In this epic showdown from "one of the best crime novelists alive" (Dennis Lehane), police officer Derek Strange hunts his brother's killer through a city erupting with rage.
Download and start listening now!
""Derek Strange is a rookie cop, the job he's dreamed of since he was a boy. His brother, Dennis, has not been as fortunate; home from the service with a disability pension and zero prospects, he is a man with good intentions but bad habits. Derek has always looked out for Dennis, but no amount of brotherly love can save him from the dangerous world of Alvin Jones, a local bottom-feeder, hustler, and stone killer who draws him into his web of violence." While the rookie cop navigates the rocky terrain of a city in turmoil, a family in crisis, and his love for a woman he has driven away, Frank Vaughn, a cop at the opposite end of his career, investigates the vicious hit-and-run of a young black man. Vaughn's personal life is a shambles, but he's good police; he pursues the killers with sharklike intent. Meanwhile, in Memphis, a prophet is murdered, igniting a volcanic chain of events that will leave the nation's capital burned, divided, and decimated, forever changing the lives of its working-class inhabitants."
— Eddy (4 out of 5 stars)
“Mr. Pelecanos writes clean, tight, cogent prose with a heartfelt urgency. However convenient the story’s timing may be, it packs a serious punch.”
— New York Times“No one who lives in this city and reads fiction and cares about the world we live in can afford not to read these books. They are reports from front lines that are only a few miles away, unblinking looks at a reality that is all around us, that perhaps we think we have known for years, and yet most often we have never really known at all.”
— Washington Post“Pelecanos’ foray into Strange’s past does not in the end diminish, but rather adds to, our sense of his complexity and humanity…He never loses his delicate, personal touch.”
— New York Times Book Review“Pelecanos’ vivid, astute, and meaningful narrative makes Hard Revolution an accomplished study of a culture tearing itself to pieces in the face of major social change…It’s a true testament to Pelecanos’ skill that no single plot element or story thread…outweighs the others. He uses his adept noir sensibility to further define personal tragedy and its greater symbolic meaning.”
— Barnes & Noble, editorial review“Pelecanos has been justly celebrated for his noir sensibility and his gritty portraits of the streets of Washington, DC, but he hasn’t been recognized for what may be his greatest achievement: redefining the art of writing serial fiction.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Written in rich, observant prose, the novel is a brilliant study of a society tearing apart as racial tensions escalate after the King killing; no wonder some observers have pointed to Pelecanos as the kind of thriller writer who should be nominated for a National Book Award.”
— Publishers Weekly“As with the previous Strange works, this is a superior crime novel from one of the genre’s outstanding writers. Recommended.”
— Library Journal" A really satisfying prequel - after 3 books of following Derek Strange in the current day, without really getting too much of his history, this look at his youth and brief time in MPD during the post King race riots of 1968 is most welcome. "
— Matt, 2/19/2014" Pelecanos -master of American crime- but also I love the way he documents his novels and this one is a must for all those interested in the 60s era "
— Jane, 2/19/2014" Pretty cool - DC set against the back drop of the '68 riots. A little heavy on the focus on cars, but it was cool to read about places I know. My first Pellacanos book - he was one of the writers for the Wire. "
— Brian, 2/17/2014" Derek Strange in his youth as a rookie cop in the turbulent 60s. engaging story and colorful characters. sharp, witty dialogue as always. Pelecanos delivers yet again. "
— Carlito, 1/26/2014" Fast-paced street crime thriller. The author is amazing with his knowledge of 1960s clubs, streets, news events, musicians and songs. He must have done a lot of research. It feels like a lot of characters sometimes and jumping back and forth between them but I couldn't wait to find out what was going on with the other characters. It really kept my attention. I want to try his other books. "
— MentorPublicLibrary, 1/25/2014" Derek Strange as a young man, becomes a cop, gets caught up in the riots after MLK's assassination and a couple of murders for good measure. Pelecanos is really fond of musical references and cars. "
— Jack, 1/17/2014" Slow going and not as good as Right As Rain. "
