Book columnist Oline Cogdill presents her favorite novels of the year this weekend, with A Cure for Night as one of her four favorite debuts. Again, there's a lot of books and authors on here that I haven't read and no doubt should. But I have to stop buying new books until I get through the stack of unread books I already have at home...
The Books
Praise for Blind Man's Alley
- “BLIND MAN’S ALLEY is cunningly plotted and utterly true to contemporary New York life. It covers every level of the city, from the penthouses to the projects, with total authenticity. And its characters are finely drawn – the good ones are never boring in their goodness, while the bad ones are as horrifying as New York produces.” Edward Hayes
- “Dense, enthralling, complex, and extremely satisfying, Justin Peacock’s BLIND MAN’S ALLEY is an absolutely captivating read from an exceptionally talented writer who knows his stuff inside out.” John Lescroart
Praise
- Washington Post:"When the prizes are awarded for this year's best first novel, 'A Cure for Night' will be competing for the gold."
- The New York Times Book Review:"Peacock … heads toward Scott Turow country, where characters get enmeshed in the murky, moral corners of the actual law… He’s all about the law, and based on his work here, he’s got a good chance to make partner."
- USA Today:"This is a lively, dialogue-driven story of life on the streets and in the courtroom, and in both arenas, anything goes."
- Nashville Tennessean:"'A Cure for Night' compares favorably with such works as Robert Traver's 'Anatomy of a Murder' and Scott Turow's 'Presumed Innocent'. The courtroom exchanges are scintillating, the action away from the bench is suspenseful, and the conclusion is surprising."
- Entertainment Weekly:"Peacock blends taut courtroom drama with The Wire’s gritty urban realism in this razor-sharp debut." Grade: A.
- Florida Sun-Sentinel:"In his debut, lawyer turned author Justin Peacock delivers a fresh view of the legal system, the drug trade and an insider's view of Brooklyn.... The riveting 'A Cure for Night' should be the beginning of a long career for Peacock."
- Library Journal:"A smart, fast, and thoroughly entertaining debut from Brooklyn-based lawyer Peacock."
- NPR:"Peacock's gritty look at the bowels of the legal system is informed by his legal training, and he paints a complicated, engaging portrait of a city where it's a five-minute walk from high rises to low life."
- Booklist:"'A Cure for Night' is a truly compelling first novel... By any measure, this one’s a winner."
- Washington Lawyer:"'A Cure For Night' is a remarkable debut novel by Justin Peacock… He is a gem of a writer, storyteller, and moralist."
- Publishers Weekly:"Peacock's intimate knowledge of the courtroom and carefully crafted prose aside, the gritty realism, intense emotional intimacy and socially relevant subject matter—racism, America's war on drugs, the ‘corporate culture’ of drug dealers—make this a deeply thought-provoking read in a genre that can be anything but."
- Mark Costello:"Haunting, seductive and dead-on-the-mark, 'A Cure for Night' is the best courtroom novel in a generation."
Reviews
- Booklist
- Bookloons
- Contra Costa Times
- Entertainment Weekly
- Florida Sun-Sentinel
- Fredericksurg Free Lance-Star
- Go
- Library Journal
- Lincoln Journal-Star
- Nashville Tennessean
- New York Daily News
- New York Post
- New York Times Book Review
- Newcritics
- NPR
- Publishers Weekly
- Richmond Times-Dispatch
- The Rap Sheet
- USA Today
- Washington Lawyer
Excerpt
- Excerpt from the Novel
If you're interested in getting a taste of the book, here's a short excerpt on NPR's website.
Essay
- A Brooklyn Novel
A short essay on the novel's origins from the New York Daily News.
