My Thoughts on Half the Blood of Brooklyn: A Novel (Joe Pitt Casebooks Book 3) by Charlie Huston

To me, Charlie Huston has never shied away from violence, especially violence that shocks and disturbs the reader. He did so in Caught Stealing, and he did so in the previous Joe Pitt Casebook Novels. To say the least, the violence in his books is not for the faint of heart.

But the violence is significant. In the case of Joe Pitt in this book, again, he finds himself aching, bruised, bloody, and close to death, making questionable choices all along the way. I won't give spoilers, but let's just say that Joe has to move on at the conclusion of this book.

And, again, Joe finds himself acting upon a sense of duty and loyalty, mostly paying the myriad of favors he owes to others.

But it is the state of his girl that drives Joe to do something—or attempt something—truly selfless.

I enjoyed this book, at once appreciative of how Huston weaves grit, despair, and outright lunacy into a compelling narrative.