Black Dogs

 "Black Dogs" is a story of four friends who plan to rob Led Zeppelin that is similar to "Stand By Me," but with petty crime and a villain, Backwoods Billy, that could kick Keifer Sutherland's ass.

 The concept of the book is unique. Four friends who want to rip off Led Zeppelin instead of getting real jobs. Why hasn't this been done before? Not only does author Jason Buhrmester come up with an interesting story, but he was even able to write up a scheme for such a crime that is not only logical, but also doable.

 Buhrmester has a simple style of writing. He is descriptive without overwhelming a reader's mind with mundane details. He has developed a group of characters that are individualistic and play a role of their own within the story; Patrick, the smart guy, Alex the ladies man, Frenchy, the quirky nice guy, Keith, a dumb stoner, Danny, the scummy good guy turned bad by greed, and Backwoods Billy, the villain. Buhrmester's characters interact in a way that is realistic for a young group of friends. Occasionally, the small talk between them is unnecessary.

 The story is well developed and reads smoothly. There aren't any bumps in the road that could leave a reader feeling confused. The only beef with the story is some situations worked out too easily for these four guys. It was too much of a coincidence that Frenchy was able to win backstage passes to a Led Zeppelin concert. Why is it that four grimy looking guys are able to make their way into a famous rock group's hotel room, but all of the women who are more than willing to sleep with the band are booted by security? And how likely is it that Jimmy Page would spend time playing guitar with someone like Frenchy? And it just so happens that the local pawn shop in Baltimore has one of the rarest guitars around, one that the four of them need. When watching a horror movie, it seems ridiculous that a killer will survive after having their head chopped off, but it always happens because if it didn't, their would be no movie. The same applies to such ridiculous coincidences in Buhrmester's story. If they didn't happen, then their would be no "Black Dogs."

 "Black Dogs" is an easy read that will spark one's curiosity. Aside from the fact that they are thieves, the characters are normal and relatable. An older reader may feel nostalgic and think back to the crazy shit they did back in the day and a young reader will be inspired to create a crazy scheme of their own.