Black Flies

(Paperback)

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Description

A searing, intense, hugely admired novel set amongst Harlem's ambulance crews- E.R. meets The Wire. After failing to get into medical school, Ollie Cross takes a job as a paramedic in Harlem. Ashamed of his middle-class roots and eager to fit in, he adopts a tough-guy persona which carries him through the dark days on the streets- the shoot-outs, the bad cops, the unhinged medics and hopeless patients. But the daily horrors begin to take their toll and, as his personal life starts to unravel, even Ollie can't tell who he is anymore. Black Flies is a gripping and unforgettable novel about indelible experiences, friendship in extreme conditions, deterioration and redemption.

Reviews

An arresting, confrontational book * New York Times *
Carries the force of a punch... deftly sketched, with lean clarity * Guardian *
A dark gem of a story * Chicago Tribune *
Stark, intense ... a gifted stylist * Time Out, New York *

Author Bio

Shannon Burke is a novelist and screenwriter, and has worked as a paramedic in Harlem. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.