Wifebeater [Paperback]

Mister Mann Frisby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

Blinking Red Light was the debut of an explosive natural-born talent who set it off on the first page and never let up. Now, Mister Mann Frisby drives the urban thriller in a graphic new direction as three players cross tracks on the night streets of North Philly.

It goes like this: Sticks is a struggling single dad doing everything he can to dodge any slip-up that could give his ex-wife custody of their daughter. He needs money to keep that from happening. Then Sticks stumbles on a bootleg video of a rap star with a solid rep, caught on tape doing something that could ruin his career and send him to jail. Sticks's friend Kheli convinces him that it's the get-rich scam he needs. Blackmail the punk. But Kheli's got an agenda of her own, the rapper isn't in the mood to play, and the word on the street is Sticks is a dead man.

A nightmare of stunning reversals and violent twists of fate, Wifebeater is a thriller all right. Now there's no turning back.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mister Mann Frisby, 27, was born and raised in South Philadelphia.  A former Philadelphia Daily News reporter, he lives with his daughter and is at work on his second novel.

 

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Trade; 1st Riverhead Freestyle Trade Pbk. Ed edition (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594480729
• ISBN-13: 978-1594480720
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,689,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting Paid...Is It Worth The Trouble?, April 9, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wifebeater (Paperback)

Wifebeater is a term no woman wants to hear. It conjures up vivid pictures of women who succumbed to physical and verbal abuse at the hands of very callous mates. When I picked up my copy of WIFEBEATER by Mister Mann Frisby, my first reaction was, "here we go, another fictional dialogue on the demise of the institution of marriage at the hands of domestic abuse, but with an urban drama twist." Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. And furthermore, wifebeater meant nowhere near what I thought it did. And don't ask, I'm not telling. You gotta read the book.

Sticks, a single, out-of-work dad has two concerns: take care of his daughter and keep custody of her. Wondering how he will be able to keep his apartment, feed the two of them and get Brie an education, it is little wonder what he'll do when the chance of a lifetime presents itself. Among his daughter's tape collection, they accidentally find a videotape of a superstar rapper in the act of a heinous crime. Calling on his boaws (crew), they decide together that his only course of action is to blackmail the rapper and get some serious paper. What Sticks doesn't count on is the tenacity of this rapper or the possibility that someone very close to him could sell him out. Will he get paid and live to spend it? Will he put the clues together before it's too late? Will the paper be worth it?

Fast-paced, gutsy, gritty, down-to-earth, action-packed, jaw dropping, page-turner are all terms that I can use to describe WIFEBEATER. Using South Philly as a backdrop for this urban thriller, Frisby has shaped an impressive tale that captured me in the first paragraph and held me captive until the last word. The plots were not only mesmerizing, but also deep, as you were propelled through the maze of Sticks' feelings and ghetto instincts with each new twist he was confronted with. The author did a great job with character development, as each was unforgettable. The culture of South Philly was embedded in every page with his use of the colorful and distinctive vernacular of those who live in the inner city streets. I even managed to pick up a couple of terms to impress my more hip-hop friends. Though I read from an uncorrected proof, I feel the finished product will be one to capture the attention of many readers.

Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Without a Doubt, April 11, 2005

By 

Zane "NY Times Bestselling Author" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wifebeater (Paperback)

I picked this novel up on my way out of town because the buzz surrounding it was great. I started reading it on the plane and finished it the next morning. It was off the chain. Mister Mann Frisby is a talented brother and I hope he gets his rightful attention. He certainly deserves it. His character development is on point, his storyline was comprised of a lot of elements that people try to sweep under the rug in society, i.e. some women being sorry parents and having a lax attitude about whom they lie down with and make babies. I loved the main character Sticks and I enjoyed his ingenuity of not revealing his real name until the last third of the book. I was going crazy not knowing it but I think that was the author's point.

Sticks is a single father who lucks out, or at least thinks he does, when he discovers that a Teletubbies tape has a whole lot more on it than children's entertainment. In an age where so many entertainers and athletes are getting caught in sex scandals, this is a timely book. The arrogance of those who assume they can do whatever they want and not have to pay for their actions amazes me so this was a "real book." Sticks had to deal with a lot of drama, greed, and betrayal and even though he was far from perfect, I felt compassion for him because he was a man attempting to do the right thing the best way he knew how. I would highly recommend this book to anyone desiring a rollercoaster of a read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Boaw Who Brought His A Game, April 14, 2005

By 

Harold L. Turley II (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wifebeater (Paperback)

The title of this book threw me for a loop time and time again because I didn't want to read a book about another man beating his wife. Finally after hearing I was reading too much into the title, I decided to pick it up and I'm so thankful I did. Mister Mann Frisby wrote his ass off with this book. There is not one chapter that doesn't have something going on. This is an exceptional book and a must read.

Harold L. Turley II
www.haroldlturley2.com
Author of Love's Game (Oct 04) & Confessions of a Lonely Soul (Nov 05)