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IQ #2
Righteous
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2017)Listening Length: 9 hours and 50 minutes
For ten years, something has gnawed at Isaiah Quintabe's gut and kept him up nights, boiling with anger and thoughts of revenge. Ten years ago, when Isaiah was just a boy, his brother was killed by an unknown assailant. The search for the killer sent Isaiah plunging into despair and nearly destroyed his life. Even with a flourishing career, a new dog, and near-iconic status as a PI in his hometown, East Long Beach, he has to begin the hunt again—or lose his mind.
A case takes him and his volatile, dubious sidekick, Dodson, to Vegas, where Chinese gangsters and a terrifying seven-foot loan shark are stalking a DJ and her screwball boyfriend. If Isaiah doesn't find the two first, they'll be murdered. Awaiting the outcome is the love of IQ's life: fail, and he'll lose her. Isaiah's quest is fraught with treachery, menace, and startling twists, and it will lead him to the mastermind behind his brother's death.
For ten years, something has gnawed at Isaiah Quintabe's gut and kept him up nights, boiling with anger and thoughts of revenge. Ten years ago, when Isaiah was just a boy, his brother was killed by an unknown assailant. The search for the killer sent Isaiah plunging into despair and nearly destroyed his life. Even with a flourishing career, a new dog, and near-iconic status as a PI in his hometown, East Long Beach, he has to begin the hunt again—or lose his mind.
A case takes him and his volatile, dubious sidekick, Dodson, to Vegas, where Chinese gangsters and a terrifying seven-foot loan shark are stalking a DJ and her screwball boyfriend. If Isaiah doesn't find the two first, they'll be murdered. Awaiting the outcome is the love of IQ's life: fail, and he'll lose her. Isaiah's quest is fraught with treachery, menace, and startling twists, and it will lead him to the mastermind behind his brother's death.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 17, 2017
About the author
Joe Ide
11 books1,079 followersJoe Ide is of Japanese American descent. He grew up in South Central Los Angeles, an economically depressed area with a largely black population. Gangs and street crime were rampant. Like a lot of kids, Joe wanted to belong and his speech, style, musical tastes and attitudes reflected the neighborhood.
His favorite books were the Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes stories. That a person could make his way in the world and vanquish his enemies with just his intelligence fascinated him.
Eventually, he went on to university and received a graduate degree in education. He worked as a school teacher, a college lecturer, a corporate middle manager and director of an NGO that offered paralegal services and emergency shelter to abused women and children. He went on to write screenplays for a number of major studios but none of the projects came to fruition.
It was then he decided to write his debut novel, IQ, about an unlicensed, underground detective; a character inspired by his early experiences and love of Sherlock Holmes.
Joe lives in Santa Monica, California, with his wife and Golden Retriever, Gusto.
His favorite books were the Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes stories. That a person could make his way in the world and vanquish his enemies with just his intelligence fascinated him.
Eventually, he went on to university and received a graduate degree in education. He worked as a school teacher, a college lecturer, a corporate middle manager and director of an NGO that offered paralegal services and emergency shelter to abused women and children. He went on to write screenplays for a number of major studios but none of the projects came to fruition.
It was then he decided to write his debut novel, IQ, about an unlicensed, underground detective; a character inspired by his early experiences and love of Sherlock Holmes.
Joe lives in Santa Monica, California, with his wife and Golden Retriever, Gusto.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,088 reviews
March 30, 2021
This is a good book; don't let my rating fool you. After all, what are ratings? A momentary reflection on the enjoyment of a read, a statement on the overall quality of the book, an assessment of value, or a comparison to an author's other works? On any given day, I may rate according to any one of those things, while attempting to explain why in my review. Onward, then.
Isiah, known locally as 'IQ,' is contacted out of the blue by Sarita, the woman who had been dating his brother in the years before he died. Her call shakes him from his depression after discovering the car involved in his brother's hit-and-run and realizing that it was intentional, a homicide. Sarita is worried about her half-sister, Janine, a DJ and gambling addict who lives in Vegas and claims she's in trouble. This time, IQ asks Dodson along, who has been busy trying to go straight in the food truck business while supporting his very-pregnant girlfriend Cherise. As always, they discover more than they expected in Vegas after the sister's boyfriend attempts blackmail. At the same time, the narrative follows IQ as he works his brother's case and his last steps in the weeks before his death.
Although reviewers often dub IQ as 'Sherlock-style,' there really is only the faintest resemblance to the Coyle stories. In this book, the action is considerably amped up, and IQ's deductions are primarily in service of rescues and not in solving a mystery. There's also a dual timeline, with IQ's earlier investigation into his brother's murder intermixed into his trip to Vegas to assist Janine.
"Janine is a serial liar, and hopefully it's a story she made up to get money from me. She's done it many times before. On the other hand, she might be telling the truth and if she is, she'll need help--oh, I'm sorry, Isaiah, I'm just assuming you'll drop everything you're doing and go."
One of the challenges for me was that Ide uses a limited third-person narrative, giving the reader perspectives from virtually everyone in the story. Personal perspective from Dodson, Janine, her boyfriend Benny, a store clerk, Janine's father, the loan shark, a local gangbanger, a local gang leader, etc. all serve to confuse the story line and create distance between the reader and the characters. On the one hand, this choice does give the reader some insight as to the motivation, potentially humanizing those choosing a life of crime. On the other hand, it is so many people that it is hard to care about one person in particular. Furthermore, I'm not sure it was successful. I felt like the perspective just convinced me the person in question was an asshole, making it hard to appreciate IQ's efforts.
I felt mildly guilty not enjoying this more. Ide's a solid writer and to be honest, I think he is using a technique very few authors could pull off. The overall quality of the writing is very high, far above the average mystery; really edging into literary fiction. A little stuck on what didn't work, I happened to open Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, another kind of mystery/ lit-fic that solves a mystery while looking at life in the underclass, hoping for more insight. I think a limited perspective would have helped a great deal. Ide could have put more of the information into dialogue, bringing the characters to life, or left it out altogether. My guess is, however, that he likely wanted to humanize some of the criminal stereotypes used. Dodson provides much of the comic relief, but in some ways, that's a stereotype too.
I think changing emphasis on the story lines and concentrating on IQ's brother's murder and his resulting personal development could have done some amazing things. Greater focus on IQ might have let more opportunities for humor to creep in as well, because IQ mostly seems grim and irascible. While I appreciate his awareness of his contradictory impulses, it felt very tiring after a bit. He's so young, and still struggling with the fallout of the murder that the plot with Sarita and Janine felt like a distraction from the emotional weight of the real case.
"Much of the guilt he'd been carrying around for years had lifted and feelings were surfacing that he'd always ignored. He was lonely. He wanted friends... He wanted to have fun, not that he knew how. Inviting Dodson to come along was a bold step for him."
Overall then, a middling kind of read, partially because Ide set the bar quite high in IQ. Still, I'll be looking forward to the next book.
Isiah, known locally as 'IQ,' is contacted out of the blue by Sarita, the woman who had been dating his brother in the years before he died. Her call shakes him from his depression after discovering the car involved in his brother's hit-and-run and realizing that it was intentional, a homicide. Sarita is worried about her half-sister, Janine, a DJ and gambling addict who lives in Vegas and claims she's in trouble. This time, IQ asks Dodson along, who has been busy trying to go straight in the food truck business while supporting his very-pregnant girlfriend Cherise. As always, they discover more than they expected in Vegas after the sister's boyfriend attempts blackmail. At the same time, the narrative follows IQ as he works his brother's case and his last steps in the weeks before his death.
Although reviewers often dub IQ as 'Sherlock-style,' there really is only the faintest resemblance to the Coyle stories. In this book, the action is considerably amped up, and IQ's deductions are primarily in service of rescues and not in solving a mystery. There's also a dual timeline, with IQ's earlier investigation into his brother's murder intermixed into his trip to Vegas to assist Janine.
"Janine is a serial liar, and hopefully it's a story she made up to get money from me. She's done it many times before. On the other hand, she might be telling the truth and if she is, she'll need help--oh, I'm sorry, Isaiah, I'm just assuming you'll drop everything you're doing and go."
One of the challenges for me was that Ide uses a limited third-person narrative, giving the reader perspectives from virtually everyone in the story. Personal perspective from Dodson, Janine, her boyfriend Benny, a store clerk, Janine's father, the loan shark, a local gangbanger, a local gang leader, etc. all serve to confuse the story line and create distance between the reader and the characters. On the one hand, this choice does give the reader some insight as to the motivation, potentially humanizing those choosing a life of crime. On the other hand, it is so many people that it is hard to care about one person in particular. Furthermore, I'm not sure it was successful. I felt like the perspective just convinced me the person in question was an asshole, making it hard to appreciate IQ's efforts.
I felt mildly guilty not enjoying this more. Ide's a solid writer and to be honest, I think he is using a technique very few authors could pull off. The overall quality of the writing is very high, far above the average mystery; really edging into literary fiction. A little stuck on what didn't work, I happened to open Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, another kind of mystery/ lit-fic that solves a mystery while looking at life in the underclass, hoping for more insight. I think a limited perspective would have helped a great deal. Ide could have put more of the information into dialogue, bringing the characters to life, or left it out altogether. My guess is, however, that he likely wanted to humanize some of the criminal stereotypes used. Dodson provides much of the comic relief, but in some ways, that's a stereotype too.
