"Snitch" Review

Snitch by Booker T. Mattison was sent to me by Revell Publishers/Baker Publishing Group. It is a contemporary novel that takes places on the streets of Jersey City.

A bus driver, Andrew Bolden, sees someone shot down right in front of him during a late-night route. Knowing that the shooter saw him, Andre has a choice to keep silent and possibly lose his job or tell what he saw and become a snitch, an act often punishable by death on these streets. Adding to the dilemma is Andre’s concern for his infant son and his former girlfriend. This one event that occurs in Andre’s life leads to a waterfall of other experiences (including some things from his past) that will shape his life from here on out, hopefully for the better.

For me, this novel drew me to the characters immediately. They seemed to be so true-to-life, and I really cared what was happening to them and how they were hopefully going to grow and change. The spiritual aspect of this book was done so well. Time and time again, Andre is confronted with what he believes, with what he thinks about God, and how God should be in his life. But the author does this without being preachy or sounding fake. It is through his everyday life and struggles and through everyday people that Andre encounters matters of faith.

This book was also very eye-opening for me. The reality of life on the street was thought-provoking and was realistic, I’m sure. I appreciated that the people in this book were willing to step up and try to change their community for the better. I also thought that the author did a good job putting lots of different issues into the book without making the characters sound whiny or ‘woe-is-me.’ The things that Andre deals with are real and could happen to anyone, no matter their race or gender or situation.

While this narrative has excellent character development, it is a gritty suspense novel at its core. The story starts off with a bang (literally), mellows towards the middle, then races on to its conclusion. My only complaint was that the ending, for me, was somewhat unsatisfying. I felt that the characters still had more to do and to say. But, I could be misinterpreting the resolution that was presented.

Snitch is an absorbing novel that explores faith, justice, and community while telling an intense tale that is pulled directly from urban life.

I will give Snitch by Booker T. Mattison…. 4 BookWorms.

See my review on The Christian Manifesto here.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book free from Revell Publishing/Baker Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”