FOUR STARS ****

The back cover of this novel tells a story almost as chilling as the one found between the covers. The author -- Arik Kaplan is a pseudonym to maintain his true identity-- literally lived this story. In 2011, immediately following the relaxing of laws in the State of California allowing medicinal marijuana dispensaries to open, he began aggressively purchasing legal medical marijuana locations in Los Angeles county.

The problem with things that sound too good to be true is that they usually are -- or, at the very least, they come at a big price. 'Kaplan' found out that his involvement in this new industry was the literal equivalent of drawing a target on his own back. If he went through even a smidgen of what the characters in his novel experience it is indeed a wonder he lived to tell this tale.

MAYHEM, MURDER AND MARIJUANA: The Los Angeles Marijuana War makes "Boyz In the Hood" look like an episode of "Sanford and Son". The fact that our humble author has received death threats at the mere thought of revealing what is contained in this book speaks to his and the stories credibility.

There are several key players in this novel and their paths all cross at different points. The first that we are introduced to is Bing (many street names in this novel). Bing is short for Pacifico Bing de Asis, a Filipino kid who was embarrassed of his hard-working parents and always envied his wealthier schoolmates. His best friend was 'M' -- short for the half-Irish, half-Mexican Morrison Guzman. His mother named him after Jim Morrison. As far as I'm concerned, any book that references Jim Morrison is alright by me!

Bing and M are working hard at leveraging their years of illegal drug-selling, some at the interstate level, into the newly legitimized medical marijuana game. The problem is they live fast and free and spend money as fast as they make it. To get into the legalized game they need a lot of money down and support from a lender in order to purchase the buildings where the marijuana dispensaries would be located.

This leads them to the other star of this story -- Adam Copland. He is a little older then these boys and has become a bit of an entrepreneur in their neighborhood. Mind you, he's just as dirty but has settled down with a woman (who later on in the novel admits she's expecting) and has been toeing the line of legitimacy for enough years that he is not only an interested party in entering the medical marijuana game but also wants to be Bing and M's benefactor.

All the while, Kaplan gives us glimpses of the completely illegal/gang side of the marijuana game equation. We are introduced to Jamal who heads up the BDS -- Black Death Squad. They remain in the background just long enough to be overlooked. It is at that point that they will strike -- and let the bodies fall where they may. Meanwhile, Adam Copland is enjoying life as a real estate holder with his own legitimate "MMJ" dispensaries beginning to thrive. He shrewdly enters into a deal with Bing and M that will essentially make him their landlord -- while he takes his own percentage off the top of their profits to boot.

Unfortunately for Bing and M, they failed to read the fine print of their contract with Copland, and this means inevitably the locations, customers and all the profits made by Bing and M will become Copland's. The bad blood between Bing and Copland is at an all new level and when the dust settles, there won't be many left standing. It is here where the novel becomes a true crime drama that pulls no punches. I was especially horrified by the scene where one of these characters is devoured by a Chow (a rare dog breed) as he proceeds to eat the mans face and crush his larynx -- all from the inside of a locked automobile.

MAYHEM, MURDER AND MARIJUANA is as hard-hitting a true crime novelization as any I have read in recent years. It begs for a big screen treatment and it would be nice for Mr. Kaplan, who somehow survived this madness, to make some truly legitimate money off of that prospect. A taut and chilling read but also a cautionary tale about getting involved in something that seems to promise more than it can ever deliver.

Review by Ray Palen for BestSellers World

FIVE STARS    *****

Critique: "Mayhem, Murder and Marijuana: The Los Angeles Marijuana War" is a simply riveting read from cover to cover and has all the earmarks of authenticity. A deftly written novel from beginning to end, this is the stuff of which block-buster movies and ratings breaking television miniseries are made. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mayhem, Murder and Marijuana" is available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

John Taylor

Reviewer

FIVE STARS    *****

Mayhem, Murder & Marijuana: The Los Angeles Marijuana War by Arik Kaplan is a suspenseful and exciting story that follows the protagonist's adventures in the marijuana industry. This book explores the hurdles and the challenges he faced when he decided to invest heavily in legal dispensaries. Apart from the legal uncertainties of the business, there is cut-throat competition from clandestine growers and those who illegally peddle marijuana on the streets of California. Now, the reader is plunged into a setting where violence rules the streets and where uncertainty lurks around every corner. Question is: can he thrive in such a market? Readers will enjoy this ride, and will gain powerful insights from the author while understanding the nuances involved in the marijuana business. 

This book is highly entertaining and very informative, the first book I have read that brings to readers the very nature of the market and the dangers that come with it. I felt connected to the narrator when he started speaking of Davao and the wonderful encounters, especially the one with his friend who'd wanted to be a Jew. The setting in Davao checks out well as it is a place I have been. The author is a great storyteller and his masterly use of humor brings a lot of life into the narrative. Readers will find themselves smiling or laughing most of the time. Listen to this comment about the Los Angeles weather: "Los Angeles weather is like an obituary; the local newspapers always had something positive to say about it." Overall, the story is well-written and there is a beauty in the prose that makes it enjoyable in itself. Arik Kaplan's Mayhem, Murder & Marijuana: The Los Angeles Marijuana War is both informative and entertaining. 

Romuald Dzemo, READERS FAVORITE BOOK REVIEWS