I think changing emphasis on the story lines and concentrating on IQ's brother's murder and his resulting personal development could have done some amazing things. Greater focus on IQ might have let more opportunities for humor to creep in as well, because IQ mostly seems grim and irascible. While I appreciate his awareness of his contradictory impulses, it felt very tiring after a bit. He's so young, and still struggling with the fallout of the murder that the plot with Sarita and Janine felt like a distraction from the emotional weight of the real case.
"Much of the guilt he'd been carrying around for years had lifted and feelings were surfacing that he'd always ignored. He was lonely. He wanted friends... He wanted to have fun, not that he knew how. Inviting Dodson to come along was a bold step for him."
Overall then, a middling kind of read, partially because Ide set the bar quite high in IQ. Still, I'll be looking forward to the next book.
September 19, 2017
I had such high expectations for this sequel to IQ that I was afraid of being disappointed. My fears drifted away as I began to read, in fact I would venture to suggest that this book is even better, Joe Ide's writing has developed to give us two seamless stories running parallel in the narrative, that come together through the introduction of Sarita, the dead Marcus's girlfriend, over whom Isiah had an all consuming crush on. After it had almost destroyed him, Isiah had dropped his search for the hit and run driver responsible for the death of Marcus, but the pain and intense grief has never left him. Upon locating the car used in the hit and run, Isiah is back on the trail, burning with revenge, hate and righteous anger, convinced his brother was murdered. Sarita calls IQ asking for help for her half sister, Janine, and her weak willed boyfriend, Benny, both gambling addicts. Their lives are on the line with trouble from a loan shark, Leo, and the 14K Triad, whom Benny had ill advisedly tried to blackmail.
Isiah has acquired a pitbull, and is helping the locals in the poverty stricken Long Beach area of LA. However, he is feeling out of sorts when Sarita calls him. He jumps at the opportunity to help, daydreaming about himself and Sarita getting together and the rosy future they would have. We get reacquainted with Dodson, whose girlfriend, Cherise is now pregnant, Deronda, TK and others. Isiah and Dodson go to Vegas only to encounter mayhem, violence, Chinese gangs and the ugly side of life such as human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Add to this volatile mix a Mexican gang, run by the entrepreneurial Manzo, attempting to modernise and lift it out of the ghetto, yet still dogged with members holding on to their brutal history and instincts. IQ and Dodson fight their way through a trail of death and destruction in their efforts to save Janine, Benny and Ken, Sarita's father. Seb, a Rwandan civil war survivor who has remade himself in the US, finds himself a person of interest to Isiah as he digs deep to ascertain his connection to Marcus.
Joe Ide delivers a tale full of allusions from the original Sherlock Holmes stories, told with wit, warmth and humour. It is written with vibrant prose and fantastic dialogue. It is a intricate story with psychological depth in its character studies, such as Isiah desperately trying to rise above the hate that is eating him up, and tuning into the most emotionally vulnerable side of a person to destroy them. Isiah has serious issues that he is forced to confront and address, his lack of social skills and difficulties in making relationships and so much more. There is nothing superficial in either the storylines or in any of the characters as they are developed. It is this complexity that marks Joe Ide as a gifted author writing this unique and barnstorming series. Cannot wait for the next in the series! Simply Superb and highly recommended. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
Isiah has acquired a pitbull, and is helping the locals in the poverty stricken Long Beach area of LA. However, he is feeling out of sorts when Sarita calls him. He jumps at the opportunity to help, daydreaming about himself and Sarita getting together and the rosy future they would have. We get reacquainted with Dodson, whose girlfriend, Cherise is now pregnant, Deronda, TK and others. Isiah and Dodson go to Vegas only to encounter mayhem, violence, Chinese gangs and the ugly side of life such as human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Add to this volatile mix a Mexican gang, run by the entrepreneurial Manzo, attempting to modernise and lift it out of the ghetto, yet still dogged with members holding on to their brutal history and instincts. IQ and Dodson fight their way through a trail of death and destruction in their efforts to save Janine, Benny and Ken, Sarita's father. Seb, a Rwandan civil war survivor who has remade himself in the US, finds himself a person of interest to Isiah as he digs deep to ascertain his connection to Marcus.
Joe Ide delivers a tale full of allusions from the original Sherlock Holmes stories, told with wit, warmth and humour. It is written with vibrant prose and fantastic dialogue. It is a intricate story with psychological depth in its character studies, such as Isiah desperately trying to rise above the hate that is eating him up, and tuning into the most emotionally vulnerable side of a person to destroy them. Isiah has serious issues that he is forced to confront and address, his lack of social skills and difficulties in making relationships and so much more. There is nothing superficial in either the storylines or in any of the characters as they are developed. It is this complexity that marks Joe Ide as a gifted author writing this unique and barnstorming series. Cannot wait for the next in the series! Simply Superb and highly recommended. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
December 31, 2017
4.5 stars
*In order to fully appreciate Righteous, read IQ first!*
IQ, aka Sherlock from the Hood, aka Isaiah Quintabe is back in Righteous to avenge his brother Marcus’s murder. This second book in the series does not disappoint! If anything, it’s even better than book one. Filled with angst, pain, intelligence and humor Righteous is more than a PI novel--it’s about friendships, complicated relationships, and personal connections.
This is a quick read, but there’s a lot going on: two cases, lots of action, and tons of emotion. Isaiah investigates the murder of Marcus, and another case that involves a DJ in Vegas, Janine, who gets in over her head with Chinese gangsters. Helping Janine comes at the behest of Marcus’s former girlfriend, Sarita--the woman that Isaiah has loved from afar.
Isaiah’s investigation into Marcus’s death leads to him confront some painful realities and come to terms with some of his life choices. In doing so, he comes to recognize that he needs people, including friends.
Janine’s case takes Isaiah and Dodson to Las Vegas. I love the dynamics of Dodson and Isaiah's friendship--they bicker they an old married couple.
This book really delves into the emotional depths of Isaiah's character; his pain over Marcu’s death is palpable. The moment he recognizes that Dodson is his friend is endearing. I love the motley cast of characters, especially Cherise, Deronda, and Ruffin (the cowardly pitbull). This series has quickly become one of my favorites. It’s intelligent, original, well-written, and full of heart. I highly recommend and cannot wait to read book three!
*In order to fully appreciate Righteous, read IQ first!*
IQ, aka Sherlock from the Hood, aka Isaiah Quintabe is back in Righteous to avenge his brother Marcus’s murder. This second book in the series does not disappoint! If anything, it’s even better than book one. Filled with angst, pain, intelligence and humor Righteous is more than a PI novel--it’s about friendships, complicated relationships, and personal connections.
This is a quick read, but there’s a lot going on: two cases, lots of action, and tons of emotion. Isaiah investigates the murder of Marcus, and another case that involves a DJ in Vegas, Janine, who gets in over her head with Chinese gangsters. Helping Janine comes at the behest of Marcus’s former girlfriend, Sarita--the woman that Isaiah has loved from afar.
Isaiah’s investigation into Marcus’s death leads to him confront some painful realities and come to terms with some of his life choices. In doing so, he comes to recognize that he needs people, including friends.
Janine’s case takes Isaiah and Dodson to Las Vegas. I love the dynamics of Dodson and Isaiah's friendship--they bicker they an old married couple.
This book really delves into the emotional depths of Isaiah's character; his pain over Marcu’s death is palpable. The moment he recognizes that Dodson is his friend is endearing. I love the motley cast of characters, especially Cherise, Deronda, and Ruffin (the cowardly pitbull). This series has quickly become one of my favorites. It’s intelligent, original, well-written, and full of heart. I highly recommend and cannot wait to read book three!
April 4, 2024
Isaiah learns quite a few lessons in this one.
Poor guy.
The hardest of these lessons is never to put the people you love on a pedestal.
Because the fall is always a killer.
He's found the owner of the car that killed his brother, but things just aren't adding up.
And then in walks the woman he's been in love with forever...his brother's girlfriend.
She's a successful lawyer now, and she's asking him to save her little sister - whose gambling problem has landed her in horrible trouble with a loan shark.
But that's only the tip of the iceberg. As it turns out, she and her idiot boyfriend broke into her father's home and stole his passwords in the hopes of blackmailing some of his big-money clients.
But what they found on that computer was not what they expected.
Dodson is back and he is just my FAVORITE.
He plays the smart-ass Watson to Isaiah's straight-man Holmes, and his character absolutely makes these books 100% better.
He's going to be a daddy. And honestly, I felt bad for him at first, but midway through the book you find out his girlfriend's backstory and it. is. worth. it! She's perfect for him.
Good luck, sir.
There is a lot of growth happening in Righteous and some new characters that I'm hoping will be in the stories for the long haul.
I can't wait for the next book.
Highly Recommended.
Poor guy.
The hardest of these lessons is never to put the people you love on a pedestal.
Because the fall is always a killer.
He's found the owner of the car that killed his brother, but things just aren't adding up.
And then in walks the woman he's been in love with forever...his brother's girlfriend.
She's a successful lawyer now, and she's asking him to save her little sister - whose gambling problem has landed her in horrible trouble with a loan shark.
But that's only the tip of the iceberg. As it turns out, she and her idiot boyfriend broke into her father's home and stole his passwords in the hopes of blackmailing some of his big-money clients.
But what they found on that computer was not what they expected.
Dodson is back and he is just my FAVORITE.
He plays the smart-ass Watson to Isaiah's straight-man Holmes, and his character absolutely makes these books 100% better.
