By William Boyle
Narrated By Alan Carlson
Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
Release Date: 6-17-2019
Print Publisher: Pegasus Books

SUMMARY

In this masterful work of neo-noir, William Boyle expertly captures the grit and desperation of a neighborhood in flux, and spotlights the neighbors who find themselves caught up in the crimes of the past.

Some worship him and some want him dead, but either way, tensions run high when “Ray Boy” Calabrese is released from prison. It’s been 16 years since Ray Boy’s actions led to the death of a young man. The victim's brother, Conway D'Innocenzio, is a 29-year-old Brooklynite wasting away at a local Rite Aid, stuck in the past and drawn into a darker side of himself when he hears of Ray Boy’s freedom. But even with the perfect plan in place, Conway can’t bring himself to take the ultimate revenge on Ray Boy, which sends him into a spiral of self-loathing and soul-searching. 

Gravesend

PRAISE

“Boyle chews the local dialect like a Nathan’s hot dog, biting into the juices of pure Brooklynese and savoring the mustardy aftertaste.” Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

“An adrenaline-charged debut in the Elmore Leonard vein: blue-collar Brooklyn setting, idiomatic dialogue, no detective figure. Bristling with energy, Gravesend marks Boyle out as a new name to watch.”  The Guardian (UK)

“A moving debut. The characters are swept into a downward spiral of desperation as they grapple with the weight of the past and the pull that the neighborhood has on them. Fans of classic noir will find a lot to like.”  Publishers Weekly

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

William Boyle is from Brooklyn, New York. His books include: Gravesend, which was nominated for the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in France and shortlisted for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger in the UK; The Lonely Witness, which is nominated for the Hammett Prize; and, most recently, A Friend Is a Gift You Give Yourself. He lives in Oxford, Mississippi.

2019 Talking Book