettable Scamz, Pam, Jackson, Sabrina, Robin, Big Slim, Molly and sisters Sierra and Arizona, who give a whole new meaning to sisterly love. This book has it all and is sure to be a page-turner for you. You can't/couldn't be disappointed in it the least. It reads so realistically with it's action and drama filled pages, which is something I've always loved about Eric's books. Well EJD, you've done it once more for me and I'm already looking forward to next's newest, hottest, bestseller from you. Blessings and continued success always to one of my favorite writers. The Sistah Circle Book Club-Houston, will there to support you as always.