A tightly wound, bicoastal noir ... Features a plot that is somewhere between grand opera and a telenovela with a jazzy soundtrack ... The female characters are all strong and interesting, representing a wide variety of ages and backgrounds.
A complex tale of murder, betrayal, grisly violence, and riotous sex ... Mosley’s PI may be flawed, but his heart is kind and his reflections are insightful. The supporting cast is armed and dangerous but also quirky and personable. This installment of King Oliver’s adventures will have readers clamoring for number five in the noir series.
Mosley, witty and incisive, is in the zone in the fourth King Oliver novel, following Been Wrong So Long It Feels Like Right (2025), lingering over the fashion choices, build, and temperament of each intriguing character; choreographing match-point dialogue and down-to-the-wire showdowns, paying tribute to the transporting beauty of jazz, relishing the absurd, and exploring the interplay of family and crime.
Engrossing ... Though the plot sometimes meanders, Mosley’s sharp prose and vivid characters remain as captivating as ever. Fans of Joe’s previous adventures will be gratified by this new chapter in his story.
There’s enough plot here for two novels and, indeed, after going a bit flat midway through and then going off in new directions with added characters, the book has the feeling of two novels stitched together. But with his command of the scenery, his shoutouts to literary and jazz heroes, and his sly commentary on Black and white culture, Mosley keeps things interesting ... Mosley applies his unique blend of family, Black history, and sex to this colorful tale of missing women.
