Known to Evil: A Leonid McGill Mystery
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Editorial Reviews
From Bookmarks Magazine
Although critics continued to lament the end of Mosley's former series featuring Easy Rawlins, they were generally pleased with the second installment of his latest. Mosley, a consummate storyteller, has full command of his plot and distinct prose, and McGill shines as the troubled, complex narrator trying to make amends despite the corruption and vice that surround him. Readers will savor McGill's razor-sharp insight and shrewd, if melancholy, outlook on life. A few minor complaints arose: Mosley doesn't quite succeed in evoking the Big Apple, and some of his characters are a bit too reminiscent of former creations in previous books. However, the critics enjoyed their time spent with Leonid McGill and his dysfunctional entourage, and they look forward to more.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Booklist
Leonid McGill, Mosley’s newest hero (The Long Fall, 2009), is haunted by the bad things he used to do to people—or so he keeps telling us. At first, the plot seems to support that claim: as McGill works his case, tracking a young woman for a powerful fixer, he is also consumed with helping a former victim, rescuing his son’s girlfriend from her pimp, and remaining respectful in his loveless marriage. But those plotlines are decoys because the supporting characters aren’t fully developed. Each exists to demonstrate something about McGill—his remorse, violence, loyalty—and then is quickly whisked offstage. Mosley has written some classic crime novels, and he has a devoted following, but the strikingly different setting of this series doesn’t hide a glaring flaw: from start to finish, McGill and his supporting cast don’t change. This is a very interior, solipsistic crime novel, and McGill’s first-person narration may feel oppressive to some readers. Others may wonder how such a self-centered sleuth could possibly become a good judge of other people’s characters. In marked contrast to Mosley’s threadbare L.A. settings, McGill’s world is lush and wealthy. But it’s also cartoonish in its absolutes: McGill knows no fear but constructs spy-worthy escape hatches. He has an extensive network of criminals and stone-cold killers. He’s short and ugly, but women throw themselves at him. All writing requires some degree of world-building, but the world Mosley has built here shows the marks of its invention. --Keir Graff
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Walter Mosley writes like he's the only author in a world full of readers".,
By
This review is from: Known to Evil (A Leonid McGill Mystery) (Hardcover)
In a world of overused superlatives; Walter Mosley stands out as TRUE recipient of the word 'genius' and any other accompanying synonyms. I get nervous when writing a review for one of Mosley's books because I feel like a third grader standing in front of the `Mona Lisa' and being told to critique it. So instead of trying to wrack my brain, write something profound or critique the work of a word-smith master... I'll just tell you how much I enjoyed this book (that kind of IS the purpose of a review, huh?).
Leonid is a poor man's private eye. And like any good private eye, he has people on the good (and bad side) of the law, and the good (and bad side) of society. He's like a modern day mercenary, a gun for hire, a man's-man when you're in a pinch... a professor in philosophy for the street. Leonid is caught up in another octopus-type mystery. I say "octopus-type" because there are a LOT of characters and a LOT going on within the streets of New York. Come to think of it, New York is probably the only city with enough chutzpah to handle Leonid AND Mr. Mosley. Leonid's personal life is convoluted. Leonid's professional life is convoluted. Together they create a labyrinth of shady characters, bad cops, loose women, and nocturnal friends. The brilliance of `Known to Evil' is that it makes the classic black-n-white mystery noir seem brand new. While at the same time, continues to concretes Walter Mosley as a living literary legend. Most of us strive to leave a mark on this world by the time we die. With Leonid, Mosley is starting on his second Grand Canyon.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
So close to awesome,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Known to Evil (A Leonid McGill Mystery) (Hardcover)
I love Leonid McGill. It shows him as a human being with all the problems with America in general. His wife is cheating on him, he is cheating on his wife, his marriage is loveless, his children aren't genetically his except Dem, and his life is in trouble. It is a great character and overall Known to Evil is a great book. The only reason it doesn't get the Five stars is because of the ending. It was a weak ending. The Long Fall had a good ending and an excellent beginning and middle and so does this book in the latter. It has a good beginning, it is very very strong in the middle but the ending kind of lacks, well spice. Other than that one complaint, this is a very very good book.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Redemption,
By
This review is from: Known to Evil (A Leonid McGill Mystery) (Hardcover)
Walter Mosley continues to develop the protagonist Leonid McGill in his novel titled, Known to Evil. The motivation of private detective McGill is to act in ways that atone for his bad behavior, and it his redemption that becomes a life goal. In some ways McGill is both hero and everyman. Thanks to Mosley's fine writing, the dialogue seems realistic, the characters are well-developed, and the insights about human condition are profound. The personal circumstances that led McGill to this moment in his life and those of society at large contain a randomness that's sobering.
Rating: Three-star (Recommended)
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