He's going to be a daddy. And honestly, I felt bad for him at first, but midway through the book you find out his girlfriend's backstory and it. is. worth. it! She's perfect for him.
Good luck, sir.
There is a lot of growth happening in Righteous and some new characters that I'm hoping will be in the stories for the long haul.
I can't wait for the next book.
Highly Recommended.
November 20, 2018
The writing here just crackles and sparks. Ide has a way of expressing himself that’s different from everyone else. I can picture these scenes so clearly. And having listened to the first book, I still have those voices in my head.
Right off the bat, IQ finds the car that hit and killed his brother, Marcus, years ago. And that leads to a major revelation.
He’s also been contacted by Marcus’ old girlfriend, Sarita, asking for help with her half- sister, who has a major gambling addiction. In an effort to find money to pay her loan shark, the sister steals some info about her father’s clients. Big oops.
I adore the interaction between IQ and Dodson. “He did tell Dodson to be more helpful, but he hadn’t anticipated it would feel like an intrusion, like someone was trespassing on his domain. He’d worked long and hard to be IQ, and he wasn’t sharing that title with anybody.” But while I felt Dodson was growing as a character, Isaiah seemed to languish. He was just so colorful in IQ and here he seemed duller. I listened to the first book and read this one. I’m not sure if the narrator was the difference or not.
This one moves fast with lots of moving parts. At times, I had to backtrack to make sure I understood what was going on and where we were in the time continuum.
I enjoyed this but not as much as the first book in the series. But I’m definitely planning to read the third book. Or maybe listen to it?
November 27, 2021
This is the second book in Joe Ide's "IQ" series, about Isaiah Quintabe (nicknamed IQ) - a brilliant twentysomething investigator who uses Sherlock Holmes-like insights to resolve his cases.
IQ, who lives and works around Los Angeles, generally takes local jobs like getting a bully to stop bothering the science club kids and warning off an abusive spouse. Many of IQ's clients are financially strapped, so they pay in baked goods, produce, chickens, and the like.
Isaiah idolized his older brother Marcus, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver eight years ago. The incident devastated Isaiah and changed the trajectory of his life. Instead of heading off to Harvard as Marcus wanted, Isaiah dropped out of high school and became a thief. He then mended his ways and set himself up as the local detective.
Just recently, IQ was in a junkyard and spotted the vehicle that killed his brother. From clues in the car, Isaiah figured out that Marcus was deliberately murdered, and vowed to track down the perpetrator(s) and get revenge.
While IQ is looking into his brother's death he gets a call from Marcus's one-time girlfriend Sarita Van, who's now a lawyer.
Sarita tells Isaiah that her younger sister Janine, who works as a DJ in Las Vegas, is in bad trouble.
The DJ and her useless boyfriend Benny are gambling addicts and owe a lot of money to loan sharks. Thus the duo are in danger of getting beat up.....or even killed. Isaiah, who's had a crush on Sarita for years, says he'll go to Vegas to help out - hoping this gives him a shot with the beautiful lawyer.
IQ wants backup for the Vegas job, so he looks up his old partner in crime Juanell Dodson, who now owns a food truck and is an expectant father - looking forward to raising 'L'il Tupac' with his girlfriend Cerise.
Dodson is always trying to prove that he's just as smart as Isaiah, and constantly attempts to get the jump on IQ's lightning-quick insights. This doesn't work and leads to friction between the pair.
The action in the book jumps back and forth between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and is interspersed with flashbacks to the backstories of some characters. This can be confusing so the reader needs to pay close attention.
In Los Angeles, IQ drops in on various gang members and criminals, thinking they might have information about his brother's death. This leads to run-ins with dangerous Mexican gangbangers like Frankie - who thinks Marcus robbed him; Ramona - who'd kill you as soon as look at you; and Manzo - a tough guy who's trying to take his gang into upscale enterprises like real estate.
Isaiah also seeks out Seb - a dapper little real estate magnate/money launderer whose leg was chopped off by a Tutsi tribesman in East Africa; and Gahigi - Seb's enigmatic right-hand man, who looks a bear gouged grooves into his head. Step by step, Isaiah gains insight into his brother's death.
Meanwhile, in Las Vegas Janine and Benny decide to steal computer records from Ken Van (Janine and Sarita's father), who's the accountant for a Chinese gang of human traffickers. The DJ and her boyfriend figure they'll extort the gang for cash to pay their debts.
After this idiotic maneuver, the duo are in the deadly sights of the Chinese mob AND Leo the loan shark, who runs around with a 7-foot-tall gargoyle called Balthazar who 'only needs bolts in the side of his head to look like Frankenstein's big brother' and whose 'backpack fit like a cupcake stuck on his spine.'
When IQ and Dodson try to help Janine and Benny, the gangbangers and thugs go after them as well. Thus there's plenty of action - with pain, injuries and near-death (or real death) experiences for everyone involved.
Isaiah, who was a colorful firecracker in the first book, is more subdued and less interesting in this second installment. He constantly daydreams about Sarita (this is too icky) and demonstrates very little of the sparkling repartee that made him so much fun the first time around. On the upside, Isaiah is solicitous of his new pit bull Ruffin, and meets an interesting girl in the junkyard....who provides good advice about training the pooch.
As Isaiah works to identify his brother's killer and to solve Janine's predicament, the two cases come together in an unforeseen - and rather inventive - fashion.
Though 'Righteous' isn't quite as good as 'IQ' (IMO) I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of thrillers. I look forward to the next IQ book, where I hope Isaiah will recapture his zing. :)
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
March 12, 2018
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. At least that’s the general rule, but unfortunately if you cross a Chinese triad it may not apply.
Isaiah Quintabe (a/k/a IQ) is a brilliant young man who acts as an informal private detective and problem solver which has earned him a lot of respect from the people of his neighborhood in East Long Beach, but he’s haunted by the death of his big brother Marcus who was killed by a hit-and-run driver who was never caught. Marcus’ old girlfriend contacts Isaiah looking for help in trying to get her gambling addicted younger sister out of a jam with a loan shark in Las Vegas. Isaiah asks his old partner Dodson to help him out, but the two of them quickly learn that the little sister and her idiot boyfriend have also made the enormous mistake of trying to blackmail a Chinese triad with some business records they’ve obtained. All of this is happening as Isaiah is trying to deal with a new lead that indicates that his brother was murdered and not just the victim of a careless accident.
I very much enjoyed the first novel IQ in this new series from author Joe Ide, but this doesn’t meet the highs of that one. I won’t go so far as to call it a sophomore slump, but it didn’t seem as fresh or fun this time out.
One of the bigger problems is IQ himself. The whole concept here is a modern take on Sherlock Holmes with an African-American detective living in a poor area instead of white sleuth in upscale Victorian London, and that worked really well in the first book. However, here Isaiah comes across as more of a naïve jerk rather than the more sympathetic portrayal of a person isolated by his brilliance and lack of patience with social skills. I also liked that rather than have Dodson just be his ass-kissing sidekick like Watson is to Holmes that his relationship with Isaiah is much more contentious, and that Dodson is continually frustrated by Isaiah’s methods. Again, that’s a lot less fun this time, and the constant bickering between the two got on my nerves.
The ending of this with Isaiah finally uncovering the circumstances of his brother’s death is also a whole lot of convoluted nonsense with an ending that feels less than satisfying.
I also had some problems with the time hopping between Isaiah in Vegas vs. Isaiah at home investigating his brother’s death. I was listening to the audio version, and there weren’t any indications of this so that I actually thought I’d screwed up and was listening to the wrong part a couple of times. It eventually all comes together, but it was fairly confusing for a chunk of the book.
Despite these problems I still liked this overall. Isaiah is still interesting even if he bordered on seeming like a complete jerk for much of the book, and I found Dodson even more entertaining this time. The other characters are also well developed, and the whole plot about the triads was a lot better than the stuff about finding who killed his brother. The ending also seemed to set things up for Isaiah to grow as a person as well as maybe move on to bigger and better cases so hopefully that’s what we’ll get more of in the future.
Isaiah Quintabe (a/k/a IQ) is a brilliant young man who acts as an informal private detective and problem solver which has earned him a lot of respect from the people of his neighborhood in East Long Beach, but he’s haunted by the death of his big brother Marcus who was killed by a hit-and-run driver who was never caught. Marcus’ old girlfriend contacts Isaiah looking for help in trying to get her gambling addicted younger sister out of a jam with a loan shark in Las Vegas. Isaiah asks his old partner Dodson to help him out, but the two of them quickly learn that the little sister and her idiot boyfriend have also made the enormous mistake of trying to blackmail a Chinese triad with some business records they’ve obtained. All of this is happening as Isaiah is trying to deal with a new lead that indicates that his brother was murdered and not just the victim of a careless accident.
I very much enjoyed the first novel IQ in this new series from author Joe Ide, but this doesn’t meet the highs of that one. I won’t go so far as to call it a sophomore slump, but it didn’t seem as fresh or fun this time out.
One of the bigger problems is IQ himself. The whole concept here is a modern take on Sherlock Holmes with an African-American detective living in a poor area instead of white sleuth in upscale Victorian London, and that worked really well in the first book. However, here Isaiah comes across as more of a naïve jerk rather than the more sympathetic portrayal of a person isolated by his brilliance and lack of patience with social skills. I also liked that rather than have Dodson just be his ass-kissing sidekick like Watson is to Holmes that his relationship with Isaiah is much more contentious, and that Dodson is continually frustrated by Isaiah’s methods. Again, that’s a lot less fun this time, and the constant bickering between the two got on my nerves.
