Customer Reviews

Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You: Stories

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a 15 year veteran female police officer of a large city, I looked forward to reading this book. I have not read a book about working the streets from a female officer's point of view . After reading this book, I still have read a decent one.

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.

These related stories of five female officers in Baton Rough, Louisiana, are intense and honest; the author writes with a sharp sense of the physical, her eyes trained to details. Each woman walks through her own personal experience in law enforcement, what this occupation asks from her, what she can give.

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!

There is more to Louisiana than New Orleans. If you have the time and inclination, you can take I-10 East out of New Orleans (leave early, before 6:30 a.m. if you can) and drive for approximately 60 miles along a highway where swamp foliage seems to strain at the bit to encroach the macadam. You'll eventually see an outlet mall on your left and, a few miles further away, a water park on your right. You'll know that you're on the eastern border of Baton Rouge, the state capital of Louisiana. There is a bit of self-conscious resentment toward its brassier, better-known sister, but the people who live in Baton Rouge tend to love the city.

Laurie Lynn Drummond is a rare Baton Rouge expatriate; born in Virginia, Laurie was a uniformed officer with the Baton Rouge Police Department and is now an assistant professor at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU is Drummond's first work, a collection of short fiction concerning female police officers on the Baton Rouge Force. It is a noteworthy collection, both for what it is and for what it isn't.

Her stories are not police procedurals nor are they detective stories. The focus is on people --- the officers and the victims. The ten stories are divided among five police officers --- Katherine, Liz, Mona, Cathy and Sara --- who are at various stages in their careers and dealing with the difficulties of the job and their outside lives. The stories are purportedly fiction, but there is a documentary feel to most of them. There is really only one, "Keeping The Dead Alive," that reads like a work of fiction, though I would not be surprised if it was an accurate account of an actual event. It is, coincidentally, the best story in the book and runs on twin tracks. One is the investigation of the brutal murder of Jeanette Durham, apparently by her husband. The other concerns the clandestine memorial services held by a small group of female police officers to remember women who are victims of violent crimes. The memorial to Durham goes suddenly and violently wrong, and the officers are faced with the choice of going by the book and jeopardizing their careers, or extracting a rough but righteous justice on their own. This is a haunting tale, worth the price of admission all by itself; I will never drive by the Pearl River exit off of I-59 by the Louisiana-Mississippi border again without thinking of this story.

The other stories in this work are memorable in different ways. "Under Control" is one of Mona's stories, an electrifying account of a police response that plays out a family drama on two different levels. "Katherine's Elegy" concerns a veteran, almost legendary, police officer who uses leads by example but who also uses her sensuality with a strange and somewhat sinister twist. "Finding a Place" deals with a retired officer who is no longer of the world of law enforcement and is experiencing an uneasy adjustment to civilian life. And "Cleaning Your Gun" relates the story of an officer who is bringing the strain and pressure of her job home --- with adverse results.

ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU will certainly be of interest to fans of crime fiction --- though neat and tidy endings to these stories are hardly the rule --- and some do not deal with crimes at all, but are, rather, character studies. Those readers interested in character studies, particularly women's issues, will find this collection worthwhile, with the caveat that the descriptions of violence and its aftermath can be unsettling. The blurring of genres is, however, commendable. And I'm certain that Drummond has many more dark stories to tell.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Apparently, despite what streets we patrol, or whether we are male or female, police officers are all of the same faith, the blue religion. Ms. Drummond makes that poingantly clear in her book, "Anything You Say or Write." If anyone is interested in the daily trials and tribulations and frustrations of a real police officer, pick up a copy of Ms. Drummond's book.
I read some of the other reviews and noted that several of the people who wrote the reviews made mention of Gina Gallo's book, Armed and Dangerous, " which I've also had the opportunity to read. Both books were extremely well written, extremely entertaining, and as a 30 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, I can tell you both books hit home like a bullet hits the bone. If you pick up one, do yourself a favor and pick up the other.

