In this thriller with literary merit (Time Out New York) a stunning narrative combines the gritty rhythms of Junot Diaz with the noir genius of Walter Mosley. Bodega Dreams pulls us into Spanish Harlem where the word is out: Willie Bodega is king. Need college tuition for your daughter? Start-up funds for your fruit stand? Bodega can help. He gives everyone a leg up in exchange only for loyalty—and a steady income from the drugs he pushes. Lyrical inspired and darkly funny this powerful debut novel brilliantly evokes the trial of Chino a smart promising young man to whom Bodega turns for a favor. Chino is drawn to Bodegas street-smart idealism but soon finds himself over his head navigating an underworld of switchblade tempers turncoat morality and murder. Bodega is a fascinating character. . . . The story [Quiñonez] tells has energy and verve. —The New York Times Book Review