Influence is an interesting book though a little more salacious then necessary. The story itself is very interesting but requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. In the book, the son of a famed lawyer is arrested along with three fraternity brothers from Howard on the way back from the beach. From there, things go terribly wrong for the young men.

On one hand, the book serves as an eye-opener as to what can happen to young African American males once they are into the judicial system. It doesn't matter their wealth or the perceived power of their parents, innocent miscalculations turn deadly very quickly. Lives are irrevocably changed.

The downside of this book, for me at least, is the gratuitous sexual descriptions, that do nothing to advance the plot. There are several of these and they only serve to distract from the seriousness of what happens to the boys.

Still, I'd recommend this one. ( )