The ending of this with Isaiah finally uncovering the circumstances of his brother’s death is also a whole lot of convoluted nonsense with an ending that feels less than satisfying.
I also had some problems with the time hopping between Isaiah in Vegas vs. Isaiah at home investigating his brother’s death. I was listening to the audio version, and there weren’t any indications of this so that I actually thought I’d screwed up and was listening to the wrong part a couple of times. It eventually all comes together, but it was fairly confusing for a chunk of the book.
Despite these problems I still liked this overall. Isaiah is still interesting even if he bordered on seeming like a complete jerk for much of the book, and I found Dodson even more entertaining this time. The other characters are also well developed, and the whole plot about the triads was a lot better than the stuff about finding who killed his brother. The ending also seemed to set things up for Isaiah to grow as a person as well as maybe move on to bigger and better cases so hopefully that’s what we’ll get more of in the future.
July 3, 2021
I can only speak as I find, I was really disappointed with this book. I’d enjoyed the first episode in this series IQ (IQ #1): I thought it fresh and funny and I liked the characters of Isaiah Quintabe (IQ) and his henchman Dodson. IQ was a bright lad who, struggling to overcome the death of his revered brother, had dropped out of school to take up various odd jobs before turning his attention to looking into crimes the police weren’t interested in – sometimes getting paid for his efforts and sometimes not. There were certainly enough left over loose ends to warrant at least one more book, and I was happy enough to pre-order a copy. So what went wrong?
Well the first book flowed really well: the major characters were introduced, enough background was supplied to allow some context to be established and a neat narrative added to complete the job. This time around the whole thing jumps around all over the place. Firstly, there are too many characters for my tastes (I get lost if I can’t count them on the fingers of one hand), then there are plot lines aplenty …and sub-plots and sub-sub-plots. I got confused, I gave up.
Ok, I didn’t entirely give up but my mind started to go absent as the story played out: gangs, gambling, people trafficking, shooting (lots of shooting) and some other stuff too. But surely I’d learn more about IQ wouldn’t I? Wouldn’t this make up for the story I couldn’t track? Well, er, no! I did learn some more about his history but the man himself came across this time as rather bland and, frankly, dull. I really wanted to know what was going on inside his head, but there lay the the problem - I never did really get to know any more about what makes the man tick and where he sees his life going. A significant omission, this, I think. By the end of the book I was no closer to understanding Isaiah than I was at the start. And what of Isaiah’s uncanny ability to spot the clue everyone else misses – well, I’m afraid it’s gone missing. He does eventually piece it all together but I think most readers will be way ahead of him.
There are some upsides. The funny lines are back – not really enough of them, but still some good ones. And in Dodson, Ide has created a character I’d really like to meet up with again. His partnership with IQ reminds me of James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell: one straight and sensible, the other wild and hilarious.
Is there enough to bring me back for book three? I’m really not sure. I certainly think I’ll be watching early reviews to see what trusted friends think before parting with any cash.
Well the first book flowed really well: the major characters were introduced, enough background was supplied to allow some context to be established and a neat narrative added to complete the job. This time around the whole thing jumps around all over the place. Firstly, there are too many characters for my tastes (I get lost if I can’t count them on the fingers of one hand), then there are plot lines aplenty …and sub-plots and sub-sub-plots. I got confused, I gave up.
Ok, I didn’t entirely give up but my mind started to go absent as the story played out: gangs, gambling, people trafficking, shooting (lots of shooting) and some other stuff too. But surely I’d learn more about IQ wouldn’t I? Wouldn’t this make up for the story I couldn’t track? Well, er, no! I did learn some more about his history but the man himself came across this time as rather bland and, frankly, dull. I really wanted to know what was going on inside his head, but there lay the the problem - I never did really get to know any more about what makes the man tick and where he sees his life going. A significant omission, this, I think. By the end of the book I was no closer to understanding Isaiah than I was at the start. And what of Isaiah’s uncanny ability to spot the clue everyone else misses – well, I’m afraid it’s gone missing. He does eventually piece it all together but I think most readers will be way ahead of him.
There are some upsides. The funny lines are back – not really enough of them, but still some good ones. And in Dodson, Ide has created a character I’d really like to meet up with again. His partnership with IQ reminds me of James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell: one straight and sensible, the other wild and hilarious.
Is there enough to bring me back for book three? I’m really not sure. I certainly think I’ll be watching early reviews to see what trusted friends think before parting with any cash.
October 31, 2017
I suggest reading "IQ", the first book in this series, before reading this book. Not because the stories are dependent on each other but because the first book was very original and introduced the wonderful character Isaiah Quintabe (IQ) who was Sherlock Holmes with more wit. Without that intro you might not get as much pleasure from reading "Righteous". In this book Isaiah is still trying to track down the driver who killed his brother Marcus in a hit and run a few years ago. Isaiah suspects that this wasn't an accident but, since Marcus was almost saintly, the motive for this isn't apparent. He also agrees to help extricate the sister of a friend from some serious trouble that she has gotten into in Las Vegas.
I thought that this book lacked focus. There was too much going on here, too many fight scenes and too many characters. The dialogue appealed to me more than the complex plot. Maybe the author felt the need to up the action because I think the series was sold for television. There are loan sharks, gambling addiction, Chinese gangsters, African gangsters, Mexican gangsters, drug dealers, prostitution, money laundering and more. There is also a somewhat tedious side trip to the courtship of one of Isaiah's friends.
I hope that there is going to be more to this series because I still love Isaiah and this author is very good, but this book didn't quite live up to the first one for me.
I thought that this book lacked focus. There was too much going on here, too many fight scenes and too many characters. The dialogue appealed to me more than the complex plot. Maybe the author felt the need to up the action because I think the series was sold for television. There are loan sharks, gambling addiction, Chinese gangsters, African gangsters, Mexican gangsters, drug dealers, prostitution, money laundering and more. There is also a somewhat tedious side trip to the courtship of one of Isaiah's friends.
I hope that there is going to be more to this series because I still love Isaiah and this author is very good, but this book didn't quite live up to the first one for me.
April 13, 2018
Righteous, the second novel in the modern urban Sherlock Holmes-like series featuring the talented and super smart Isaiah Quintabe also known as IQ, sees the likable protagonist somewhat less-self assured and vulnerable than in its predecessor. The death of his older brother, Marcus, still a raw wound that fails to heal, only this time 'round, Isaiah is doing something about it.
Exploring the darker corners of the criminal underworld, Isaiah and his sometime sidekick, Dodson, duke it out with gangsters, murderers, and human sex traffickers in Las Vegas as they work a dangerous case to help an old flame and link to happier times in Isaiah's past.
Author Joe Ide does a great job at balance Isaiah's personal investigation into his brother's death and the current case he's working with Dodson to formulate a well rounded and entertaining novel with subtle linkages throughout.
I also liked the way Dodson was written, as the novel progresses he evolves from an acquaintance to sidekick to friend. With more page time, Righteous sees the sidekick becoming a more well-rounded and important character in the series; a contributor rather than a quick fix schemer.
My rating: 4/5 stars. Righteous has more 'bang' than its predecessor in terms of large scale violence, however, to fully appreciate what's going on, read IQ first; the death of Marcus and the impact that has on Isaiah is keg cog in the narrative.
Exploring the darker corners of the criminal underworld, Isaiah and his sometime sidekick, Dodson, duke it out with gangsters, murderers, and human sex traffickers in Las Vegas as they work a dangerous case to help an old flame and link to happier times in Isaiah's past.
Author Joe Ide does a great job at balance Isaiah's personal investigation into his brother's death and the current case he's working with Dodson to formulate a well rounded and entertaining novel with subtle linkages throughout.
I also liked the way Dodson was written, as the novel progresses he evolves from an acquaintance to sidekick to friend. With more page time, Righteous sees the sidekick becoming a more well-rounded and important character in the series; a contributor rather than a quick fix schemer.
My rating: 4/5 stars. Righteous has more 'bang' than its predecessor in terms of large scale violence, however, to fully appreciate what's going on, read IQ first; the death of Marcus and the impact that has on Isaiah is keg cog in the narrative.
February 4, 2018
Righteous is the second novel involving Joe Ide's Isaiah Quintabe character in the follow up to his first novel IQ.
It is strongly suggested to readers to pick up IQ before reading Righteous and if readers do, readers will find themselves in for a crime fiction treat.
Righteous picks up right after the ending to IQ and follows Isaiah Quintabe, a modern-day, urban-savant amateur detective, as he tries to unravel the history behind his brother's hit and run death while trying to help his brother's former girlfriend with a separate problem.
The novel brings back characters from the previous novel and introduces other more dangerous and interesting characters.
Isaiah Quintabe is approached by Sarita, his now-dead brother's girlfriend and is asked to help out her sister after her sister has run afoul of both loan sharks and deadly Chinese gangsters in Las Vegas.
These novels are enjoyable crime fiction-gangster novels that avoid typical cliches found in other novels and keep the reader interested. In many ways, these novels include the often emotional heft of George Pelecanos and Richard Price novels, along with their grit.
Highly recommended.
It is strongly suggested to readers to pick up IQ before reading Righteous and if readers do, readers will find themselves in for a crime fiction treat.
Righteous picks up right after the ending to IQ and follows Isaiah Quintabe, a modern-day, urban-savant amateur detective, as he tries to unravel the history behind his brother's hit and run death while trying to help his brother's former girlfriend with a separate problem.
