Drama City by George P. Pelecanos

Lorenzo Brown, a young, black ex-con who's recently returned to the streets after doing eight years in prison on a felony drug charge. Living in D.C., crime and criminals had always been fundamental to Lorenzo's existence. Since his release, though, he's trying to live the straight life. He has a job serving as a Humane Law Enforcement Officer with the Humane Society, protecting animals from the panoply of domestic cruelty. He visits his grandma regularly and connects with other ex-cons who are trying to stay on track.

This attitude has won him a few champions, notably Rachel Lopez, his striking half-Jewish, half-Latina probation officer and friend, who spends her days "telling other people that they need to stay on track," but then goes off the rails at night, haunting hotel bars, picking up inappropriate guys, always frightened by the idea of a relationship "where she was not in complete control."

We see how their lives connect via Narcotics Anonymous Meetings where we hear other NA's stories as well as learn more about Lorenzo and Rachel. But the violence is never far behind Lorenzo as a turf war starts and by a seemingly inconsequential mistake. Now Lorenzo's childhood friend, boss Nigel Johnson and rival gang boss Deacon Taylor are at odds. But it escalates when 2 of Nigel's best boys are gunned down by Ricco Miller, boy of Deacon. While Lorenzo is upset by the events it isn't until Rachel is stabbed in the chest by a volatile, Ricco, that Lorenzo finds his killer instincts returning to the fore. He must decide how far he's willing to go--and how much he's willing to lose--in order to exact retribution.

I listened to this on CD and it was a tough read. I really have not experiences this type of life or read much about it. It felt very authentic though and it gives me hope that others who choose to live their lives right will succeed. Because that is what it is really about, making choices.