To finally hear the police story told from a female officer's view is frightening and heartwarming at the same time. Drummond tells her stories with clarity and emotional vision. She brings you into the each character's emotional and physical persona...and she doesn't let you go. I could hardly put this book down. Being a Baton Rouge native, I appreciate the accurateness of her landmarks, and I think I've met some of her characters! This is a series of stories that could only be told by someone who has experienced them firsthand. You won't be wasting time as you read this one! Awaiting the next one...

Laurie, we love you! We can't wait for your next book!

I am a newly retired female police Lieutenant and I can tell you this book was written about me (and many other policewomen I have had the honor to work with) during my 25 year career.

Two of my best friends (other retired/former policewomen) and I have discussed so many of our memories after reading this book. It was healing for all of us! It brought back memories and helped us confront the situations we had tried to forget for years!

Another reviewer from LA wrote about some other author's book as if the other author was a "real" police officer. Let me go on record as saying: Laurie Lynn Drummond was a REAL Police Officer who handled REAL cases and lived with the REAL consequences of her career choice of Law Enforcement!

God Bless You Laurie Drummond for giving my heart a voice! It has been a long time coming...

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see the reality of what female officers face on a daily basis.

If you're a cop, Gallo's book transends race, sex, and regional boundries. All her stories are shockingly familiar and are told in a way that reminds you these are her true experiences and not tales thought up over coffee by a Starbucks Commando.
If you're a civilian, this book will introduce you to the real world of police work that you won't see in the movies and television or read about in other books. It's a must read for those who want to know what the streets are all about....

If anything You Say is your cup of tea, (and I liked it a lot) then you MUST read ARMED AND DANGEROUS by Gina Gallo. It's head over heels better. These are two books from talented women but Gallo's ARMED AND DANGEROUS book comes from a lady cop who has done REAL police work for REAL. Take it from me, a retired police Sgt. and enjoy!
A.M.

INTRODUCTION
Laurie Lynn Drummond's book from start to finish, draws you deep inside her characters. You feel the weight of the policewomen's tool belt and the subtle changes in behavior that quickly mold the rookie cop into the seasoned professional. She doesn't just capture the voice of the woman cop, but that of the human being that has chosen an at times very de-humanizing job. This job, will affect their perceptions outside as well, forever. They will never look on normal day to day life quite the same again.

BOOK IS IN 5 VERY UNIQUE VOICES:
The book is broken up in 5 very unique stories, with one woman police officer as the focus. Some are cops earlier in their careers, others are after they have become jaded and looking back. Others are focused on a single riveting situation. Each brings in a voice very human and very real. Unique too are some of the family relationships that provoked the officer to pursue this line of work.

The book is arranged in groups of stories.
KATIE:
The group of stories called Katherine, give you Katie Joubert's point of view. There are 3 stories where she tells you of the time she killed a man, her emphasis on training your senses to do the job, and the myth she became.

LIZ:
The second set of stories are about Liz, who is eventually no longer on the regular beat. Her story is not so much of one about policework, but of relationships.

MONA:
The third set is of Mona, a policewoman who has joined the force coming from the legacy of father who was a cop. Their relationship was not a good one and both this relationship and the hardness required from a job, are damaging her relationhips with her own family.

KATHY:
The forth set is of Kathy and her involvement in an unusual case over a long period of time. How first impressions can change and change again.

SARA:
The last set is about Sara, a woman whose involvement on a case became very personal and drove her to run away from all that is familiar, only to realize, it all comes with you.

ALL SO DIFFERENT, BUT EASY TO EMPATHIZE:
The author brings to life, the regimentation, the nerve racking tension and the at times visceral feelings many police officers face and puts it in terms any of us that have a routine can understand. Co-workers quirks, breaks, lousy coffee all are intimately painted in the character's palate of this very unique job.

IN SUMMARY:
I found this book hard to put down. It was well written and easy to read. Nice job, I'm hoping many more will follow.