The novel brings back characters from the previous novel and introduces other more dangerous and interesting characters.
Isaiah Quintabe is approached by Sarita, his now-dead brother's girlfriend and is asked to help out her sister after her sister has run afoul of both loan sharks and deadly Chinese gangsters in Las Vegas.
These novels are enjoyable crime fiction-gangster novels that avoid typical cliches found in other novels and keep the reader interested. In many ways, these novels include the often emotional heft of George Pelecanos and Richard Price novels, along with their grit.
Highly recommended.
September 17, 2018
Fabulous! Wonderful! Another bling-noir roller-coaster ride from Joe Ide! FIVE STARS
Like the first I.Q. book, there are two stories here, in two time-frames, nicely intermingled by Ide. In the first, Isaiah realises that he must pursue the events of Marcus' death, and in the second story, Isaiah and Dodson are perfectly mis-matched, and off and running to save the day for the wayward Janine in Las Vegas.
Things get ever more complex, with Ide's insightful and horrifying look into the underworld of L.A. gangs and Las Vegas Triads. The insight about President Bush's good intentions towards the oppressed of China triggering an increasing horror in the USA was quite depressing.
Throughout, Isaiah is a spectacular bling-noir gumshoe, and the prose and dialogue are top notch. The pace is blistering and often hilarious. I was grinning like a madman!
The ending contains the obligatory, somewhat clichéd and cockeyed shoot-out (not sure why this is obligatory in so many noir books these days) followed by a kind of epilogue info-dump with some painful realisations for Isaiah about his life and future. Since we love Isaiah, we stand with him as he grows, and as he finds a little ray of hope on the last page. Wonderful.
My notes and quotes:
38% ... Wow ...
He’d never experienced hate before. It was like an ulcer growing on a tumor, festering and stinking. Late at night or between dreams and sleep, he’d get into it, bathing in the venom, wallowing in thoughts of revenge. In a way, the hate felt good. You were righteous, godlike, the dispenser of justice. Hate dispelled your fears and forged every disappointment, setback, loss, humiliation, and failure that ever happened to you into one massive steel sledgehammer of rage, poised to obliterate, and for one brief, purifying moment, give you relief.
1.0% "If there were ever two words that had no meaning they were moving on. Sorrow isn’t a place you can leave behind. It’s part of you."
2.0% ".... Isaiah had a Google Earth map of East Long Beach inside his head with landmarks for every gang turf, crack house, flophouse, bar, dance hall, pool hall, drug corner, hooker stroll, murder scene, sex offender, abandoned building, liquor store, and park in the area."
5.0% ".... Rap music was pounding like it was trying to break a window and get out of the car. Isaiah wasn’t a fan of rap to begin with but this had accordions and trumpets in it and sounded like some pissed-off Mexicans shouting over a polka band. "
7.0% .... WOW, what a rhythm! Delicious prose, the poetry of the 'hood!
15.0% ... "Come on, you must be a little excited,” Isaiah said [about Dodson having a baby].
“Yeah, I suppose. I can see myself doing things with a kid. Teach him to shoot craps, roll a dub, help him pick out a gang to join—don’t tell Cherise I said that.”
25.0% .... Hahaaahahaahhaa
Zhi was Tommy’s internet whiz. If you were mute, illiterate, and living in the Gobi desert, Zhi could find out what rock you were sleeping under and what kinds of scorpions you ate.
26.0% .... Vegas was his world—or more like his natural environment. If he left he’d be like one of those killer whales at SeaWorld that goes berserk because it’s not in the ocean.
28.0% ... Wow, the fight scene in chapter 5 is fabulous and fun! Woot!
35.0% .... omg this book is so much fun! Hurray, Ide!
70.0% ... the story of how Leo acquired Zar is hilarious!
Like the first I.Q. book, there are two stories here, in two time-frames, nicely intermingled by Ide. In the first, Isaiah realises that he must pursue the events of Marcus' death, and in the second story, Isaiah and Dodson are perfectly mis-matched, and off and running to save the day for the wayward Janine in Las Vegas.
Things get ever more complex, with Ide's insightful and horrifying look into the underworld of L.A. gangs and Las Vegas Triads. The insight about President Bush's good intentions towards the oppressed of China triggering an increasing horror in the USA was quite depressing.
Throughout, Isaiah is a spectacular bling-noir gumshoe, and the prose and dialogue are top notch. The pace is blistering and often hilarious. I was grinning like a madman!
The ending contains the obligatory, somewhat clichéd and cockeyed shoot-out (not sure why this is obligatory in so many noir books these days) followed by a kind of epilogue info-dump with some painful realisations for Isaiah about his life and future. Since we love Isaiah, we stand with him as he grows, and as he finds a little ray of hope on the last page. Wonderful.
My notes and quotes:
38% ... Wow ...
He’d never experienced hate before. It was like an ulcer growing on a tumor, festering and stinking. Late at night or between dreams and sleep, he’d get into it, bathing in the venom, wallowing in thoughts of revenge. In a way, the hate felt good. You were righteous, godlike, the dispenser of justice. Hate dispelled your fears and forged every disappointment, setback, loss, humiliation, and failure that ever happened to you into one massive steel sledgehammer of rage, poised to obliterate, and for one brief, purifying moment, give you relief.
1.0% "If there were ever two words that had no meaning they were moving on. Sorrow isn’t a place you can leave behind. It’s part of you."
2.0% ".... Isaiah had a Google Earth map of East Long Beach inside his head with landmarks for every gang turf, crack house, flophouse, bar, dance hall, pool hall, drug corner, hooker stroll, murder scene, sex offender, abandoned building, liquor store, and park in the area."
5.0% ".... Rap music was pounding like it was trying to break a window and get out of the car. Isaiah wasn’t a fan of rap to begin with but this had accordions and trumpets in it and sounded like some pissed-off Mexicans shouting over a polka band. "
7.0% .... WOW, what a rhythm! Delicious prose, the poetry of the 'hood!
15.0% ... "Come on, you must be a little excited,” Isaiah said [about Dodson having a baby].
“Yeah, I suppose. I can see myself doing things with a kid. Teach him to shoot craps, roll a dub, help him pick out a gang to join—don’t tell Cherise I said that.”
25.0% .... Hahaaahahaahhaa
Zhi was Tommy’s internet whiz. If you were mute, illiterate, and living in the Gobi desert, Zhi could find out what rock you were sleeping under and what kinds of scorpions you ate.
26.0% .... Vegas was his world—or more like his natural environment. If he left he’d be like one of those killer whales at SeaWorld that goes berserk because it’s not in the ocean.
28.0% ... Wow, the fight scene in chapter 5 is fabulous and fun! Woot!
35.0% .... omg this book is so much fun! Hurray, Ide!
70.0% ... the story of how Leo acquired Zar is hilarious!
December 9, 2021
Ide's second outing for his young Long Beach private eye is a bit of a righteous mess.
Caught between the loose ends of his brother's death in a hit-and-run accident and the reappearance of that brother's girlfriend (for whom he still carries a torch), Isaiah Quintabe enters a vortex of conflicting goals and emotions, none of which are clearly or directly pursued.
In accordance with our author's style, we are once more bouncing from past to present, introduced at length to characters both new and old, and traveling from location to location as the many eruptions of action take hold. This siren of a girlfriend has a sister who's in trouble. Welcome to the seedy side of Las Vegas; the Chinese gangs, the loan sharks, human trafficking, and the desperation of gamblers who simply can't push the chair back and fold. Alternately, it appears this golden figure of a deceased brother had some unaccounted time, mysterious professional activities, and questionable motivations in the days leading up to his sudden death - hence we have dealings with the Latino gangs of Long Beach, some Rwandan muscle one shouldn't be trifling with, and a long-avoided storage locker that will open up possibilities entirely too uncomfortable to contemplate. (There is, in addition, a half-hearted attempt to contend with the issue of PTSD in gangster life, though this is so poorly developed I half-hesitate to mention it.)
Way too much on the plate here. Let's hope it's a "Surprise! We're paying you for a sequel!" hiccup because Joe Ide, bottom line, is possessed of talent to burn.
Caught between the loose ends of his brother's death in a hit-and-run accident and the reappearance of that brother's girlfriend (for whom he still carries a torch), Isaiah Quintabe enters a vortex of conflicting goals and emotions, none of which are clearly or directly pursued.
In accordance with our author's style, we are once more bouncing from past to present, introduced at length to characters both new and old, and traveling from location to location as the many eruptions of action take hold. This siren of a girlfriend has a sister who's in trouble. Welcome to the seedy side of Las Vegas; the Chinese gangs, the loan sharks, human trafficking, and the desperation of gamblers who simply can't push the chair back and fold. Alternately, it appears this golden figure of a deceased brother had some unaccounted time, mysterious professional activities, and questionable motivations in the days leading up to his sudden death - hence we have dealings with the Latino gangs of Long Beach, some Rwandan muscle one shouldn't be trifling with, and a long-avoided storage locker that will open up possibilities entirely too uncomfortable to contemplate. (There is, in addition, a half-hearted attempt to contend with the issue of PTSD in gangster life, though this is so poorly developed I half-hesitate to mention it.)
Way too much on the plate here. Let's hope it's a "Surprise! We're paying you for a sequel!" hiccup because Joe Ide, bottom line, is possessed of talent to burn.
