It's been a few years since we've seen new fiction from George Pelecanos, and OWNING UP is well worth the wait. This collection of four novellas delivers on the same premise that has made him one of the best in the business at what he does.

I have always considered Pelecanos to be among a trio of writers (along with Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane) who truly have their ear to the ground and are able to convert that into street-level fiction that is so gritty and real it consumes your senses.

Here is my recap of these deeply layered tales.

"George Pelecanos never pulls any punches with his writing; it’s just not in his DNA. However, he does not allow any judgment to enter into his narrative and stays in the gray area between fact and fiction, right and wrong, and leaves the rest up to the reader."

“The Amusement Machine”
Ira Rubin and Jerrod Williams, who are wearing the orange jumpsuits that have become synonymous with incarceration, are serving their short time behind bars and are eager to return to their lives in Washington, D.C. Williams first notices Rubin as he is one of the few white inmates. Rubin was arrested for some minor-level theft and Williams on a trumped-up gun charge.

Moving forward in time, the two men run into each other on the outside as they are auditioning for roles as extras on a Baltimore-based film. Williams indicates that acting is what he wants to do with his life. Rubin, meanwhile, has little skill; he just needs to make some money and stay out of trouble. As their lives begin to diverge again, the bond that has formed between them remains strong.

“The No-Knock”
This novella features a small loophole in the law enforcement field that allows for an unexpected, or “no-knock,” search of property if someone involved in a felony resides there. That is why this traumatic event hits the unsuspecting Caruso family. When author Joseph Caruso sees men in Kevlar vests suddenly descending on his house, his thoughts immediately go to his somewhat misguided son, Vincent.

It is indeed a criminal incident regarding Vincent that causes this invasion, but the upheaval and damage done to their home will mark the rest of their lives. The symbolism here stems from the loss of a valuable and cherished piece of jewelry, a gold cross necklace that was a gift to Vincent. The police claim to have no knowledge of it. We see the fallout in the years that follow, as well as the writing that Joseph plans to release to define what they all went through.

“Knickerbocker”
This tale deals with memory and something that happened in the past that caused a significant racial divide in Northeast D.C. Leah Brown is visiting her grandmother, Maria, at a retirement home. Maria tells Leah of a violent incident during the heart of the Prohibition era that she can never forget. Her boyfriend at the time was involved, as was a Black gentleman named Robert Charles Weather. Robert was unfairly blamed for a tragedy that befell the Knickerbocker Theatre, which Leah wants to confirm for herself. The touching and emotional center of the story is when Leah meets with the now-elderly Robert and gets his side of the saga.

“Owning Up”
This final novella tackles yet another social and moral conflict, this one between religious sects in D.C. Beginning in the 1970s and continuing from there, we witness a major violent incident through the eyes of young Nikos. He finds himself in the mix of anti-Muslim hatred and revenge that some Muslims take on those who they feel wronged them. Nikos is moved by this situation because he is a big Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar fan and was inspired to learn more about why his favorite NBA star became a devout Muslim. The incident driven by hatred and religious intolerance features a hostage crisis that rocks the city and will shape Nikos for the rest of his days.

George Pelecanos never pulls any punches with his writing; it’s just not in his DNA. However, he does not allow any judgment to enter into his narrative and stays in the gray area between fact and fiction, right and wrong, and leaves the rest up to the reader. I’ve always respected that about his work. It’s what makes him the street poet that he is.