Hollywood Station: A Novel | Joseph Wambaugh | One of the best books on audio--funny as Wodehouse

Hollywood Station: A Novel | Joseph Wambaugh | Don't Miss It!

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Hollywood Station:...

	Hollywood Station: A Novel Joseph Wambaugh Little, Brown and Company, 2006 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 98 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

They call their sergeant the Oracle. He's a seasoned LAPD veteran who keeps a close watch over his squad from his understaffed office at Hollywood Station. They are: Budgie Polk, a 27-year-old firecracker who's begrudgingly teamed with Fausto Gamboa, the oldest, tetchiest patrol officer. Andi McCrea, a single mom who spends her days studying at the local community college. Wesley Drubb, a USC drop-out who joined the force to see some action. Flotsam and Jetsam, two aptly named surfer boys who pine after the petite, but intrepid, Meg Takara. And Hank Driscoll, the one who never shuts up. Together they spend their days and nights in the city's underbelly, where a string of seemingly unrelated events lures the cops of Hollywood Station to their most startling case yet: Russians, diamonds, counterfeiting, grenadesa reminder that nothing's too horrific or twisted for Los Angeles. Here, it's business as usual. For the first time in 20 years, Wambaugh revisits the kind of story he tells best: life in the LAPD. Not only have his fans been waiting for this comeback, but readers of the new generation of crime writing will have great interest in this book.

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One of the best books on audio--funny as Wodehouse

My all time favorite humorist is P G Wodehouse, and I never thought I'd find an author that made me laugh out loud like Wodehouse's books do. But "Hollywood Station" is outstanding, as read by Grupper.

Not to mention that Wambaugh's characters are sheer perfection. Who could forget Hollywood Nate, a policeman who longs to become a famous movie star? Or the surfer cop team, the Oracle, or Farley, the meth addict?

The police try to keep a lid on the boiling cauldron of Hollywood, with its crazy mix of drug dealers dressed in Spiderman costumes, prostitutes who are men in drag, and new immigrants with murder on their minds. And they have to do this with their hands tied behind their back due to the supervision and laws passed since the Rodney King incident. Not to mention while understaffed.

It's a crazy mixture, and Wambaugh paints it to perfection.

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Don't Miss It!

This is Wambaugh at his best. An incredible cast of fascinating characters. A very well plotted story and completely satisfying read. Loads of humor and suspense!

The King is Back!

I cannot add much to the five star reviews other than to say that I grew up on Waumbaugh's novels (and on the Waumbaugh inspired "Police Story") and it is good to see him return to his LAPD roots with such a bang. Come on Joe, crank it up. Even your worst is better than most.

A Thin Blue Line of Humor

This book has its moments of classic Wambaugh police humor, and politically correct it is not. Having said that, it is nowhere near the epic police novels that were "The Blue Knight" or "The New Centurions." Hollywood Station is more a collection of funny cop stories, most no doubt (partially) true, than a tight novel. In fact, the plot does not even begin to roll out until well into the second half of the book. I grew up on Wambaugh and his early novels (as well as "The Onion Field") had an impact on who I am today. But this book did not measure up.

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