This is destroying me and I don’t deserve it. Which is ridiculous, when Kevin risks his life every day to make sure people-Black people too!-are safe.

Like we have to be punished on behalf of all white people or something. I’m all alone and people are making all these judgments and they’re treating Kevin like he’s some sort of ‘issue’ to be dealt with. “But I just don’t think you understand how hard this has all been. She’s biting down hard on her bottom lip so at first her words are a little slurry. So yeah, maybe it sucks that Kevin is being put out there as an example when so many police officers have gotten off for doing the exact same thing. I have pages of stats for you on that if you’re interested. Endless! Do you think that’s fair? And most of these killers never face any legal consequences. Also, if you want to talk about unfair, let’s talk about how unarmed Black men are being shot over and over and over. “Not fair? First of all, you can’t say my feelings, whatever they are, aren’t fair. Is that why you’re angry at him? At us? Because that’s not fair.” If you think Kevin’s some sort of racist monster, like everyone else seems to. “I don’t know, Jen, that’s not really for me to decide.” Do you think Kevin should go to jail? I just need to know.” This character-driven novel ought to spark much discussion. The circumstances feel conveniently invented in service of the premise, though the authors skillfully build tension, such as whether Riley’s boss at the station will discover her conflict of interest regarding Jenny, and what will happen with Riley’s relationship with her ex-boyfriend Corey, who is white. Riley and Jenny’s relationship is strained after Jenny is initially concerned for Kevin rather than Justin, who is on life support (if he dies, Kevin could be charged with murder). Riley is assigned to cover the story while Jenny nears her due date. Jenny gets pregnant after a series of unsuccessful IVF treatments, the last of which Riley paid for, and is in her third trimester when 14-year-old Justin Dwyer, who is Black, is shot by Kevin. Her best friend from childhood, Jenny Murphy, who is white, never planned to be a policeman’s wife-but then her white husband, Kevin, quits his sales job and becomes a cop.

Riley Wilson, who is Black, is a TV news reporter.

Piazza ( Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win) teams up with veteran book editor Pride for a blistering and incisive story of race, friendship, and police violence in Philadelphia.

Christine pride we are not like them