Customer Reviews
Read this and die happy. - By: Colin D., 19 Nov 2008 
This book is so readable. The writer is a true talent. You will learn, be entertained & informed. Buy or share it with your kids, spouse , friends & grandparents. I lost my first copy on a flight & I was upset. My wife replaced it to please me, also so that she can read it. This is better than The Wire. Enjoy.
reissued,repackaged and required Reading - By: Ian Paterson, 01 Sep 2008 How do you fill the void left after watching the final episode of one of the greatest tv shows of all time ? Go back to the source & that's what this is without this book there is no The Wire. It's a remarkable book & one that hasn't really dated unlike the TV series of the same name.
The premise is well described David Simon writes about a yearin the life of the homicide department of Baltimore what suprised me was that it isn't written for the journalist point of view so instead we get informed what the detectives are thinking. It's hard to explain that for the veteran detectives we see that there is no personal crusade to solve the crimes it's a job & not a highly paid one so if it's not the money what compels these individuals to keep going especially when faced by some pretty daming statistics pointed out by Simon when it comes to actually securing convictions.
The less experienced detectives find it harder to be detached especiallyin the case of a murder of a young school girl that takes up a large amount of the book here the principal detective is haunted not so much by the crime but frustration to crack the case.
The politics, the court system , the lack of resource are all explored but without Simon preaching an opinion it shows just how much content is here when a scene from the wire season 5! Not an early season isin the book that to me showed just how much content there is that after 40 hours of tv there is still a gem to be pulled from the book
A powerful subject & probably as close as anyone is going to understand what freeman, bunk & mcnaulty would describe as true police
A must read for lovers of The Wire
Gritty and Realistic - By: J. Bryan, 07 Jul 2008 A true "no over the top" crime book told with honesty & well worth a read.
Definately worth the time - By: Chris Wright, 29 Feb 2008 I stumbled upon this book about 4 years ago whilst i was watching the tv series the wire. I didnt read it straight away but luckily i came down with flu & was bedridden for a week & thankfully because of that I read what I consider to be the best ever true crime literature ever written. This is a truly outstanding book & I couldnt recommend it highly enough, i just wish there were more books as engrossing, thought provoking & epic as this masterpeice
Wired Up - By: P. McAllister, 31 Aug 2007 Led to this novel following my infatuation with David Simon's HBO television series - The Wire. Would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the television series. Has the same feeling of authenticity (I can't really tell - thankfully) as The Wire, the banter between the detectives is hilarious & the writing is at times Chandleresque. Given the nature of the job that they do & the way that Simon was embedded, he came to admire the homicide squad maybe too uncritically but - I have been wrong plenty of times before. If you liked The Wire.....
