The year is 1974. Boston’s Jamaica Plain is a neighborhood under siege, a community skating along the razor’s edge of decline. The banks have REDLINED Jamaica Plain, causing the housing market to crash, wiping out local homeowner’s lifetime investments and opening the neighborhood to blockbusters and slumlords. Now, someone has begun systematically torching those abandoned buildings and the … charred body of Sandy Morgan, a dedicated young neighborhood organizer, has been found among the ashes. Why? Who stands to gain? Community organizer and Marine combat veteran, Jedidiah Flynt and Alex Jordan, his beautiful Harvard educated researcher together with a group of local property owners are determined to stop the redlining and and bring the arsonists responsible for Sandy Morgan’s death to justice. Their search will lead them through a labyrinth of corrupt politicians, Asian gangsters and bent churchmen.Two interwoven plots work their way through the narrative, one is absolutely true, the other never happened, but might have.
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I was worried what this book would be like. It was written… differently. (Not bad. I found the written language and terminology to be different than the norm.” I found it slightly difficult to read because of this and found myself re-reading parts to ensure I understood it, but the storyline itself is what grabbed me from the start and did not let go.
Initially, I really was wondering where this book would lead. I was worried it was going to be political and educational and boring, but then I found myself engrossed in the story, turning pages, trying to read faster (which did not work!) and did not want to put the book down! I had to read more; I had to know who and what!
In addition to the engrossing story; I was educated. I bonus, in my opinion. Who doesn’t like to read a good suspense read while learning something new at the same time!?
Redlined is the first book I have read by Richard Wise, and I hope he writes more suspense and thrill because this was an excellent read. I highly recommend picking up Redlined and giving it a read!
Redlined: A novel of Boston is a fabulous read. It is, also, my first introduction of reading a book by Richard W. Wise. It definitely will not be the last. This book is one of those thrillers that will keep a reader captivated from start to finish. I enjoyed getting on this roller coaster of twists and turns. The story is full of action, mystery and suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. I could not put it down until I was reading the very last page hours later.
Redlined: A novel of Boston takes readers back in time to the 1974 Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. Richard W. Wise’s talent really shines through by telling this story. It is quite compelling to read. I enjoyed the main characters, Jedediah and Alex. They are a great team working together trying to solve as what is going on. I was not easily able to predict what would happen next. It is so so good.
I thought Redlined: A novel of Boston was a great read. I am giving it a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy a good suspense filled novel. I would love to read more by Richard W. Wise in the future. I am interested to find out where his imagination will take his readers to.
I received a copy of Redlined: A novel of Boston from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
It’s 1974, and someone is torching the buildings of Jamaica Plain. Wise deftly evokes Boston of the era: the politics; the “turf-based” Catholic parishes; the “partially demolished six lane cancer eating out the guts of the neighborhood” that is the corridor. Jedediah Flynt is a social activist and a flawed hero, an ex-Marine and Vietnam vet who is haunted by the war and by leaving his young son just as his father before had left him. Sandy, a young community organizer who works for Jed, is murdered when a Green Street house is torched. Jed blames himself for sending Sandy to her death and is determined to find out who is responsible. Aided by Alex, a young researcher, they uncover an insidious land acquisition scheme involving unexpected co-conspirators. Wise excels at rendering the Boston of the era, down to the “jaundiced glow of the streetlights” and the “Stygian darkness” of a church. The plot comes alive with crisp dialogue and granular details regarding Boston history and the practice of redlining, with which the author is evidently well-versed. A page-turner!
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
I wasn’t sure about this book at first but it ended up being a really nice read. Set in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston in the early 1970’s era, the banks are redlining the houses causing the market to crash, and many people loosing all they have. Along with many others,, Jedediah and Alex teams together to try and figure out what is going on, but when they found a body in the rumbles of a burned building, they knew someone meant business.
Redline by Richard W. Wise had me biting my nails quite a few times throughout this book. Wise created amazing characters that played there parts well, some better than other of course. It’s had to choose the best ones but I think for me it is Alex and Jedediah, I enjoyed following these two as they tried to find the culprit. There were lots of twists and turns in this story. One I thought I knew whodunit another twist shot up just that threw me back in the game again. It was a fun journey though. I enjoyed it when I finally learned who it was. If you love a good suspense thriller, this is a good book for you to try.
Along with the amazing story, this is my first time listening to a book narrated by Bobby Gaglini. I have to say he did a fantastic job with this story. At first I had to really listen to see if it was him or a lady narrating as well. Gaglini’s voice is pleasant to listen to and his expressions make the story so much more interesting and fun. I look forward to listening to more book where Gaglini is the Narrator. Redlined by Richard W. Wise is Five Stars for me.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Richard Wise weaves an intricate and engrossing story replete with fantastic imagery and tactful subplots. It’s as if the author lived through this tale personally… it pulled me in and wouldn’t let go—simply brilliant.
Dedicated community organizer Jedediah Flynt is the complex character at the center of this suspenseful and socially relevant novel. When one of his co-workers dies in a deliberately set fire, Flynt feels responsible for having assigned her to watch the decrepit building. As the residents of this ‘redlined’ neighborhood work to defend themselves against heartless banking practices, ruthless developers, and crooked politicians, the reader is drawn into their individual stories. Deftly drawn characters and strong realism combine to make this an excellent and worthwhile read.