Review: Shades of Gray by Andy Holloman

Shades of Gray by Andy Holloman

Publisher:  Triple J Press

Pages: 300 

Format: eARC 

Goodreads:  In the Fall of 2001, John’s life has fallen off a cliff. His six- year-old daughter, Lucy, needs a kidney transplant and his Durham, NC travel agency has been wrecked by the events of 9/11. He must find a way to secure a large amount of money quickly in order to pay for Lucy’s surgery. He’s been in tight places before but he’s currently out of solutions. 


Wanda, a client of John’s travel agency, has had her livelihood hit hard by 9/11 also. She can no longer transport cocaine via airline flights due to increase airport security. Like John, she is a single parent and has wanted to get out of her line of work for several years. She needs more money to allow her and daughter Tonya, to move from Durham to California and break free of her boss, Jamel. 


John and Wanda form a partnership around a plan to smuggle cocaine via cruise ships. His industry knowledge and connections would remove the transportation risks and she could handle the distribution and selling once they brought the drugs back to Durham. 




Kritters Thoughts:  In the first chapter you are introduced to John and his daughter Lucy and then suddenly a car accident happens and the reader is quickly taken back in time.  From the beginning I was intrigued as to how John and Lucy end up in a car with brakes that are not working.  


Set in a city that is close to my heart for many reasons, I love reading books that are set in North Carolina, but to read about the behind the scenes of the drug scene was eye-opening and appalling.  As the reader you start rooting for a drug dealer, I know its crazy, but it happens because you know that the money they make is needed for a family need (can't diverge, must read!)  There are a few story lines going on and they all come together at the end where the reader becomes finally informed of all the details and you can't believe how all it all fits together.


Suspenseful and sad all at the same time which made for a great read for a reader who wants to be surprised with each turn of the page.  I recommend this book to the reader who is looking for a read that can keep them guessing until the end.




Rating:  definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from WLC - Women's Literary Cafe.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.