{"title":"George Pelecanos","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGeorge Pelecanos\u003c\/strong\u003e crafts narratives that pulse with gritty realism and compelling characters. His works often navigate the intricate intersections of urban life, exploring themes of crime, morality, and redemption with a sharp, authentic voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect taut \u003cem\u003ecrime\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ethriller\u003c\/em\u003e tales infused with emotional depth, from tense, action-driven plots to quieter moments of reflection. Pelecanos’s storytelling offers both gripping suspense and insightful glimpses into human nature within the cityscape.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"buster-a-dog-by-george-pelecanos-9781636141701","title":"Buster: A Dog","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEver wonder what goes on in the mind of a dog?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBuster: A Dog\u003c\/em\u003e is the story of one dog's lifelong journey, as told by the animal himself. A strong and proud boxer, Buster spends his early days with a loving family in a public housing complex in Washington, DC. Abruptly, he is taken away by an abusive, alcoholic man, plunging him into a challenging, nightmarish existence. Over the course of his life, he will experience homelessness, tragedy, a harrowing stay in a shelter, and acts of kindness, including his adoption by an older gentleman grieving the death of his wife.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt his peak, Buster lives with a young marijuana dealer who runs a profitable but dangerous business in the city. Along the way, Buster befriends other dogs and witnesses the best and worst aspects of humanity. As the seasons change, and change again, he begins to understand the finality of existence and in turn learns to appreciate the gift of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853243306220,"sku":"9781636141701","price":37.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14578713482770.jpg?v=1759192676"},{"product_id":"owning-up-by-george-pelecanos-9781398721180","title":"Owning Up","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e‘Perhaps the greatest living American crime writer’ Stephen King\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the Carusos family home is destroyed by police with a no-knock warrant, the family struggle to return to normal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTwo former inmates reunite on a TV set. They're both back on the straight and narrow... until one sees the potential for an easy grift.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA teenage boy must step into the man he'd like to be as a hostage crisis grips his hometown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA woman adrift meets a man tied to her grandmother's past, and awakens to the bloody history of the place she grew up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePelecanos' portraits are characterized by shades of grey, resisting the mold of heroes and villains, victims and perpetrators, good and evil. At once streetwise and full of heart, \u003ci\u003eOwning Up\u003c\/i\u003e grapples with random chance, the bind of consequence, and the forked paths a life can take.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cb\u003ePraise for George Pelecanos:\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Triple-distilled excellence. Pelecanos is the undisputed poet laureate of America's most secret city. Not just recommended: this is essential reading.' \u003cb\u003eLEE CHILD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Every time I read one of George Pelecanos's novels I'm left a little awed and a little envious. The guy's a national treasure.' \u003cb\u003eDENNIS LEHANE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Pelecanos is a powerful writer - he deserves to be listed among the best.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eOBSERVER\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Gold-standard character-driven crime writing that few will ever match.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFT\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'George Pelecanos writes hard-boiled fiction with heart.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSUNDAY TELEGRAPH\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072639090924,"sku":"9781398721180","price":37.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/27665653482685.jpg?v=1765122240"},{"product_id":"the-blue-flame-by-george-pelecanos-9781398731004","title":"The Blue Flame","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was curious. It was the cop in him. That flame was still alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe neon \"Strange Investigations\" sign may be flickering in disrepair outside his office, but private investigator Derek Strange is still accepting new cases. When a flashy drug lawyer hires him to prove an alibi for an accused murderer, Strange can't help getting drawn into the darkness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn his hunt for answers, he stands his ground against some of Washington, D.C.'s most dangerous criminals, and a police department that doesn't entirely welcome his interference. As the violence escalates and claims another victim, the raised stakes force Strange to question his own moves. Are his instincts still intact?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Blue Flame\u003c\/em\u003e is signature Pelecanos: tough, smart, rich with details of a time and place—and at its core, exposing the good and bad that exist side by side in so-called heroes and villains alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48234930962668,"sku":"9781398731004","price":60.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781398731004-the-blue-flame-1.jpg?v=1787812599"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/george-pelecanos.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}