The Dog Catcher

Lloyd Johnson has dramatically opened a window into the harsh issues of life for one woman (Cheryl Greene) as she is exposed to decades of physical and emotional pain that reveals a great deal about the human spirit and the will to survive. As with any good book, Lloyd Johnson gives you a hook at the start of the book that draws the reader into the vibe of the story. What captured my attention as the book unfolded were the pop culture references, music and theories of seventies. As a teenager that came of age in the seventies, I identified with Cheryl Greene, the main character in this book, as she navigated through friends, love, sex, morals, disappointments and of course religion that played a major factor in many African American homes in the seventies. As Cheryl tries to be a young lady with good upbringing that was instilled in her by her parents, she becomes another statistic by having a baby as a teenager and also being single parent because of a deadbeat sperm donor by the name of Diallo. Nevertheless, Cheryl does all that she can to become a great mother to Lawrence and be a contributing member of society by working and taking care of her responsibilities as a woman with morals and integrity by not having a revolving door of men come in and out of her son’s life and wanting more for herself. Cheryl’s mission of being a great mother and having independence deviates once she meets the charming and magnetizing Plez Jackson. After dating for a few months, Cheryl’s Idyllic relationship begins to crumble when the image that Plez portrays is completely different than the real person secretly hiding inside and that’s when hell breaks loose because Plez inflicts physical, emotional and verbal abuse to Cheryl and Lawrence that is traumatizing and very real. This book was so compelling that I found myself tearing-up and yelling at Plez to stop the madness. Lloyd Johnson has done a terrific job of writing the abusive scenes, whether physical, emotional or verbal with such passion and conviction that it is hard to believe that this is a work of fiction. He writes from the soul and as such, I could feel Cheryl’s pain of trying to protect herself and Lawrence while facing anxiety, fear and despair. As the book moves along, with years and decades passing, Lloyd incorporated so many topics of past decades that were infused in the storyline and was the catalyst of the characters actions and beliefs. Lloyd touched on many subjects that are in the forefront of discussion today that were taboo, foreign and not talked about years ago especially in African American homes such as: homosexuality, Aids, teen pregnancy, rape, abuse, adultery, alcoholism and favoritism. This book was truly amazing because while sad, it is also promising to see how much progress was made in terms of shedding light on those topics. This book is well-written, well-crafted and it flows from beginning to end. It kept my interest because I was wanted to know what would eventually happen to Cheryl, Lawrence, and Plez Jr. (Cheryl and Plez’s son). I was very happy and relieved to see that by the end of the book Cheryl really began to love herself and was not ready to rush into another relationship. She even began to accept Lawrence being gay and starts to build a good relationship with him. I especially would love to see Lloyd Johnson write a follow-up book with the main characters being Lawrence, Plez Jr and Marva, Cheryl’s sister. Lloyd Johnson is truly a gifted writer that has a knack for writing. He gives readers so much in terms of relatable characters, interesting stories and enough drama that is like a rollercoaster ride. I would recommend highly recommend this book anyone that wants a book with substance and style.

Man, where do I start? As an Author who wrote a similar book, I found myself yet, again on another emotional rollercoaster. I found myself dismayed. I laughed, There were moments I froze up, unable to move my body, because I felt all of her pain, both physically & emotionally. I teared up, as I had my own flashbacks. Cheryl Greene, will forever be in my mind. Although this scene starts in the 70's , the year's of my youth, this familiar story began for me in 2001 up till 2014 for me. I could not believe how something so familiar to me has been going on since I entered this world.. So, as this woman is experiencing and living this life of hell with Plez, I was a clueless, happy child growing up, with no earthly idea that someday, I would be another Cheryl. Lloyd wrote this story with such authenticity, till, I swear, I knew Plez and for some strange reason or another, I did not want the chapters to end. This was an absolute good read, and I highly recommend it to others to read not only for the love of reading, but to educate yourself on domestic abuse/violence. I don't know why, but I wanted something tragic to happen to Plez, but God always has a better way to get our attention. Thanks Lloyd for inviting me into Cheryl's world.. I connected well with her. I would love to see a sequence to this EPIC READ!

The book converted everything going on today but from a different time period. I love how the author brings this book to life and really get you involved. It helps if your in this situation and how to never be in this situation. MUST READ!

Once I started reading this ,it is practically impossible to put down. The characters come alive, baggage and all. The story is told frThis is a book I found impossible to put down once I started reading it, The characters come fully alive , baggage and all.l.No sugary substance her, it tells thins as the they are.

At first this book kept my interest but it wasn't for long, It was just ok to me.

I loved this book because I was able to lose myself in it. I enjoyed the scenarios depicted. I am looking forward to more books by the author.

Great book. Never a dull moment

Wonderfully well-written book, realistic, well-rounded characters and a good amount of nostalgic details (the book takes place mostly in the 70s and 80s). Definitely recommend that you read it.

I enjoyed reading this book, I did not want to put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this writer.

The worst book EVER! So depressing and not well told.