Memorial High School grad and Los Angeles Times bestselling author Neal Griffin recently debuted his fourth crime detective novel, The Burden of Truth, in early July.

This page-turner is impossible to put down until its conclusion 335 pages later. How will this story turn out with its cast of characters: an alleged cop killer, the victim, both their families, the good cops and the bad cops, the gang bangers, the media, prosecutors and defenders, school officials? The novel moves along quickly and cinematically with chapter titles in the first half of the book set up along a timeline juxtaposed with what’s happening in each character’s day until they are smashed together by choices and circumstances.

Griffin writes in short Hemingway-esque sentences, with naturally written, staccato dialogue. A gifted storyteller, Griffin’s authenticity is backed up by his 27-year career in Southern California as a patrol cop, field-training officer, SWAT team member, hostage negotiator, narcotics investigator, gang enforcement specialist, and supervisor of a homicide unit.

Griffin dedicated the book to his 15-year-old son Eli who Griffin shares has been “gifted an absolutely charmed existence. His life bears none of the obstacles that young men like Omar (the novel’s protagonist) have to face every day. And it is unlikely his life ever will.” Eli’s assessment after reading it: “Pretty cool, Dad. Nice job. Now take me to baseball practice.”

The Burden of Truth is available in the local authors section at The Local Store or online at nealgriffin.com.

For more info, visit his website or facebook.com/authornealgriffin.