This book opens with a quote from Officer Willard Strickland, Atlanta Police Department, Retired in a 1977 speech recalling his 1948 induction as one of the city's first eight African American officers:
"I must tell you, it was not easy for me to raise my right hand and say 'I, Willard Strickland, a Negro, do solemnly swear to perform the duties of a Negro Policemen.'"
This is a beautifully written book by Thomas Mullen, although it is a work of fiction at points in this book you can easily identify those things that did in fact take place to the African American communities of Atlanta and other US States.
I love the design used for the cover of this book and the title Darktown infers the ethnic nature of this downtown area of Atlanta in 1948 and the segregation still in place during this time.
This story is based primarily around two sets of police partners. Boggs and Smith part of the eight newly instated African American officers. Boggs is highly intelligent and well read who was withheld from active service from no choice of his own during WWII, Smith the decorated officer who drove a tank during the war is more of a loose cannon and somewhat of a lothario with the ladies. They are not allowed to use or go to the precinct so there office is based in a dank, damp area within the local YMCA.
Rake and Dunlow are part of the white force. The novel starts off with Rake as the Rookie cop paired with Dunlow who is a self assured, dirty and racist cop. Rake soon finds out the complicit nature of his partners involvement in Darktown.
An event takes place early on in the novel within the Darktown area involving a white male driver knocking down a lamp post with his car. Because this is in an area patrolled by Boggs and Smith they try and talk to him about the incident but refuses to listen and drives off. Before this happens Smith has noticed a young African American lady in a yellow dress in the passenger seat trying to conceal marks of a beating. With the belligerent response from Mr Underhill, Boggs feel it is necessary to call the event in and ask for support from a white patrol.
This is when they first interact with Rake and Dunlow, it is already very clear the restrictions that have been given to Boggs and Smith in trying to carry out their role.
Events take a more sinister turn when the young girl turns up dead. Boggs and Smith are keen to pursue this turn of events with Mr Underhill and mention him in their report submitted to the main precinct. In an unusual turn of events this particular piece of information appears to have been "lost in translation" and from here on in it feels as if Dunlow is undercutting Boggs at every attempt to conclude this case, making him feel stupid and helpless.
It also becomes very clear that the white officers of Atlanta have taken umbrage of the introduction of these new 8 officers and that there is in fact a bet in place to see who can kill one of their African American counter-parts.
"It was seventy-five dollars a couple of weeks ago, wasn't it?..."
As the tale unfolds Rake is becoming more and more disillusioned with his partner Dunlow, he sees the way he manipulates the neighbourhood residents, false witnesses and even trying to get fellow officers framed for murder. To the extent that he imagines the affect the demise of his partner may bring. He never wanted to be assigned to a corrupt cop.
As the plot progresses more and more information is divulged and a political element to the story is brought to light.
This book was a really enjoyable read, the pace at times could be slow and thick like the Atlanta heat but it is worth getting through these area's to the atmospheric conclusion.
With this being the case I have rated this 4 stars.
**I would like to note for clarity that this book was provided through Netgalley and the publisher for a true and honest review.**
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