to make sure that you weren't somehow beamed into the pages of Thieves' Paradise without your knowledge or consent or got conned on your way out at the end by that sweet talking Dante Black. Eric Dickey always takes us in a different direction than most writers, yet he keeps us grounded in reality. He even keeps us off balance by writing novels that don't resemble each other in any shape, form or fashion. Who have you read lately who tells the story of a bodyguard's life and makes you enjoy it? Dickey's "got jokes" galore and snappy jargon. Always expect Dickey to be unique. Now he's telling the story of a thinking bodyguard/hustler and we can even like this con artist without thinking about the stereotypical muscleman image that characters such as this usually conjures up. That's because Dickey catches us before we start those preconceived notions and tells us the heart wrenching story of Dante Black's adolescent trauma.

And who else have you read lately (male or female) who can write... (not love) scenes that makes you sweat! I've read all of the major male African American fiction authors, but nobody and I do mean nobody can whip it on you like Eric Dickey. Just ask Pam (Dante's love interest/... actress/partner in crime) who is much older than Dante, but admits that even with her experience with men she can't keep up with Dante's 25-year-old sex feasts. Many women would die tryin'!!

The other cast of characters become someone you've met before but can't remember where. They are just that familiar and comfortable, but don't let me convince you. Just read the first chapter and then try to put the book back on the shelf. Betcha can't read just one!

In Thieves Paradise we meet Dante Brown, a twenty five year old who is down but not out and determined to make it. Old school friend Jackson is between jobs and dealing with stressful issues from his babies mother and lady friend Robin. Scamz is a con man and master mind of the game. Pam is the waitress want to be actress that Dante is infatuated with. Hold on tight because Thieves Paradise offers a bumps ride over a three day period.

EJD has mixed in suspense, a taste of erotica, scams, and a dash of action to give us a different genre this time around. Another good one to add to my collection. Love and support to you Eric. Looking forward to your next release.

All I can say is Eric Jerome Dickey has done it yet again. Thieves Paradise pulls you in from the very first page and keeps you there until the end. What a powerfully, edgy and gritty book, that's sure to be another bestseller for the man with the magic touch and insight. Since I've read his first book, I've been a "HUGE" fan of Eric's and he hasn't disappointted me yet. I like the fact that his books don't all have the same plot or storyline and that he carries people over from his books. It makes for a more realistic type of read. T.P. follows the life of Dante Black and some of his colorful friends like, the unforgettable Scamz, Pam, Jackson, Sabrina, Robin, Big Slim, Molly and sisters Sierra and Arizona, who give a whole new meaning to sisterly love. This book has it all and is sure to be a page-turner for you. You can't/couldn't be disappointed in it the least. It reads so realistically with it's action and drama filled pages, which is something I've always loved about Eric's books. Well EJD, you've done it once more for me and I'm already looking forward to next's newest, hottest, bestseller from you. Blessings and continued success always to one of my favorite writers. The Sistah Circle Book Club-Houston, will there to support you as always.

I bought this book specifically to read the D. Gabaldon chapter, but found that I enjoyed the entire book. The chapter Diana Gabaldon wrote with her son was a very enjoyable short story. I would recommend this book as a light read - especially for women with sons.

I bought the book specifically to read the Diana Gabaldon chapter, but have found that I have enjoyed the entire book. I would recommend it for light reading, especially to women with sons.

This is not a "best of mothers and sons stories" anthology. It is a somewhat haphazard collection of stories written by mothers and sons for this compilation. Nowhere is it noted which stories are fiction and which are fact. The reader can get through a whole story which reads like a memoir, only to find out at the very end that it was fiction. Very confusing. The introduction by Jill Morgan is just another sentimental ode to the writer's own sons, giving little clue as to what is contained in the book.

There are a few gems amid the gravel however, including one diamond: Eric Jerome Dickey's "Fish Sammich with Cheese," a true tale about the author as a five-year-old. Taken from his loving foster family by his disturbed biological mother on the pretense of getting a fish "sammich", it is a poignant and brilliantly written story of a brave child's struggle to find his way back home.

The photographs which accompany each story are a nice touch, putting a personal face on the stories. But again, they add to the confusion as to which stories are memoir and which are fiction: are the mother and son pictured the ones that the story is about, or not?

Some of the stories end with an "afterward" from the author and some do not. There are biographical notes on the authors at the back of the book. Overall, there are some good tales in here, but better organization of the material would have made for a much more enjoyable read.