“This is a finely crafted novel. Noirishly hard-boiled, the book is much more than a police procedural; it’s an exploration of some serious themes, such as personal redemption and the societal prejudices against the disabled.”―Booklist
“Stallings makes Madsen a well-rounded lead, even as he keeps the reader guessing. Those looking for an alternative to standard police procedural whodunits will be rewarded.”―Publishers Weekly
“Punk-rock poet Josh Stallings has written an intense new crime novel about the power of people to change. A moral tour-de-force that explores essential questions of reform and justice, Tricky is not to be missed.”―CrimeReads (One of the “10 Novels You Should Read This January”)
“In just the the first four pages, he tell us everything we need to know about the lead character by putting him in an intense situation. He then gives us a suspect who may be innocent of the crime, an intellectually challenged former gang banger who is fully rounded and possessing much wit, and has us pondering the question of what actually is innocence. When the mother of the victim in notified we go through her emotional arc simply through dialogue and observed behavior. We also get a great working level look of L.A. and wonderful laugh out loud humor. I can hear my friend’s heart beating in this novel, reminding me why he is one of my favorite authors.”―Scott Montgomery, BookPeople
“TRICKY blew me away. Josh Stallings has written a gritty, vibrant, riotously entertaining crime novel filled with unforgettable and deeply human characters.”―Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of NOVEMBER ROAD