The Rent Collectors

Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA

By: Jesse Katz

Narrated by: Jesse Katz

"A searing account of gang violence and its consequences . . . Macedo's grim story, expertly documented by Katz, cries for a documentary series to follow his fortunes as, after years in prison, he strives for redemption. A masterful work of true crime-and, to be sure, true punishment." -Kirkus Reviews (Starred review)

Baby-faced teen Giovanni Macedo is desperate to find belonging in one of LA's most predatory gangs, the Columbia Lil Cycos—so desperate that he agrees to kill an undocumented Mexican street vendor. The vendor, Francisco Clemente, had been refusing to give in to the gang's shakedown demands. But Giovanni botches the hit, accidentally killing a newborn instead. The overlords who rule the Lil Cycos from a Supermax prison 1,000 miles away must be placated and Giovanni is lured across the border where, in turn, the gang botches his killing. And so, incredibly, Giovanni rises from the dead, determined to both seek redemption for his unforgivable crime and take down the gang who drove him to do it.

With The Rent Collectors, Jesse Katz has built a teeth clenching and breathless narrative that explicates the difficult and proud lives of undocumented black market workers who are being extorted by the gangs and fined by the city of LA—in other words, exploited by two sets of rent collectors.

©2024 Jesse Katz (P)2024 Tantor

Well researched and well told...

When the acknowledgements bring on the tears, you know you've listened to a great book. While my journey from Southern California upbringing to Honduras (Peace Corps) to migration researcher in Mexico to sociology prof in a max correctional institution admittedly gives me a context advantage, anyone with an openness and curiosity around immigration, Latino culture, and the context of gangs and crime will "enjoy" this book. It's a heart-wrenching story. The characters are brought to life; indeed, it is nonfiction -- a true story, well researched, well written, and well told by the author.

Unflinching and even handed look at the LA justice system

Someone who has worked in the LA County criminal justice system in various capacities and from different angles, I always view books like this with skepticism. It is very difficult to portray the system, wart and all without leaning or favoring one way or another.

This author manages to walk this tight rope all the way to the other end of what is a classic and essential piece of work.

This is critical and enjoyable reading or anyone who wants to learn more about criminology generally but even more so for LA County and California’s problems specifically.

The author digs and scrapes until he has sculpted an important statement about the difficult truths the largest system of incarceration on planet earth struggles with:
Thousands of people are doing horrible things, but the solution of caging as many of them as we can, for as long as we can predictably creates the conditions which lead to those horrible things in the first place.

There are no easy answers to this conundrum, but this is an easy and easy recommendation.

Superbly Written and Told by the Author

What a great and important book! One of the best books I've read on Audible. The storytelling and beautiful writing style kept me captivated from "cover to cover". Most importantly, this book provides insights and understanding into the lives of people with backgrounds, cultures and circumstances much different than our own. The author includes essential historical background and the political context at the time which gives each character and his/her actions the depth and understanding it deserves. While on the surface this story is about a gang in LA, it is far more than that. It is a true story of people in unimaginable circumstances trying to survive and to break the negative cycle of poverty. The story also highlights the complex challenges and attempts to resolve long-standing social issues. Human stories that are well written and researched like this are absolutely necessary to help leaders and communities understand the problem at a deeper level in order to create more effective, sustainable and humanistic solutions for everyone.

expected a lot more

nothing special, an interesting story but no "so what", why is this worth reading. Glad the main character found redemption but provided little insight as to real origin of the problem, what created the circumstance, and what happened to the supporting characters. Some of who seemed more complex than the principal.