Touchstone (Simon & Schuster) / March 2008
Reviewed by: Martel Sardina

Calumet City harbors secrets that Officer Patti Black has spent the last twenty odd years of her life trying to forget. Officer Black is the most decorated cop in Chicago and that’s what she’d like to focus on. While she is still haunted by her past, that doesn’t mean she’s looking for a reason to go dredging things up.

Unfortunately, life has a way of making you deal with the things you’d rather hide from. A series of crimes occur, all seemingly unrelated. How could an attempt on the mayor’s life, a drug bust gone bad, a murder and the discovery of a long-dead corpse all have something to do with one of the most respected cops in the Chicago Police Department’s history?

Patti Black knows. All the roads lead back to Calumet City, a place she thought she’d never have to go again. She can’t hide from her past any longer. But will the people who know, love and respect Officer Black still feel the same way once they learn the truth?

Calumet City is Charlie Newton’s debut novel. Newton packs nonstop action into a modern noir setting. Officer Black’s reaction to the obstacles she faces makes the suspense character-driven. The reader is often left feeling raw and scared as Officer Black is forced to confront her demons.

Part of Newton’s research included riding along with the real-life street cop Patti Black. While Newton maintains that this is a work of fiction, he also states “the true story of her life is both better and worse. And someday, she’ll tell it.” If the fictional version is any indication of what’s to come, then that’s one memoir this reviewer is looking forward to reading.

Purchase Charlie Newton’s Calumet City.