63%, too many secondary characters wandering in emptiness ( )

I became a big fan of Mosely with [b:Devil in a Blue Dress|37100|Devil in a Blue Dress (Easy Rawlins, #1)|Walter Mosley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1336545202l/37100._SY75_.jpg|1344080]. After reading a few of the Easy Rawlins novels, I love Mosely's prose. I'm not sure what he's trying to do here. Although I enjoyed it, there were some things that really weakened it. Too many characters. Too many plot lines in such a short book. It bounced all over the place. Mosely seems to have an obsession with folks' skin color or nationality. We are told the pigmentation and how light or dark it is of every character, and sometimes their parents as well. That was especially annoying. And, if I was told one more time how short Leonid was, I probably would have had a fit of some kind. ( )

I got this book from a second hand bookstore and it was a great deal. It has turned out to be a great read during a vacation. I really enjoyed how the action started from page one. McGill gave me a lot to think about. I can't wait o read the next book in the series. ( )

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I hadn't read a mystery novel in some time, and this was right up my alley. My only other exposure to Walter Mosley was the excellent [b:Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned|84557|Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned|Walter Mosley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348622123s/84557.jpg|81620], so I didn't know what to expect. Unsurprisingly, it was a great read.

Mosley draws Leonid McGill as a flawed human being who has had a difficult life. He has insecurities—especially regarding his height—and he often ruminates on them, bringing to the reader's mind the problems and complexes they themselves might have. Despite his shortcomings, McGill does his job expertly and efficiently, never once failing to lie, fight, and gamble his way out of dangerous encounters.

The same cannot be said to most other characters. Twill is the only other personality that is developed. The others are there as props, used to offer context and clues to the world McGill inhabits. They serve no other purpose than to fill McGill's life; in fact, it seems many of them have no lives of their own. However, hints of strong characters are there, and I'm sure they're developed later in the series.

The story flows well and the text is easy to read and follow. Mosley doesn't waste time with useless details. As a matter of fact, I felt that he used pinpoint accuracy in developing images and situations for McGill's encounters and people who surround him.

Having said all that, the book felt hollow and chaotic at times. Most of the characters, as I noted, felt one-dimensional; some of the encounters felt hackneyed; and many of the characters seemed to draw from stereotypes. Race issues is something that Mosley brings up from time to time, and I got the vibe that he wasn’t entirely comfortable in his own skin, though the same cannot be said for his confidence. The plot, while fast paced, seemed like it was touching on the surface of a greater conspiracy. It left me wanting more. There are also hints at chaos from time to time: there are a few threads going on simultaneously, yet Mosley keeps introducing even more. This was highly confusing, especially since he kept introducing new names till the third act.

This book is, despite its shortcomings, a very good read. I’ve read two books by Mosley now—they haven’t disappointed me in the least. Mosley is a brilliant writer who has tight control over his stories, though there are irregular lapses. If you’re looking for a mystery novel worthy of attention, then this is it! ( )