Sweet Thing

"Brisk, punchy chapters, dead-on dialogue, and an insider knowledge of law enforcement elevate Sweet Thing into a higher realm of fiction, a space where genres blur and the line between good and evil spins like a siren in the night. Swinson is a modern master of lean, no-frills, throwback noir."

“They’re going to have to find a new spot on the color wheel for Sweet Thing. Because there’s dark, there’s noir, and then there’s David Swinson. His new book is the real deal: tough, terse, rocket-paced and authentic. If you’re reader enough to handle the strong stuff off the top shelf, this is for you.”

"On the twisted, coiled streets of D.C. David Swinson brings us along for the ride, putting us in the middle of conversations, cradling us in his darkness and the spiraling consequences of compounding bad decisions. . . Swinson proves he is a true master of vital, detective noir."

"Pages don't flip this fast without wind and Swinson has whirled a hurricane of a story. The dialogue is tight and true. Alex Blum is a character to love. Sweet Thing is a feat."

"Sweet Thing is fast, dark, and flat-out wonderful. The dialogue cuts like a scalpel and the action would outpace a greyhound. This thing smells like burnt coffee, cigarette smoke, and the pure, unfiltered authenticity only a retired detective who's seen it all could tattoo on the page. Don't miss it."

"David Swinson’s background of law enforcement gives Sweet Thing the sort of details that research can’t produce. But it is his writing ability that brings this dark and disturbing story of questionable cops to life. I haven’t felt this way about a book in years. I loved it!"
 

“As tough and tender-hearted as a Springsteen song, Sweet Thing has it all: mystery, romance, danger and damnation. Swinson is a master of creating damaged but compelling characters who straddle both sides of the law. Sweet Thing is a triumph.”

“If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Sweet Thing will lead you to its cruelest depths. David Swinson’s stiletto-sharp prose and breakneck pacing is instantly addictive, and his intimate understanding of police work—and how it wears down a soul—shines through on every page. Emotionally raw and relentless, this is a modern hardboiled masterpiece.”

“As detective and author, Swinson is the genuine article. Sweet Thing is a gritty, heartbreaking exploration of how the streets and the system chew people up and spit them out; some alive, others not, no one unchanged.”

“You may beat the rap but you can’t beat the ride in one of the most propulsive and pitch-perfect crime novels of recent memory. With prose as smooth as an Elvin Hayes jumper, Sweet Thing is not only an authoritative mystery, but also an elegantly tragic character study, revealing that the line between junkies and judges, larcenists and lawmen, can be extraordinarily thin. David Swinson is at the apex of his craft here, writing detective fiction that is vital, gritty, and human…noir that transcends the bricklayer procedurals to get at the dark night of his characters’ souls.” 

"A sexy noir thriller, a slow-burn love story that explores what happens when passion overrules judgment. David Swinson writes with brutal honesty about the soul-destroying consequences of a split-second decision any of us could make to do the wrong thing for the right reason."

"Sweet Thing is a stunning, wonderful, eye-opening, exciting crime novel that lets author and ex-cop David Swinson carry readers into the realities of their own world where crime and justice swirl into hard realities in streets we all drive. Swinson's unique voice lets the readers find out truths beyond the plot of this fast-paced, ticking-clock noir crime story. Swinson is a treasure among crime writers who's been there, done that and shares it all with a cold eye and a hopeful heart. It’s a novel to read, to share, to think about when you look in the mirror."

"The writing is crisp and well hewn, the dialogue spare and punchy. The characters feel real, and their inner lives vivid. Transgression is the theme of Swinson's tale. The seedy, pre-Y2K world of the book feels tailor-made for this story and a cop who needs to think on his feet. But (maybe) misjudges the cost."

"Drawing on his experience as a D.C. cop and writing in clipped, terse prose, Swinson transforms the turn of the millennium into a distant noir-tinged era that feels both tougher and simpler than the present. This is sure to please fans of George Pelecanos and Richard Price." 

"David Swinson lived the life of his characters as a DC cop for many years. His writing reeks of verisimilitude and authenticity.  The storyline and its crackling dialogue are gritty, violent, profane and fatalistic. It’s also very good for those whose tastes aren’t offended by such things."
 

"Outstandingly gritty. . . Swinson shapes a complicated character as ambiguous motivations pull Alex to cross the line between good and bad."