Missing in Lincoln Park follows Benny as he grows up inside the strange mix of wealth, danger, and wild nightlife that surrounds Lincoln Park. His world is packed with strippers who act like mothers, security guards who double as criminals, and a high-powered defense attorney mother who keeps the family safe and at risk at the same time. Benny tells the story with a blunt, emotional honesty that moves from childhood chaos to teenage trouble and deep heartbreak. The book blends crime, family ties, and coming-of-age struggles in a way that feels tense and messy and very human. It paints Chicago as a place full of secrets and debts that never stay buried.

The voice is raw and a little shaken, but it is steady enough to carry all the emotion. I found myself pulled into Benny’s childhood because it feels real. The house full of half-dressed dancers, the constant fear mixed with comfort, and the sense that danger is always just outside the door. The writing brings those moments to life in a way that surprised me. It felt warm one minute, sad the next, and then suddenly dark again. I liked that the author didn’t clean anything up. Nothing is softened. Nothing is glamorized. It feels like a memory poured straight onto the page.

The ideas in the book are well-drawn and deeply felt. Loyalty. Trauma. How families love in ways that are crooked but still fierce. I kept thinking about Benny wanting to protect people who should have protected him. There is a quiet heartbreak in that. The story asks you to sit in the uncomfortable truth that people can love you and still fail you. I felt frustrated for him sometimes, proud of him other times, and honestly a little shaken when the violence slipped in without warning. The writing has a rhythm that jumps between calm and chaos, almost like a heartbeat speeding up and slowing down. It kept me on edge in a good way.

I’d recommend this book to readers who like gritty family drama, crime stories with emotional weight, and characters who feel complicated and real. It’s good for people who want a story that doesn’t pretend life is neat or fair. If you want something raw and full of feeling, you’ll enjoy this book.

Pages: 257