Black Water Rising

By: Attica Locke

Narrated by: Dion Graham

Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Writing in the tradition of Dennis Lehane and Greg Iles, Attica Locke, a powerful new voice in American fiction, delivers a brilliant debut thriller that readers will not soon forget.

Porter is hardly the lawyer he set out to be. His most promising client is a low-rent call girl and he runs his fledgling law practice out of a dingy strip mall. But he's long since made peace with not living the American Dream and carefully tucked away his darkest sins: the guns, the FBI file, the trial that nearly destroyed him.

Houston, Texas, 1981. It is here that Jay believes he can make a fresh start. That is, until the night in a boat out on the bayou when he impulsively saves a woman from drowning - and opens a Pandora's box. Her secrets put Jay in danger, ensnaring him in a murder investigation that could cost him his practice, his family, and even his life. But before he can get to the bottom of a tangled mystery that reaches into the upper echelons of Houston's corporate power brokers, Jay must confront the demons of his past.

With pacing that captures the reader from the first scene through an exhilarating climax, Black Water Rising marks the arrival of an electrifying new talent.

©2009 Attica Locke (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Good One

Ms Like cake wrote such a heartfelt story of life de experiences in what most call the “free” USA. But is it really free for everyone or just the wealthy? Mr Graham did an excellent job narrating this work.

Lots of twists and turns

I enjoyed the twists and turns and the backstory of Jay and his willingness to figure out what the greater good is.

Promising Young Writer

After listening to Attica Locke's excellent 2nd mystery, "The Cutting Season," I went back to try this one, her first. ""Black Water Rising" is completely different - more of the noir school, which is usually not my favorite sort of mystery.

But this is good! Really good. Set in 1980's Houston, "Black Water Rising" is just as atmospheric and dangerous as the title suggests. Our main character has a past in the black-power movement, and that affects just about his every thought and act. He's now burned and disillusioned and determined to avoid trouble and politics, but he keeps getting pulled back in, sometimes simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The book is very much from his point of view. There are other characters of interest (I wish we knew more about his wife's thoughts and feelings, for example), but Jay Porter definitely carries the book well. There's lots of action and suspense, and all the diverse and complicated plot lines come together in believable ways. I was completely drawn into this world.

This narrator is flat out wonderful! His voice is pure velvet and adds a lot to the experience.

A Remarkable Story Teller

What made the experience of listening to Black Water Rising the most enjoyable?

It started out with one of the best first chapters I have ever read. I was hooked immediately. The setting is 1981 in Houston, TX. The main character, Jay Porter, is a young black lawyer just scraping by with small jobs. His father-in-law gets Jay involved with the representation of the black harbor workers that vote to go on strike. There is some conflict with the separate white union. This is a complex story that has some back and forth in Jay's history, but it all comes together to make the story more complete. For her first book, Attica Locke is a very accomplished story teller with pacing and fun dialog. I must also point out that this story has a theme of racism running through it that rings true to the time and circumstances. If Attica is named after Atticus Finch, she is living up to her name.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

This is not your standard mystery / thriller, but the story is compelling and scary at times. I found the story very credible and some of the political back story was very timely with our political and financial situation today. I was constantly thinking about the story when I didn't have time to listen. I couldn't wait to hear what happened next.

What does Dion Graham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I recognized Dion Graham from some of his acting roles, especially in one of my favorite series, "The Wire". He did a wonderful job with the narration and made the main character, Jay Porter, come to life in my mind.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely.

Any additional comments?

I never buy actual books anymore, but I had to add a first edition hard copy of this book to my library because this new author is going to be a huge success as she gets more books in front of readers. I can't wait to read the next book by Attica Locke.

Best of both social history and mystery

What did you like best about this story?

The best thing about a good mystery is how patterns start to emerge from the stew of details; the best thing about a social history is how a seemingly small and insignificant event can be shown as crucial to larger historical processes. This book delivers both.

Any additional comments?

And what an amazing reader!

hanging on every word

love the intrigue & drama. what a great page Turner. hope it has a sequel.

Attica Locke is great!

This story is by far her best to date. Jay porter is also her best character. Great narration by Dion Graham as well. Jay's life is engrossing and interesting. A troubled lawyer with a strong heart! Bravo! An awesome read!

Great reading; Ok storyline

Transparency: I bought this audible because I love Dion Graham.
The storyline was ok. Great to listen to when ironing or cooking. I finished it so a Big YAY for me.

Is There an Abridged Version?

The only reason this book is getting three stars from me is because of the great narration by Dion Graham. If I'd been reading hard copy, I wouldn't have finished the book. It began with great promise and I was very excitied - good plot, great reader. Then the author went on long, boring, rambling accounts of political movements from back in the day, and labor union issues, and all sorts of other stuff that really didn't add anything to the plot and only marginally added to character development. At least half of this book could have been edited out. By three quarters in, I just wanted it to be OVER. And don't be fooled by the comparisons to Dennis Lehane and Greg Iles, two authors I love. Attica Locke is not even close.

interesting story

I really enjoyed the description of the racial struggles in Houston, and Texas in general. very interesting. At times I wondered how Jay could miss a certain angle and thought that 4he link between different story lines was uncessesarily convoluted. and I could not be more annoyed with the music at the end of each chapter. terrible idea.