April 7, 2022
In this second book starring IQ, the Sherlock Holmes from the Long Beach hood, IQ embarks on a mission to save a young couple addicted to gambling and targeted by an Asian mob. There's a secondary story too, where IQ is trying to find the hit-and-run driver who killed his brother. The twists in both stories make this a novel for people who like complicated plots, though it's simultaneously more action-packed, with lots of shoot-em-ups, fights, and car chases. IQ does less of the Sherlock-style detecting-by-inference and more spur-of-the-moment, clever neutralizing of armed gang members. I think the first IQ book was better for the cerebral content, but the fast-paced action here provides its own jolt of excitement and satisfaction.
April 20, 2018
2.5 stars, rounded up - 5/10 or just a pass
Overall a pretty disappointing follow up to the first book in this series. Pretty lacklustre, disjointed plot, but the main problem was that IQ is simply not as likeable as in the first book. Not as smart, also whiny and slightly pathetic.
Still just readable, although it was close
Overall a pretty disappointing follow up to the first book in this series. Pretty lacklustre, disjointed plot, but the main problem was that IQ is simply not as likeable as in the first book. Not as smart, also whiny and slightly pathetic.
Still just readable, although it was close
December 9, 2017
7/10
An enjoyable read that didn't quite live up to the first in the series but still provided enough entertainment to make it a worthy read.
What made the first book enjoyable is still here but that doesn't feel overly fresh either now. IQ is still an interesting main character and comes up against a number of foes here but with the help of his trusty sidekick/partner they manage to struggle through.
I didn't feel there were masses of surprises but enough to keep me reading and curious as to how things would end up. There were a couple of new characters but none ever leapt off the page and just the main characters from the previous novel were the stand outs again.
My review might sound more negative than intended but that's due to the high expectations from the first novel. It was still a good read and worth picking up but I'd definitely recommend the first book initially.
I received a free copy from NetGalley
An enjoyable read that didn't quite live up to the first in the series but still provided enough entertainment to make it a worthy read.
What made the first book enjoyable is still here but that doesn't feel overly fresh either now. IQ is still an interesting main character and comes up against a number of foes here but with the help of his trusty sidekick/partner they manage to struggle through.
I didn't feel there were masses of surprises but enough to keep me reading and curious as to how things would end up. There were a couple of new characters but none ever leapt off the page and just the main characters from the previous novel were the stand outs again.
My review might sound more negative than intended but that's due to the high expectations from the first novel. It was still a good read and worth picking up but I'd definitely recommend the first book initially.
I received a free copy from NetGalley
November 5, 2023
The 2nd book in this ode to Sherlock Holmes set in the urban decay of L.A. Isaiah Watanabe helps people in the neighborhood with their problems accepting what they can afford to give him in trade, even if it's something like a live chicken. In between those cases, he's a real detective helped by his Watson named Dodson, a reformed gangster.
In this book he's working two cases. Helping two degenerate gamblers in Las Vegas who run foul of the Triads. He also gets a lead in the case of his brother's death, who was killed in a hit and run while I.Q. was in high school. I liked this book but there's too many disparate things going on. It difficult to figure out the timeline of when things are happening and everything is wrapped up in a neat bow after the fact like the author waved a magic wand over it because this was only supposed to be around 300 pages. I would have liked a stranger ending to the book. You just don't get away from a group as large as the Triads that easily. The book is also apparently setting up I.Q.'s version of Moriarty. I did like it well enough to keep going in the series as I'm hoping things will be more focused in the future.
In this book he's working two cases. Helping two degenerate gamblers in Las Vegas who run foul of the Triads. He also gets a lead in the case of his brother's death, who was killed in a hit and run while I.Q. was in high school. I liked this book but there's too many disparate things going on. It difficult to figure out the timeline of when things are happening and everything is wrapped up in a neat bow after the fact like the author waved a magic wand over it because this was only supposed to be around 300 pages. I would have liked a stranger ending to the book. You just don't get away from a group as large as the Triads that easily. The book is also apparently setting up I.Q.'s version of Moriarty. I did like it well enough to keep going in the series as I'm hoping things will be more focused in the future.
November 12, 2017
4 stars
Book #2 in the IQ series. In this installment, Isaiah Quintinabe (IQ) is still trying to find out what happened in the hit and run death of his brother Marcus. He receives a phone call from Marcus's old girlfriend Sarita. Her sister, Janine, may be in some trouble in Las Vegas and Sarita wants Isaiah to check on Janine. So begins two storylines, one taking place in Vegas and the other in IQ's neighborhood of LA.
When I first began this novel I was excited to revisit IQ, Dawson and all the other familiar characters from the first novel. I was not so keen on the storyline in Vegas and after awhile the alternating chapters started to put me off. How was this coming together? Ah, Joe Ide performed his magic by lining up all the loose ends and bringing them together. I never anticipated the ending he created. An excellent book #2.
Book #2 in the IQ series. In this installment, Isaiah Quintinabe (IQ) is still trying to find out what happened in the hit and run death of his brother Marcus. He receives a phone call from Marcus's old girlfriend Sarita. Her sister, Janine, may be in some trouble in Las Vegas and Sarita wants Isaiah to check on Janine. So begins two storylines, one taking place in Vegas and the other in IQ's neighborhood of LA.
When I first began this novel I was excited to revisit IQ, Dawson and all the other familiar characters from the first novel. I was not so keen on the storyline in Vegas and after awhile the alternating chapters started to put me off. How was this coming together? Ah, Joe Ide performed his magic by lining up all the loose ends and bringing them together. I never anticipated the ending he created. An excellent book #2.
October 20, 2021
The IQ series is a spiritual descendant of the Sherlock Holmes series, updated in a streetwise fashion to include two African-American protagonists - Isaiah Quintabe, the titular "IQ," and sidekick Dodson - and a gritty Eastside Long Beach, CA setting. Ide has a smart sense of humor and an ear for realistic urban dialogue, and his character arcs weave slowly over the course of multiple volumes in which we watch our young heroes grow and change from teens to adults. Over the top action sequences and confounding leaps of logic sometimes - well, often - threaten believability, but never readability.
March 1, 2018
This was a great read. I felt much the same after reading the 1st novel. 2 main story threads eith different time lines. Great nee characters and awesome reading about IQ again. We learn more about his brother, and more about different crime syndicates. I found the first 2/3 was five star quality but the last 1/3 seemed rushed into a conclusion with the typical shoot em up finale. Still a lot of fun.
February 27, 2019
IQ is Back
IDE’s IQ series is his way of paying homage to Doyle’s immortal creation Sherlock Holmes. Isaiah Quintabe (otherwise known by his initials IQ) is a detective who gets by mainly on his wits not his fists. IQ was a socially-inept genius who tried to help his community in east Long Beach, particularly in the shadow of his older brother Marcus’ early demise by apparently a hit-and-Run driver, a premise IQ has never accepted.
Righteous is the second book in what is now a three-book series and features twin timelines of IQ working on deciphering what really happened to his brother and who bore the responsibility with a case of two Las Vegas losers who thought they could blackmail the Chinese triads. This story is more action-oriented than the first and is very quick-moving. For the most part, the focus isn’t on IQ’s unique characteristics and I would’ve liked to see more of that focus.
Overall, a fast-paced thriller of a crime novel.
IDE’s IQ series is his way of paying homage to Doyle’s immortal creation Sherlock Holmes. Isaiah Quintabe (otherwise known by his initials IQ) is a detective who gets by mainly on his wits not his fists. IQ was a socially-inept genius who tried to help his community in east Long Beach, particularly in the shadow of his older brother Marcus’ early demise by apparently a hit-and-Run driver, a premise IQ has never accepted.
Righteous is the second book in what is now a three-book series and features twin timelines of IQ working on deciphering what really happened to his brother and who bore the responsibility with a case of two Las Vegas losers who thought they could blackmail the Chinese triads. This story is more action-oriented than the first and is very quick-moving. For the most part, the focus isn’t on IQ’s unique characteristics and I would’ve liked to see more of that focus.
Overall, a fast-paced thriller of a crime novel.
January 26, 2019
GR reviews keep making me believe IQ is at least loosely like Holmes, I personally don't see enough to conclude that. These are not mysteries but crime thrillers and a shifting third person perspective that moves from character to character makes it more of an ensemble piece. That is not necessarily a bad thing as IQ is probably the biggest problem with the book.
In Righteous IQ has to solve the mystery of his long dead brother who has been exalted to such an extent over the course of the past book that I found it strange that finding his killer becomes a subplot. I had expected Ide to bring his A game to this plot thread simply because the whole of IQ's existence seems to revolve around the death of Marcus. He became detective because he loved his brother, he became repressed because he loved his brother, he wore boxers instead of briefs because...well who knows, Ide doesn't tell us but if he did I was sure it would be because of his love for his brother. Anyway for IQ it is hoes before bros because he simply puts that case to the back burner as soon as dead brother's ex shows up with a new case to find her sister. It makes sense within the narrative, the new case is time sensitive but from a writing perspective Ide's decision is so strange. He spends so much time building up an emotional bond between IQ and Marcus and then he relegates it to a side story. It is also resolved abruptly or to be more critical not resolved at all.
