Good Behavior

Fans of cohesive crime fiction and complex characters will likely enjoy peering into the gritty world of Letty Dobesh, the protagonist of this collection of three longish short stories. While engaging in criminal activity in the opening story, Letty, a recovering drug addict and unreformed ex-convict, overhears a conversation that would send almost anyone else to the police. Because of her ongoing criminal behavior and how she came by the knowledge, Letty chooses instead to solve the matter herself in way that will not get her into more legal trouble. Her illicit and compassionate sides are equally believable and each play a part in how she addresses the problems she encounters and creates. Narrator Julia Whalen deftly voices a varied, rotating cast, using subtle changes in cadence and pitch to differentiate the characters, demographically diverse men and women of all ages. Crouch reads his own introductions and postscripts and offers insight in his works' journey from short stories to television episodes.