— CT, 11/6/2013" One of the very best books I've read in recent years. Pelecanos know D.C. and can tell a story like no one else. I went to a signing he did when this book came out and he gave out CDs with music from the time period in which the book is set. It was a great soundtrack to have on while reading. "
— Melodie, 9/28/2013" Good book, connected a lot of dots "
— Shavonne, 9/25/2013" This is the brilliant George Pelecanos at his absolute best. "
— Wilhelmina, 9/17/2013" Great for reading about real places in DC and for learning more about the 1968 riots. "
— Patricia, 5/27/2013" Pelecanos. Each of his books opens up a new dimension of DC. Hard Revolution, set in the 1950s and 60s, gives an added appreciation for the place through the unique context of time and history, while keeping the characters and storytelling as sharp as ever. "
— Andy, 2/1/2013" Especially impressed by the blow-by-blow account of the DC riots following the 1968 murder of Dr. Martin Luther King. "
— Steve, 12/24/2012" GOOD READ..... "
— Scott, 11/19/2012" I have fallen down a George Pelecanos wormhole and I never want to get out... "
— Alicia, 11/16/2012" A little too much in here about cars and music of the 60s but George writes great potboilers about the DC area and this one is no different. It's lead up to the district riots after MLK's assassination is educational as well as suspenseful. "
— Jennifer, 10/29/2012" Brother gets a bit heavy handed at times, and needs to be a bit more selective about his florid references to every deep cut on DC radio, but man I was taken with this. "
— Lauren, 6/7/2012" this is a prequel to pelecanos' tremendous strange/quinn series of books, and takes place in DC in 1968. i'd recommend reading the books in their proper sequence, and as always, i'd recommend any pelecanos book (except "shoedog") without reservation. "
— Mike, 6/5/2012" Fantastic! Like James Ellroy's novels, this is a crime novel which transcends merely being a genre novel and is real literature. "
— Alex, 5/12/2012" He's just an amazingly good crime writer. "
— Nancy, 2/10/2012" My absolute favorite George EVER. And I love George. "
— Amanda, 12/15/2011" First time reading this author...read so many good reviews about his writing...not crazy at all about the book and I am about halfway through. Not going to get back to this...for all the great praise about the author i just could not get into it at all. "
— Vickie, 8/23/2011" After a couple of tries, I have concluded I am simply not a fan of George Pelecanos's fiction. "
— Geni, 5/13/2011" Loved the story, even though it was fiction it was well researched and spoke of the time in DC before and after the riots of the late 60's "
— Joan, 4/20/2011" Lived through the late '60's in the San Francisco bay area. For me the book was an interesting portrayal of events on right coast at a time that stands out in my memory. "
— Tom, 4/17/2011" An exellent portrait of Washington DC in the 1960s leading up to the riots. "
— Brian, 9/26/2010" George Pelecanos is a fantabulous storyteller and this book was very exciting and entertaining! "
— Mr., 6/17/2010" A little too much in here about cars and music of the 60s but George writes great potboilers about the DC area and this one is no different. It's lead up to the district riots after MLK's assassination is educational as well as suspenseful. "
— Jennifer, 3/24/2010" Pelacanos is more than a mystery writer. This is the second of his books that I've read. In each, he has taken me more deeply into the characters and their cultures than I ever expected. Each was very well written and, in the end, I had learned something. "
— Linda, 1/15/2010" I had issues with this book, just due to having read books later on that had some of the characters from this one. All in all an excellent read as expected from Pelecanos. "
— Gregtrob, 11/19/2009" A little heavy-handed in its commentary on family and on fathers and sons, but still gripping and challenging -- both evocative and provocative in its look at DC in the midst of the Civil Rights Era. Highly recommended. "
— Art, 10/22/2009" A really satisfying prequel - after 3 books of following Derek Strange in the current day, without really getting too much of his history, this look at his youth and brief time in MPD during the post King race riots of 1968 is most welcome. <br/> "
— Matt, 10/10/2009" I probably could have done without the "prologue" chapters taking place nine years before the main bulk of the novel. However, the plot, action, perspectives etc. are handled so deftly, particularly during the second half of the book, this became one of my favorite Pelecanos novels. "
— Mike, 9/7/2009George Pelecanos is the author of twenty-two novels and story collections set in and around Washington, DC, and has been the recipient of numerous international writing awards. He is a screenwriter, essayist, and television writer–producer whose credits include The Wire, Treme, The Deuce, and We Own This City.