Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You: Stories (Hardcover)

From the beginning the book's prose sounded forced and fake. The sometimes stunningly flowery descriptions sounded like a college student trying to impress a teacher. I was suprised to find that Drummond had actually been a cop, as the accounts of the female officers being involved in shootings, dealing with dead body calls, ect. sounded like how a civilian thinks an officer would feel. Overall, I was disappointed by this book, and would not recommned it to anybody. There are better books about cops out there.

Story by story, each woman portrays a different phase of police work: one her first killing and how that death stays with her; another dealing with the blunt brutality the job brings into her daily life and the loss of humanity that ensues; yet another balances police instincts against the fallibility we all share. All come face to face with everyday evil, the emotional consequences of constant stress and the difficulties in maintaining family relationships.

Precise and honest, Drummond cuts to the bone, fearless in the face of seething emotions. With particular clarity, each story is a vignette of humanity, the meaning of extraordinary careers in law enforcement. Mostly, their choice seems preordained, as these women step boldly into what is considered a man's world. Part fiction, part memoir, part autobiography, these stories are vivid and compelling.

There is a blunt brutality in the telling of these tales, absolutely nothing frivolous in the prose. The women's work has somehow leached their souls, sucking out the softness of their femininity. Perhaps it is the unrelenting violence of the job, the soul-deadening, dangerous inhumanity that fills their days. Through the talents of this author, we view these women as separate identities, each portraying a different facet of their work; yet all are products of the writer's creativity. These characters are deeply troubled, heroic and flawed, just like everyone else. Except that these women put on a uniform and walk hand in hand with life and death, dedicated to a profession that offers few rewards in the end. Surely, this is a special calling, audible to those few brave souls who choose this field. Luan Gaines/2004.

It's surprising that this debut collection of fictional stories by a former Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police officer has not made every best sellers list in the country.

Laurie Lynn Drummond is a born story teller, even if some of the tales are chock full of brutality, death and mayhem. It's been a long time since I read fiction this good.

Drummond has put together a collection of "police stories" told from five female officer's point of view: Katherine - Liz - Mona - Cathy and Sarah. Each woman has a distinct voice and each woman works out her issues in her own manner and timeframe.

Yes, there are brutal crimes, body parts, victims and police procedure, but what sets Drummond apart from other "crime writers" is the way she peels back the layers of her characters. Drummond unfolds each one and presents it to her reader, like a gift.

One of Katherine's stories, TASTE, TOUCH, SIGH, SOUND, SMELL is almost too difficult for a civilian to read, but Drummond somehow manages to pull you through the horror. Mona's CLEANING YOUR GUN is startling in its desperation.

However, it was Sarah's WHERE I COME FROM that utterly transfixed me. Ex-cop Sarah Jeffries lands in a small town in New Mexico (population 986)and begins a new life after a series of events drove her to the brink of insanity. Drummond's ability to link Sarah's plight, small town life, Hispanic mojo, an old man's grief and a tragic accident displays a mastery seldom seen in a first book.

I look forward to future work from this author.

Enjoy!