The main plot has IQ tangling with the triads to find an unlikeable gambling addict and her even more pathetic boyfriend. IQ brings Dodson along (I have never bought this pairing since book #1) and it is one more step in the destruction of the promising character that was once IQ. IQ keeps getting insecure every time Dodson figures out something without his help and IQ keeps getting passive aggressive every time Dodson calls him out on his insecurity. Again no idea what Ide was going for. Did he earn sympathy points for IQ as he was flawed? Not really, being childish is not a relatable flaw in my book. He later develops a crush that is similarly immature. IQ also does not use his famed observational / analytical skills to understand why he is acting out like a petulant child so churlish and stupid. The plots (Marcus and triad) keeps alternating chapters, it is not difficult to follow but it stymies the natural flow of the narrative.
The writing is adequate but never engrossing. Ide keeps the story moving but whenever he tries to give some insight into human nature, it seems obvious. Stating the obvious is not necessarily redundant but the author needs to have a bit more flair or be stylistically unique to pull it off. Not necessarily a bad book but an underwhelming one. 2.5/5 but will round it off to 3 as 2 is too low for something written as professionally as Righteous. Rating - 3/5
In Righteous IQ has to solve the mystery of his long dead brother who has been exalted to such an extent over the course of the past book that I found it strange that finding his killer becomes a subplot. I had expected Ide to bring his A game to this plot thread simply because the whole of IQ's existence seems to revolve around the death of Marcus. He became detective because he loved his brother, he became repressed because he loved his brother, he wore boxers instead of briefs because...well who knows, Ide doesn't tell us but if he did I was sure it would be because of his love for his brother. Anyway for IQ it is hoes before bros because he simply puts that case to the back burner as soon as dead brother's ex shows up with a new case to find her sister. It makes sense within the narrative, the new case is time sensitive but from a writing perspective Ide's decision is so strange. He spends so much time building up an emotional bond between IQ and Marcus and then he relegates it to a side story. It is also resolved abruptly or to be more critical not resolved at all.
The main plot has IQ tangling with the triads to find an unlikeable gambling addict and her even more pathetic boyfriend. IQ brings Dodson along (I have never bought this pairing since book #1) and it is one more step in the destruction of the promising character that was once IQ. IQ keeps getting insecure every time Dodson figures out something without his help and IQ keeps getting passive aggressive every time Dodson calls him out on his insecurity. Again no idea what Ide was going for. Did he earn sympathy points for IQ as he was flawed? Not really, being childish is not a relatable flaw in my book. He later develops a crush that is similarly immature. IQ also does not use his famed observational / analytical skills to understand why he is acting out like a petulant child so churlish and stupid. The plots (Marcus and triad) keeps alternating chapters, it is not difficult to follow but it stymies the natural flow of the narrative.
The writing is adequate but never engrossing. Ide keeps the story moving but whenever he tries to give some insight into human nature, it seems obvious. Stating the obvious is not necessarily redundant but the author needs to have a bit more flair or be stylistically unique to pull it off. Not necessarily a bad book but an underwhelming one. 2.5/5 but will round it off to 3 as 2 is too low for something written as professionally as Righteous. Rating - 3/5
October 28, 2017
Great characterization and a cracking dialogue It is refreshing to discover something new and exciting under the heading of crime fiction; meet Isaiah Quintabe affectionately known as IQ to his friends. He's a fast talking young man who lives and works in Long Beach California, almost akin to a modern day bounty hunter, who accepts occasional criminal cases as a means to survive. When Sarita the ex girlfriend of his brother Marcus (killed in a hit and run some 10 years previous) asks for his help to rescue her younger sister Janine who has gone missing in Las Vegas he is eager to assist. Together with his trusty partner Dobson (two egos trying to outflank eachother!) they make haste for America's gambling mecca and an imminent confrontation with a motley crew of gangsters including a hit team of Chinese triads. In addition IQ is convinced that his brother Marcus was not accidently killed but rather the target of some evil men and he is determined to find out who and why.....
I love the pace and sheer roller coaster ride as the narration introduces a many and varied list of characters that constantly confront the reader, all with a story to tell. The ability of the author to hold my interest was undoubtedly due to the cracking dialogue that positively fizzled from the first page....."the Eiffel Tower lit up like Elton John at a New Year's Eve party"....."why you'd wear a miniskirt if your thighs were like two whales swimming side by side"...."The bartender was a twist of beef jerky in a chartreuse polo shirt"....."its claws scooping out creek beds of flesh; suture marks left by someone with a knitting needle and kite string"...."There were consequences to violence, like grief it changed you"....."the real fear was of mortality. Death was palpable, and you're suddenly aware that you're alive by the thinnest of margins"...
In this review more than any other I am content to let the writing skills of Joe Ide bring the story alive.To me I almost feel he is a Raymond Chandler for the modern age; beautiful prose that smack you in the face with their audacity, leaving you smiling and begging for more. This is the second book in the series and I shall be reading book one almost immediately...it is that good and comes from me to you with the greatest recommendation. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.
I love the pace and sheer roller coaster ride as the narration introduces a many and varied list of characters that constantly confront the reader, all with a story to tell. The ability of the author to hold my interest was undoubtedly due to the cracking dialogue that positively fizzled from the first page....."the Eiffel Tower lit up like Elton John at a New Year's Eve party"....."why you'd wear a miniskirt if your thighs were like two whales swimming side by side"...."The bartender was a twist of beef jerky in a chartreuse polo shirt"....."its claws scooping out creek beds of flesh; suture marks left by someone with a knitting needle and kite string"...."There were consequences to violence, like grief it changed you"....."the real fear was of mortality. Death was palpable, and you're suddenly aware that you're alive by the thinnest of margins"...
In this review more than any other I am content to let the writing skills of Joe Ide bring the story alive.To me I almost feel he is a Raymond Chandler for the modern age; beautiful prose that smack you in the face with their audacity, leaving you smiling and begging for more. This is the second book in the series and I shall be reading book one almost immediately...it is that good and comes from me to you with the greatest recommendation. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.
November 5, 2017
Righteous is the gripping follow-up to Joe Ide’s celebrated 2016 thriller IQ. Isaiah Quintabe (IQ) is still solving crimes and mysteries as an unlicensed private detective in East Long Beach, California. IQ is an inner city investigator; think of a blend between Sherlock Holmes and Mushmouth from Fat Albert’s Junkyard Gang (with much better enunciation and a party-sized smarts). He takes cases from his neighbors—sometimes trading items and services for his methodical and observant deductions. Other times working for free. He is still haunted by the murder of his brother, and tracking down the killer consumes his waking hours. But then a new case arrives—his dead brother’s old girlfriend needs aid in locating her gambling-addicted sister. Isaiah must employ all the skills and tricks at his disposal, as he is not the only one on the hunt! Ruthless Chinese mobsters and savage loan sharks make up a cavalcade of goons chasing this young woman. These are bad men, and they come armed with brutal beat-downs, hot lead, and a morally vacant willingness to use any means at their disposal to achieve their nefarious goals. They will not lose sleep when the blood begins to spill and the screams ring out.
Like a piggyback on the Hulk, Righteous is a compelling and exciting ride sure to elicit sweating palms and increased heart rates. Ide humanizes his inner city environment, distancing his story from stock stereotypes and ghetto clichés. This mystery is crammed full of interesting and authentic characters, violent exchanges, and seemingly unworkable quandaries that only the big brain of IQ can crack. Isaiah continues to evolve as a person through his relationships including his friend/ex-burgling pal Dodson who is now operating on the up and up as a food truck operator until he is pulled back into his friend’s chicanery. The nail-biting conclusion is satisfying and leaves us waiting breathlessly for the next book.
Like a piggyback on the Hulk, Righteous is a compelling and exciting ride sure to elicit sweating palms and increased heart rates. Ide humanizes his inner city environment, distancing his story from stock stereotypes and ghetto clichés. This mystery is crammed full of interesting and authentic characters, violent exchanges, and seemingly unworkable quandaries that only the big brain of IQ can crack. Isaiah continues to evolve as a person through his relationships including his friend/ex-burgling pal Dodson who is now operating on the up and up as a food truck operator until he is pulled back into his friend’s chicanery. The nail-biting conclusion is satisfying and leaves us waiting breathlessly for the next book.
February 14, 2018
Righteous is Joe Ide’s second book in the IQ series but I liked it better than the first. IQ is Isaah Quintabe’s nickname and he’s known in his neighbourhood for being smart and able to help people. In this instalment, you can see he’s on track to becoming a full fledged private investigator.
There are two alternating storylines that come together in this one. One story is his investigation of his brother’s murder, which he originally thought was a hit and run. The second story is about his search for a friend’s sister who has a gambling problem. She owes too much to the wrong guy and in a horrible move to steal cash from her father, she puts the lives of all of her family on the line.
I like a good detective story and Ide puts a nice modern twist in his. Rather than the cliche gumshoe, we have a very intelligent boy who uses common sense and deduction to help out his friends and neighbors. He gets himself into a fair amount of trouble but he’s always a step ahead of the bad guys. Highly recommended and I can’t wait for the next one.
There are two alternating storylines that come together in this one. One story is his investigation of his brother’s murder, which he originally thought was a hit and run. The second story is about his search for a friend’s sister who has a gambling problem. She owes too much to the wrong guy and in a horrible move to steal cash from her father, she puts the lives of all of her family on the line.
I like a good detective story and Ide puts a nice modern twist in his. Rather than the cliche gumshoe, we have a very intelligent boy who uses common sense and deduction to help out his friends and neighbors. He gets himself into a fair amount of trouble but he’s always a step ahead of the bad guys. Highly recommended and I can’t wait for the next one.
