Skunk Train

This author ([a:Joe Clifford 3461130 Joe Clifford https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1701358885p2/3461130.jpg]) has got game and a distinctive voice to go with it. While trying to gallop along with plot of [b:Skunk Train 49045976 Skunk Train Joe Clifford https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575250740l/49045976.SY75.jpg 74473807], I often had to step back to take in the setting. The depiction of the places intrigued me as much as the characters themselves.Not only is 15-year-old Kyle out of his depths when it comes to large amounts of money, crooked cops, and the Mexican cartel, his upbringing in a small northern California town didn't prepare him for much. Maybe smoking pot and riding his bike. Certainly not dealing with the seedier sides of San Francisco and Los Angeles. And nothing had prepared him for someone as cool as Lizzie.A story that starts with a gruesome murder and progresses with a balls-to-the-walls chase is enough to keep anyone reading into the wee hours. It doesn't seem like the place an innocent love story might bloom. But wait... these characters have depth. Their backstories are deftly woven into the storyline so slyly, it's almost unnoticed, but so crucial. I've read several of Clifford's books, but this is one of my favorites. Definitely worth a read. You can go to the bad side of town without the risk, but with all of the color.