Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)In the style of Joseph Wambaugh's classic novel, "The Choirboys," comes "The Beach Club" by Richard Paloma. As a member of the local Writers Group, I was thrilled with the opportunity to review an advanced reading copy.
Paloma's novel is an intriguing police ride-a-long through the fictional East Bay city of Eden Valley, California newly plagued by a serial rapist. More than a look at department politics and procedures, readers are invited into the investigations, antics and lives of the swing shift officers, affectionately dubbed "the Beach Club."
Officer Vincent Patrone, Detective Ray Depietro, and fellow swing shift officers are endangered not only by the perils of the street, but by departmental politics and their choices for on and off-duty activities. Personality and depth are displayed as they clash with "The Regime" of aspiring chief of police, Lt. Alex Santos and his henchmen while searching for an elusive sexual predator.
Throughout the book, Officer Patrone has to contend with his personal demons; sympathy for victims after the attacks, feelings of helplessness after responding to a suicide attempt, an escalating affair with a woman he met on-duty, and the of guilt of adultery. Navigating this rocky terrain and looking to understand his feelings, Patrone, befriends Father Tony, a local priest.
Lightening the harsh realities of being on the job with slightly twisted humor, the shift finds amusement at the mishaps of a canine unit, the hilarious drug testing of a suspicious substance, a miscommunication of international proportions at a ball game, and a final prank on arch nemesis, Santos. Yet the "Beach Club" officers tackle incidents of fleeing felons, auto theft, arson and the vexing pursuit of the rapist like a championship team.
Powerful action scenes combine with strong displays of police wit and humor. Paloma effectively ties in anectdones and subplots leading to a fast paced and surprising conclusion.
It's a quick and enjoyable read.
By the way, a sneek peek at a chapter of his next book promises another page turner.
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The Beach Club is fiction, but every principle scene in it is real. There are strong action scenes surrounded by equally strong scenes of police humor and wit. The novel is a frolic of maverick and freewheeling cops in their quest to identify and apprehend a sexual predator, internal challenges of morality and commitment as well as overcoming interference by department administratorsOfficer Vincent Patrone, Detective Ray Depietro, and the rest of the Eden Valley Police swing shift are plunged into the midst of the pursuit for a serial rapist that plagues the California city. To compound matters, Lt. Alex Santos, a headhunting-backstabbing administrator who is pursuing the chief's job, exploits the mishaps of the shift to use to his advantage. Despite Santos' belief that the shift is out of control, they are actually a group of high performers who in the end, identify and capture the rapist. Richard Paloma reveals a behind the scenes look at the dark humor and aggravations of being a uniformed police officer. He uses his years of experience as a patrol officer and police detective to capture the camaraderie, challenges, and internal politics within law enforcement today. The Beach Club will keep you entertained start to finish as you get to know the members of the Eden Valley Police Department
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