"Dean Davis...came from an affluent family and had his life under control...[until] he is sentenced to prison in Illinois [and] will now have to fight every day of his sentence...packed with emotions, drama and the struggle of a man who...learned about life in the hardest way possible...the reader [will] experience what Dean was going through...an amazing job at writing an impactful story." --Readers' Favorite, 5-Star Review
"Bold prison tales...from the perspective of a white drug dealer serving time in a state penitentiary...with an emphasis on the eccentricities of other inmates...self-assured visceral approach...unflinchingly abrasive when capturing the realities of prison...readers will appreciate the testosterone-fueled language" --Kirkus Reviews
"an insightful and at times darkly disturbing glimpse into an institution rarely entered by most readers...compelling and realistic...filled with vivid character descriptions...[Penitentiary Tales: a Love Story] is a fictionalized account of a pivotal period in the life of the author... through his wit, insight, athletic prowess, bravado, and luck, [protagonist Dean Davis] is able to navigate successfully between racial gangs, the administration, the guards, and otherwise dangerous individuals in order to survive and to thrive...Much like Erving Goffman's portrayal of total institutions...[Luetkemeyer] reveals a common theme among inmates, and one that I discovered in my own prison research: all incarcerated individuals (and perhaps all of us) operate behind...protective masks, preserving a part of one's self-identity only for one's closest intimates" --Dr. John M. Coggeshall, Clemson University
"a work of literary fiction...set in an Illinois prison filled with...[racially diverse] inmates from the difficult and dangerous streets of Chicago...an intriguing and committed character study which effectively explores the social and political consciousness of the current class and racial divides in modern-day America...nuanced and personal...contains graphic depictions of violence, sex, and distressing situations, and...explicit language appropriate to its context...the scenes we move through...stick in the mind and the social conscience of the reader long after the scene is through...a well written and poignant dramatic novel which comes highly recommended." --K.C. Finn, Fallow Heart
"Penitentiary Tales: a Love Story...is a cross-examination of social inequalities in race and gender...Dean Davis, an educated white male [is] doing time for dealing marijuana...How a highly literate convict manages to survive makes for a brilliant depiction of how the human spirit can triumph under the most adverse conditions...Luetkemeyer [demonstrates] that love can spring forth...in a setting that hardens criminals but softens our hearts to miracles." --Vincent Dublado, The Weed and the Rose