April 1, 2023
4.50 Stars — IQ (Isaiah Quintabe) returns in Joe Ide’s second instalment of the series, following the barnstorming flow of positive reviews after the debut effort, IQ. Whilst this was just as well written, has a strong narrative & ties together well — ultimately taking the series to another level — It is the increased role of IQ’s sidekick (not that Isaiah would be willing to acknowledge that) , the aptly named ‘Dodson’ — That really helps move things along here.
"Righteous" really is a thrilling novel that takes readers on a captivating journey through the streets of LA. The novel follows Isaiah Quintabe, a brilliant detective who uses his intelligence & street smarts to solve often complex cases. It’s an attention grabber form page one, and it rarely enables the reader a breather!
One of the things that sets "Righteous" apart from other crime novels is the character development, akin to its predecessor. Isaiah is a well-rounded & despite being a little gruff, is a hugely relatable protagonist, and his relationships with the other characters are both nuanced and realistic. As one reviewer noted, "Joe Ide is a master of creating characters that feel like they could be real people. His writing is so authentic, and the relationships he builds between his characters are so rich and complex."
Another standout feature of the novel is the way that Ide weaves together different storylines to create a cohesive and suspenseful narrative. As another reviewer wrote, "The pacing of this book is impeccable. Joe Ide has a real gift for crafting a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and he knows just when to reveal a new piece of information to keep you hooked."
Overall, "Righteous" is a must-read for fans of crime fiction. With its engaging characters, intricate plot, and masterful storytelling, this novel is sure to keep you entertained from start to finish. As one reviewer summarized, "This is a book that will keep you guessing until the very end. It's smart, suspenseful, and utterly captivating.
"Righteous" really is a thrilling novel that takes readers on a captivating journey through the streets of LA. The novel follows Isaiah Quintabe, a brilliant detective who uses his intelligence & street smarts to solve often complex cases. It’s an attention grabber form page one, and it rarely enables the reader a breather!
One of the things that sets "Righteous" apart from other crime novels is the character development, akin to its predecessor. Isaiah is a well-rounded & despite being a little gruff, is a hugely relatable protagonist, and his relationships with the other characters are both nuanced and realistic. As one reviewer noted, "Joe Ide is a master of creating characters that feel like they could be real people. His writing is so authentic, and the relationships he builds between his characters are so rich and complex."
Another standout feature of the novel is the way that Ide weaves together different storylines to create a cohesive and suspenseful narrative. As another reviewer wrote, "The pacing of this book is impeccable. Joe Ide has a real gift for crafting a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and he knows just when to reveal a new piece of information to keep you hooked."
Overall, "Righteous" is a must-read for fans of crime fiction. With its engaging characters, intricate plot, and masterful storytelling, this novel is sure to keep you entertained from start to finish. As one reviewer summarized, "This is a book that will keep you guessing until the very end. It's smart, suspenseful, and utterly captivating.
December 15, 2017
I had to pick this one up as soon as I finished Joe Ide's debut IQ where we're first introduced to Isiah Quintabe. Righteous picks up shortly after IQ closes and still has that rollicking East LA voice.
This time Isiah finds himself dealing with a Rwandan gangster, Chinese Triads, Mexican gangs, and his brother's ex-fiance Sarita. She's worried about her Vegas DJ sister and her bro-tastic, loser boyfriend as they find themselves over their heads in gambling debt. Ide once again juggles several stories at once as Isiah begins to question whether his beloved brother was exactly what he appeared to be. Dodson also returns as Isiah's don't-call-him-a-sidekick, partner - now expecting his first child and hustling to make an honest buck.
With Righteous we see Isiah isn't just a fantastic inductive detective but a first rate problem solver. Still a fun read but it does suffer a bit of the sophomore slump as we work to build Isiah's character as he makes the transition from stumbling innocent to a more mature adult. His relationship with Sarita is all old school John Hughes instead of John Singleton and rings a little too predictably. And while I have to give the Japanese American author who grew up in South Central a pass I still cringe a bit at the probably realistically named Chink Mob and their garbled Engrish that has them saying things like "You no my fren, you go way now or we killing you for sure!"
Still I like the world Ide has created and I'm curious to see where Quintabe and Dodson head next.
This time Isiah finds himself dealing with a Rwandan gangster, Chinese Triads, Mexican gangs, and his brother's ex-fiance Sarita. She's worried about her Vegas DJ sister and her bro-tastic, loser boyfriend as they find themselves over their heads in gambling debt. Ide once again juggles several stories at once as Isiah begins to question whether his beloved brother was exactly what he appeared to be. Dodson also returns as Isiah's don't-call-him-a-sidekick, partner - now expecting his first child and hustling to make an honest buck.
With Righteous we see Isiah isn't just a fantastic inductive detective but a first rate problem solver. Still a fun read but it does suffer a bit of the sophomore slump as we work to build Isiah's character as he makes the transition from stumbling innocent to a more mature adult. His relationship with Sarita is all old school John Hughes instead of John Singleton and rings a little too predictably. And while I have to give the Japanese American author who grew up in South Central a pass I still cringe a bit at the probably realistically named Chink Mob and their garbled Engrish that has them saying things like "You no my fren, you go way now or we killing you for sure!"
Still I like the world Ide has created and I'm curious to see where Quintabe and Dodson head next.
November 11, 2017
Joe Ide's brilliant sequel to last years "IQ" takes Long Beach, California's young detective Isaiah Quintabe to another level of entertaining crime fiction. By "entertaining", I mean when every paragraph makes you smile with sheer appreciation of the words you're reading. "Entertaining" in this book is a vast understatement and does not begin to do justice to this truly awesome mystery/thriller. The introverted Isaiah is still grieving over the hit and run death of his beloved brother and life mentor Marcus years earlier. He subsequently comes to the realization that it might not have been hit and run at all but a deliberate hit. At the same time, Sarita, Marcus's beautiful girlfriend, asked IQ for his help in extricating her gambling addicted sister out of a jam in Las Vegas. Stricken by the exotic Sarita, IQ agrees, heads for Vegas and the action explodes.
The intricately complex plot evolves out from there in spider web-like directions to encompass "tribes" of wonderfully developed characters including members of a Latino street gang, a Chinese Triad, a local LA Chinese gang, African Americans and African immigrants, all with compelling back stories and cross motivations. Razor sharp prose, action, humor and an unforgettable cast of characters make this one of the very best mystery/thrillers you read this year. And just when you think you figured out who killed Marcus and why, you had it all wrong. Highly recommended!
The intricately complex plot evolves out from there in spider web-like directions to encompass "tribes" of wonderfully developed characters including members of a Latino street gang, a Chinese Triad, a local LA Chinese gang, African Americans and African immigrants, all with compelling back stories and cross motivations. Razor sharp prose, action, humor and an unforgettable cast of characters make this one of the very best mystery/thrillers you read this year. And just when you think you figured out who killed Marcus and why, you had it all wrong. Highly recommended!
April 25, 2021
I almost left this without a review, because so much of what I want to say retreads familiar ground from the first book. While you could read this as a standalone, I'd recommend the first book first, just because it's spectacular.
So let's consider this a capsule review, and take for granted that all the good from the previous novel applies to this one too. Joe Ide really does have a way with words that just pulls you through the story, though I will say that the alternating perspectives felt just slightly messier this time, harder to distinguish and keep track of, probably mostly by virtue of being much closer in time and having more overlapping characters than they did in the first book. Overall though, it's nothing that will interfere with my intentions to go on and read the next in the series, but I did have extremely high expectations from the first book that won't be quite as inflated this time around.
So let's consider this a capsule review, and take for granted that all the good from the previous novel applies to this one too. Joe Ide really does have a way with words that just pulls you through the story, though I will say that the alternating perspectives felt just slightly messier this time, harder to distinguish and keep track of, probably mostly by virtue of being much closer in time and having more overlapping characters than they did in the first book. Overall though, it's nothing that will interfere with my intentions to go on and read the next in the series, but I did have extremely high expectations from the first book that won't be quite as inflated this time around.
August 30, 2019
Isaiah Quintabe is a genius. Joe Ide is a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and used this character as his inspiration for Isaiah. But that's pretty much where the similarities end. Isaiah lives in the ghetto, seems to constantly get caught between gang wars, and does small time PI work that barely pays his bills.
The hook for the next book...it seems like Isaiah's small time situation is about to change.
I've really enjoyed Joe Ide's work so far! He has a dry wit, first-hand understanding of his settings geographically, and a handle on the cultures/dialects he portrays. I've laughed out loud several times in both IQ and Righteous. Unlike crime mystery writers like Don Winslow, Joe Ide can write a solid book using gang and turf wars without insulting every race known to mankind...also without firmly inserting an overbearing political message. Thanks, Joe! Boo, Don. He manages to write many of his characters with heart and soul without minimizing the cultural impact of gang violence.
I'd rate this book an R for gang violence and perilous situations, swearing, sexual references, and adult humor.
The hook for the next book...it seems like Isaiah's small time situation is about to change.
I've really enjoyed Joe Ide's work so far! He has a dry wit, first-hand understanding of his settings geographically, and a handle on the cultures/dialects he portrays. I've laughed out loud several times in both IQ and Righteous. Unlike crime mystery writers like Don Winslow, Joe Ide can write a solid book using gang and turf wars without insulting every race known to mankind...also without firmly inserting an overbearing political message. Thanks, Joe! Boo, Don. He manages to write many of his characters with heart and soul without minimizing the cultural impact of gang violence.
I'd rate this book an R for gang violence and perilous situations, swearing, sexual references, and adult humor.
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