He honed his investigative reporting and research skills prior to writing this novel. For two years he rode around in homicide cars in the Bronx, hung out in the courthouse, and at police headquarters. He dedicated the book to a lawyer and a Bronx judge who became models for the characters in the story. It’s no wonder the plot seems so real. Addressing racism, media bias, class divisions, and political motivations, the novel demonstrates how most people are simply looking out for themselves… the rest of the world be-damned. And the wonderful thing is, Tom Wolfe indiscriminately writes with realistic contemporary wry humor. Here are a few examples: