Roll Call by Glenn Langohr @rollcallthebook

Roll Call

Before I start I will say I am an avid reader and always fall for a good crime book. I love justice system books, and books about cops, detectives and the FBI. That alone, tells you I am a fan of this genre. What I loved was the book was real. The lifestyle, the time and the people are written in a very intimate way. That being said, if someone is bad or on a path toward being bad and you can make the character appealing, you got a reader engrossed. So when the book starts you are introduced to BJ (Benny Johnson), who is very similar to the author’s own personal experiences. When you get the childhood and dysfunction you are thrown into what BJ considers his only path. The book is “based” on actual events; it is not any single persons POV or narrated. What I liked, was when BJ was talking through his process. What people won’t see is how smart he was. He tried to plan making money, then buying a house. Some aspects of his life were very thought out concerning money. This was a troubled guy that you know is being bad, doing bad and acting bad, but still I was so praying for his redemption.

Nothing is roses and fairy dust here. When BJ is put down and at his lowest he turns to what he thinks is the only way he can make money, selling and dealing drugs. Nobody he encounters other than his brother and his friend Joe are trustworthy. For BJ, he sees that his future is planned and the outcome is jail. He never had expectations he was just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

After his first round in prison he meets Natasha. She never judged him, she accepted him. If I say there was a love story there, I don’t think you would believe me. I loved BJ even more when he was with Natasha. I can’t give spoilers, but I know he was loved by her. As you are making the journey things and events will start to come together around the police. BJ starts to create his own little empire drawing in some people from the past. When things in the drug world are gaining momentum and move from pot to some hard drugs, BJ is caught between loyalty and betrayal. While in prison he truly learns the meaning of being loyal. The system that the prisoners come up with to communicate is remarkable. They are self-segregated, if that makes sense. They always have one another’s backs and these men turn out to be far more loyal in the end.

The second half of the book is where you see that he is not fearful of jail. He could be angry at all the circumstances that play into his life, but he never has a pity party. Even when the police, the detectives and his Dad are looking down at him, he was in control. The thought process was “do enough speed so I am awake for days at a time and calculate each and every deal.” Every time he felt like he was free a Detective would show up. It was a nice sunny day let me ride the motorcycle up PH. Nope BJ turns and there is an unmarked watching him. He was under surveillance because of his past. He struggled with his new found life for a long time. Everywhere was the name Bob Prescott.

I agree that God’s plan plays a major factor in BJ’s redemption. He realizes that to get to where he is, nothing shaped him as much as making mistakes and finding forgiveness. Without that how can he overcome a detective, a crooked cop and a lawyer who needs his ass kicked? So many times I thought this could be a great movie or a series on HBO. Yes there was violence and drugs and it was pretty mild considering the subject matter.

Nothing I can write will do the author’s work justice. I can’t glamorize the Southern California lifestyle, mostly because it is where I live and daily life is excess. I carefully thought who I would cast for the roles. That will come soon.

The author: