The Green Line
By: E.C. Diskin
Rating: 4 Stars
“Abby Donovan’s decade-long dream of partnership at her prestigious Chicago law firm is just months from fruition. But it’s all about to change because of one misstep.”
Life was going along precisely as Abby Donovan had planned. She had a great job in a prestigious law firm where she was well respected and soon to make partner, a nice home in Chicago, and good friends. She could almost pretend it was perfect if it weren’t for the fact that the love of her life was engaged to another woman now.
One night one small change in her routine changed everything; instead of taking a cab home from work she decided to take the train. One tiny mistake…the one moment she wasn’t paying attention to her carefully planned out life she hopped on the wrong train and the Green Line changed the trajectory of her life forever.
The Green Line is a well thought out story that exposes the injustice of property laws that pertain to locations where crimes have been committed and how those laws can be exploited. I found this story concept quite intriguing as a reader and honestly at times as I learned more about these laws I found them quite frustrating too, as I’m sure the author intended.
But it is due to these laws that Abby gets drawn back toward the location of her horrific night in the underbelly of the city. A kind shop owner, the only man who helped her has found himself in a legal bind and because she is the only lawyer he knows he has come to her for help…and there begins their friendship.
Abby starts off being what I would consider a somewhat snooty woman. She is nice but she judges people without knowing them based on where they live; she even runs from an undercover cop who is only trying to help her that night because she assumes he’s a thug. So she may be going through a less desirable part of town at night saying to herself “not everyone is a criminal”, but as a reader listening to her say this I didn’t get the feeling she really believed that herself. Think about it, if you suddenly found yourself in a run-down part of a big city known for crime, hookers, and drug dealing…how would you be looking at people? If someone started chasing you when you ran from them are you going to stop and say “can I help you?” Ummmm….no.
I would really like to be able to say that “oh, no…I wouldn’t judge them”, but is that really true? I’ll confess, I’d judge. In fact, I know I would because I have done that very thing….I’m not proud of it looking back but it’s my reality. You see one night, I found myself in a situation very similar to Abby’s in New York City. I didn’t witness a crime or find a dead body (thankfully)…I don’t mean that. No, my situation was just a bit different; I at least had someone with me and we both are intelligent and rational people. But, we weren’t familiar with the city and ended up on the wrong train, at night, headed the WRONG direction.
Naturally, we decided to get off the train and get back on going the correct way (sensible eh?) but the stop we hopped off at was definitely NOT in a good part of town. Now that wasn’t really what got to us, I’ve been in bad parts of cities before; I don’t get scared easily. It was the fact that the station was closed, completely abandoned at that time of night. It was filthy, stunk of urine, and we could hear men in the stairwell talking and let’s just say based on their conversation they didn’t sound like individuals we wanted to meet. Put two women in that situation and we just wanted the hell out of there. “Beam me up Scotty!!!”
Rationally I know not everyone is a criminal (but those guys didn’t sound like choir boys believe me), I believe most people are good people….but in a strange city, in the dark, standing on a platform of a closed subway station and hearing what sounds like thugs above you…let’s just say your imagination can run away with you….and that’s what happened with Abby as well.
Fortunately for my friend and I our night didn’t go the same way as Abby’s did but I certainly was easily able to understand the predicament she found herself in….and then things got worse for her.
If you like a well-crafted story, I can easily recommend this one. It’s got just enough action that you stay engaged and the characters I found easily relatable as well; I really liked Marcus. What I think I liked most about Marcus was that his character was able to show Abby that things are not always what they seem and someone who initially appeared to be one thing turns into one of her best friends.
I also liked and hated Tripp; he’s another character who isn’t what he appears to be at first with Abby. But what I didn’t like about him I’m certain the author meant for me not to like about him, so that’s not a bad thing. He’s a pretty-boy slime ball, no other way to put it. He’s the character you love to hate and that’s always fun to have in a story too. There are a few other baddies thrown in for good measure too, but he’s the king of them all.
I think the only problem I had with this story is that Abby’s behavior at times was inconsistent. She’s a smart woman, rational, can think her way out of scary situations but sometimes she comes across as terribly naïve and that just didn’t jibe with some of her actions. But really that’s my only complaint with this story. So, if that’s all I have to say then I can safely say I can recommend it to anyone who likes a good story and I wholeheartedly do so now….check this one out, I think you’ll like it too.
I give this one 4 stars. Read it and tell me what you think too.
Green Eyed Irish Lass's Book Reviews & More 