9.18.2008

what i'm reading: dirty water

I've just finished Dirty Water: A Red Sox Mystery by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith and Jere Smith. I don't usually read mysteries, but this one came to me with a special pedigree. My friend Jere Smith writes the blog A Red Sox Fan from Pinstripe Territory. Mary-Ann Tirone Smith is a mystery writer, and also Jere's mom. They co-authored this terrific book.

Dirty Water is a great book for Sox fans. There's a lot of juicy, behind-the-scenes views into Fenway, the clubhouse and the Sox in general. It's also a great book for all baseball fans. It offers some eye-opening views into the corrupt world of recruiting Latino ballplayers - who profits, and who pays the price. And it gives you a taste of the real lives behind the people you only see on the field through cliched interviews.

Most of all, Dirty Water is a great book for mystery readers. I was hooked from page one, and held in suspense until the mystery was revealed. All my guesses were wrong.

I love books with a strong sense of place. Dirty Water puts you right in Boston. You feel like you're there. It also involves a Red Sox blogger - including several insider nods to the real life Red Sox community from which it springs. The inclusion of the culture of blogging gives it a stronger sense of immediacy and reality.

If you like mysteries, and you like baseball, you should definitely read this book. The book's blog is here.

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