Police give him a new identity: a flashy convertible, money for deals, a red phone in his home which has been wire-tapped for automatic tape recording. Lijoi’s wife and children are never to answer that phone. It will be Lijoi’s connection with the rat hole, underworld empire.
Because he has a lot of connections having grown up in a tough neighborhood, Lijoi begins infiltrating the drug world. In pool halls where his expertise at the game brings him into contact with petty dope peddlers and thieves, he bets and wins; he bets and loses. He begins to earn respect as a pool shark. He always wins just enough to hustle some of the best shooters to keep them coming back for rematches.
As Street Business evolves, Lijoi’s wife becomes more and more fearful her husband's cover will be blown. She worries not only for his safety, but for the safety of their boys and her own life as well. Secretly, she listens to some of the taped red phone messages and begins to doubt her husband’s faithfulness and innocence. She worries he’ll get so caught up with the lucrative drug trade that he might just cross the line. She seeks psychiatric counseling.
What happens to Lijoi, his wife, and his children, because of his resolution to undermine and bring down the Quincy drug trade is a downright, out and out, nerve-wracking story. One cannot help but fear for this courageous man and his secret identity each time a drug deal goes down. Although his spouse understands the strain on her husband, will she be able to keep safe and hold herself and their marriage together through this exciting book?
I would highly recommend Street Business to readers seeking an exciting story where they will get more than a glimpse into the rat hole of the drug business. Lijoi has been there. The time he spent as a deep undercover investigator is reality. The rat-like characters he describes in the book, the disturbing lives they lead, the language they use, the killing they do, are all believable.
Article comments
1 - Book Reader
This is an awesome book. It starts slow and you wonder where its going and then WHAM, it hits you. Its easy to get into these real life characters.