“The biggest obstacle facing any attempts at reform was the longtime corruption of the police and elected officials.”

These words lay the groundwork for the battle of “good” versus “evil” in the book. Jesse’s crusade against crime along the coast could be straightforward if not for the deeply ingrained corruption summarized in this quote.

“Their families lived two streets apart. Their parents and grandparents knew each other well. They went to the same Catholic church, the same schools, played in the same streets, sandlots, and beaches, and fished with their fathers in the Gulf on lazy weekends.”

Hugh and Keith, “The Boys from Biloxi,” are ultimately on different sides of the fight against crime. However, they start out in the same place. This quote emphasizes the similarities of the boys’ early lives, when they are friends, before their paths diverge.

“Jesse had no interest in jeopardizing the safety of his family […] But once planted, the idea would not go away.”

These words depict Jesse’s thoughts when others first suggest that he run for DA. His fears regarding safety are ultimately justified when he’s killed because of his work as DA.