Homicide by David Simon

Homicide

A Year on the Killing Streets

David Simon

Picador · Print & ebook · August 22, 2006

From the creator of HBO's The Wire, the classic book about homicide investigation that became the basis for the hit television show The scene is Baltimore.

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Who it’s for
A reporter’s year inside Baltimore’s homicide unit makes for an unsparing, layered look at investigative work.
Themes
Homicide investigation, Urban violence, Justice in a deadly world
Genres
Murder & Homicide, Criminology, Lives in Law Enforcement

About this book

From the creator of HBO's The Wire, the classic book about homicide investigation that became the basis for the hit television show The scene is Baltimore. Twice every three days another citizen is shot, stabbed, or bludgeoned to death. At the center of this hurricane of crime is the city's homicide unit, a small brotherhood of hard men who fight for whatever justice is possible in a deadly world.

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David Simon was the first reporter ever to gain unlimited access to a homicide unit, and this electrifying book tells the true story of a year on the violent streets of an American city. The narrative follows Donald Worden, a veteran investigator; Harry Edgerton, a black detective in a mostly white unit; and Tom Pellegrini, an earnest rookie who takes on the year's most difficult case, the brutal rape and murder of an eleven-year-old girl. Originally published fifteen years ago, Homicide became the basis for the acclaimed television show of the same name. This new edition—which includes a new introduction, an afterword, and photographs—revives this classic, riveting tale about the men who work on the dark side of the American experience.

The Work Behind Homicide

A reporter’s year inside Baltimore’s homicide unit makes for an unsparing, layered look at investigative work.

Come here for

  • True crime rooted in on-the-ground reporting
  • A close look at detectives’ difficult, often limited pursuit of justice

Expect

  • A narrative following three investigators through one year
  • Violence and a sobering view of city life

Where it sits

Murder & Homicide69%
Criminology58%
Lives in Law Enforcement30%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Criminology
  • Urban Life
  • Murder & Homicide
Authors
David Simon
Publisher
Picador
Published
August 22, 2006
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Homicide investigation · Urban violence · Justice in a deadly world
Reading lane
Criminology