Hold You Down

Two sisters struggle to raise their sons as single mothers on Staten Island during the 1980s crack epidemic in this tragic and gritty outing from Brown (Single Black Female). Mercy Howard and her son, Judah, play by the rules, while Mercy’s sister, Lenox, and Lenox’s son, Deon, are risk-takers. Despite their differences, however, the families could not be closer. Mercy and Lenox both have big dreams for their future, but while Mercy chooses hard work, Lenox takes the first shortcut she sees, getting involved in cooking crack cocaine. She naively believes she can keep her roles as mother and drug dealer separate—right up until her unexpected death. Mercy’s left to raise Deon, who begins to act out in his grief, and his constant trouble with the law takes a toll on Mercy’s health and drives a wedge between him and Judah. Then, when Deon is attacked, Judah steps in to help him, but the consequences of his actions forever change their lives. Brown’s raw if slightly melodramatic depiction of the effect of the drug trade on a family of strivers offers heartbreak and hope in equal measure. Readers should prepare for tears. Agent: Sara Camilli, Sara Camilli Agency. (Nov.)