“A fast-moving tale of race, corruption and self-discovery set against the unrest – and the hope – of Chicago during Martin Luther King’s fateful 1965-66 fair housing campaign.”

– Pulitzer Prize columnist Leonard Pitts Jr., author, Grant Park

“Frank Joseph has drawn upon his own Chicago-based journalistic history and experience to create a work of fiction that is true and accurate to the turbulent times into which it is set. A vivid and inherently fascinating read from start to finish.”

– Midwest Book Review

“TO DO JUSTICE drops you into the white-hot center of the 1966 Chicago race riots and gives you a street-level view of what happened and why. The big names are here — Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson, Richard Daley, to name a few.

“But the beating heart of this dramatic story is that of an orphaned biracial girl forced into the streets by an abusive foster parent … and the hard-working AP reporter who befriends her and helps solve the mystery of her peculiar parentage.

“Beautifully written and eerily in-tune with the racial concerns of our own time, TO DO JUSTICE is a must-read for anyone interested in one of the most turbulent moments in American history and how it still reverberates in our collective consciousness.”

– Richard Armstrong, author, The Next Hurrah and The Don Con

“Joseph has a steely grasp of narrative, flitting between the perspectives of the two protagonists, Pinkie and Mollie—both trenchant in their views in their own ways—with ease. …

“The decision to relate Pinkie’s and Mollie’s stories in the first person lends the whole an immediacy and verve it would have otherwise lacked. …

“Though Pinkie’s travails form the crux of the novel, Joseph’s wider achievement is imbuing the period with an urgency that resonates today more than ever. During a time when social inequalities are at the forefront of national politics, TO DO JUSTICE carries a remarkable rhetorical weight. …

“A brilliantly evocative story of mid-1960s Chicago, Frank S. Joseph’s TO DO JUSTICE brims with interest for readers of all types.”

–Craig Jones for IndieReader

“Once I started reading TO DO JUSTICE by Frank S Joseph, I couldn’t put it down. The more I read, the faster my pulse raced.

“Most amazing to me, beside the author’s background (grounded in the reality and history of the author’s actual experience), is his magical ability to inhabit the characters, and making them alive as real people, not only characters.

“I don’t recommend books lightly. Am a retired librarian, and part, and sometime leader, of several book discussion groups. I am recommending TO DO JUSTICE, to all of them!”

– Margarete Diener Levy

“The author does a fantastic job of describing what life was like for both the Black residents and those in the Fourth Estate who were in the trenches and called to cover the riots.  …

“(H)is accounts of behind-the-scenes newsrooms brings readers right to the old typewriters and use of pay phones to call in stories. Additionally, his addition of the famous corruption in Chicago’s political circles adds just the right spice to the novel. …

“I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a glimpse into what took place in this country well before the Black Lives Matter movement.”

— Wanda Adams Fischer, Reedsy.com

“TO DO JUSTICE is a novel everyone should read—powerful, funny, sad, enraging, and ultimately affirming.

“Writing with the deftness of a true wordsmith, Frank Joseph examines questions of identity, racial politics, and the value of human life.

“Set in 1966 Chicago, the novel follows spunky 12-year-old Pinkie as she sets off alone on a hot summer day across the riot-ravaged city to find her real mother. Navigating a sea of crooked cops, indolent government workers, connected politicians, and the constant undercurrent of violence, Pinkie’s quest intersects with Mollie’s, an Associated Press reporter determined to write the truth.

“What they uncover will break, and mend, your heart.”

– Ginny Fite, author of Possession and the award-winning Thoughts & Prayers

“Author Frank S Joseph uses research, context, and detail to craft a powerful and immersive novel that brings the racial tensions and social complexities of 1960s Chicago vividly to life. …

“I felt a deep empathy for Pinkie as she navigated the dangers of the streets and the uncertainty of her identity, while Mollie’s journalistic drive offered much-needed urgency and moral questioning in the story. There’s a clear purpose in the confident storytelling style and so much nuance to think about along the way. …

“Joseph’s ability to weave personal stories with broader social themes left me thinking about the enduring impact of past conflicts on today’s society and the importance of pursuing truth in the face of adversity. A powerful lesson indeed from a very entertaining and worthwhile read.

“Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend To Do Justice to readers everywhere.”

– K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite®

“A compelling story about how children can show us how to accept and understand those who may appear different to us, at least on the surface.

“Author Frank S Joseph has created two wonderful characters in Steve and Sass, who can rise above the expectations and narrow-mindedness of the adults to realize and understand that they have much more in common than the differences which normally drive the races apart.

“I particularly appreciated that the author chose two boys to portray this message to their adults, who were both from oft-maligned minorities; Steve was Jewish, and Sass was African-American. That the two communities should have much more in common with each other than they realize was admirably displayed by the two boys.

“Steve and Sass had a wonderful adventure together that neither will ever forget and it was this togetherness, despite their occasional childish anger, that illustrated the connectedness of the two communities. The subtle and unknown connections between Steve’s family and Sass’ family just added extra intrigue and suspense to the tale.

“This is one of those stories that seeks to explore an underlying message in the basic story arc and that makes it stand out as something special. This was a wonderful read and one I can highly recommend.”

–Grant Leishman for Readers’ Favorite®

“Chicago, during the summer of 1965, was feeling the heat of change.

To Do Justice is the third volume in author Frank S. Joseph’s mesmerizing Chicago Trilogy and takes readers to the West Side neighborhoods of the Windy City during the sweltering, on-the-edge summer of 1965. All eyes were on Chicago that summer, and in the middle of it all was young Pinkie and AP reporter Mollie Hinton.

In the midst of the turmoil, 12-year-old Pinkie longs to discover the identity of her birth mother and the life she knows is hers. She’s witness to the events that capture the attention of the world. Mollie, a young, white female reporter, relegated to mundane in the newsroom as she’s a woman in a man’s game, has the right instincts and her fingers of the pulse of the community through contacts she’s made by listening and talking to the people who live there. When these two eventually got together, and Molly decided to tackle the mystery of Pinkie’s origins, I didn’t want to put the book down.

The author brings in historical figures as the events of that summer are recreated, the writing so evocative I almost felt as if I were there. Early on, scenes came to life with the tension (and residual exhilaration) of the rioting, and background characters were on edge and ready to act in unpredictable ways, with realistic dialogue propelling the emotions and action. I quickly became invested in what was going to happen with both Pinkie and Mollie, fearing that any minute, something awful was about to go down with them right smack in the middle of it all.

I recommend To Do Justice to readers of literary fiction, especially those interested in the tumultuous times of the mid-60s and in Chicago in particular.”

–Karen Siddall, Boys’ Mom Reads!

“Humorous, heartbreaking, uplifting, thought-provoking, and robust. Pinkie’s story will resonate with you and become etched into your heart long after you finish reading her tale.

“Frank S Joseph beautifully explores intricate themes like self-discovery, corruption in law enforcement, ineffective governance, racially driven politics, racial inequality, social injustice, and human rights.

“This intriguing story is bursting with descriptive scenes and engaging dialogue. Joseph is skilled at bringing his characters and their stories to life. I became engrossed in Pinkie’s world from the first chapter.

“If you love historical fiction centered around the Chicago riots, America in the 1960s, racial identity, and American politics, this is the perfect read for you!”

–Ibrahim Aslan for Readers’ Favorite®

“A novel that burns hot and bright. Pinkie’s journey through Chicago to find her white mother delves deep into the brutal racial complexities at the heart of America. Read this book.”

– Amin Ahmad, author, This Is Not Your Country, The Caretaker and The Last Taxi Ride