Miami Blues [Paperback]

Charles Willeford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2004

After a brutal day investigating a quadruple homicide, Detective Hoke Moseley settles into his room at the un-illustrious El Dorado Hotel and nurses a glass of brandy. With his guard down, he doesn’t think twice when he hears a knock on the door. The next day, he finds himself in the hospital, badly bruised and with his jaw wired shut. He thinks back over ten years of cases wondering who would want to beat him into unconsciousness, steal his gun and badge, and most importantly, make off with his prized dentures. But the pieces never quite add up to revenge, and the few clues he has keep connecting to a dimwitted hooker, and her ex-con boyfriend and the bizarre murder of a Hare Krishna pimp.

Chronically depressed, constantly strapped for money, always willing to bend the rules a bit, Hoke Moseley is hardly what you think of as the perfect cop, but he is one of the the greatest detective creations of all time.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“If you are looking for a master’s insight into the humid decadence of South Florida and its polygot tribes, nobody does it better than Mr. Willeford.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Extraordinarily winning. . . . Pure pleasure. . . . Mr. Willeford never puts a foot wrong.” —The New Yorker

“No one write a better crime novel than Charles Willeford.” —Elmore Leonard

“A tempo so relentless, words practically fly off the page.” —The Village Voice

“The prose is clean and tough and flows easily.” --The New York Times Book Review

“A Graham Greene-like entertainment, but tougher and funnier, softened by neither simile nor sentiment. This is probably as close to the real now Miami as any thriller is likely to come.” --Donald Justice

“Terse, scary, and evocative, Miami Blues is a thriller with cold blood. . . . Snap up Miami Blues.” --The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Nobody writes like Charles Willeford . . . he is an original–funny and weird and wonderful.” --James Crumley

“A nasty crime-comedy that’s full of casual violence, outrageous coincidences, and hilariously rude dialogue. . . . Willeford has a marvelously deadpan way with losers on both sides of the law.” --Kirkus Reviews

“Absolutely brilliant in every regard–the definitive Miami novel.” --Stanley Ellin

“Bone-deep satire . . . terrific.” --Publishers Weekly

“A marvelous read. Do yourself a favor and go buy Miami Blues immediately.” --Harry Crews

“A top notch crime novel . . . both tough and funny.” —The Washington Post (refers to New Hope)

“Hoke Moseley is a magnificently battered hero. Willeford brings him to us lean and hard and brand-new.” --Donald E. Westlake

From the Publisher

"If you are looking for a master's insight into the humid decandence of South Florida and its polyglot tribes, nobody does that as well as Mr. Willeford."
--The New York Times Book Review

"Harrowing and surprising."
--Publishers Weekly

"The best book on the mystery racks these days [is] Charles Willeford's Miami Blues."
--The Village Voice

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (August 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400032466
• ISBN-13: 978-1400032464
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #529,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hard boiled thriller with teeth., May 2, 2002

By 

Steven R. Harbin (Southeastern USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Miami Blues (Mass Market Paperback)

Charles Willeford wrote wonderful true to life's absurdities crime fiction, among his many other accomplishments. This novel (which was made in a movie starring Alec Baldwin) is the first in his only series, starring a much put upon Miami detective named Hoke Moseley. In this initial adventure Hoke runs afoul of an intelligent pyschopath named Freddy Frenger and his ditzy hooker girlfriend while investigating the murder of a Hare Krishna. Along the way Hoke loses his teeth, badge, gun and some of his pride, but never his determination. A mere description of the plot wouldn't begin to do justice to this ironic superb book, full as it is of madcap characters coupled with doses of deadly realism. Very few writers can pull off a mix of the comic and hard boiled, but Willeford was one of those few. Indeed, he was one of the best at it. Read the rest of the books in this series if you can find them, then move on to Willeford's other works and his biography penned by Don Herron.
A 5 stars for sure on this tale of Miami mayhem, murder and mischief.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Willeford's the best, May 10, 2001

By 

Wendy K. Laubach (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Miami Blues (Hardcover)

If you've seen the excellent movie made from this novel, get ready for an original that's not only funnier but about ten shades grimmer. Dead-pan doesn't even begin to describe Willeford. He never condescends or winks, but his tone is devastating.

You can't go wrong with any of his other books, either, or his memoirs.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a very competent, funny and enjoyable Miami mystery novel, November 14, 2002

By 

lazza (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Miami Blues (Hardcover)

Miami Blues is my first Charles Willeford novel but it certainly won't be my last. I remember the film Miami Blues (with Alex Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh). I enjoyed it and hoped the novel would be at least half as good. Thankfully it was even better than the film.

In Miami Blues we have a young psychopathic criminal from California landing at Miami International Airport. All he wants is to steal enough money to live on easy street, and he will not let anything get in his way. Unfortunately bad luck and stupidity are stacked against him. Worse, he partners up with an incredibly sweet yet dumb local girl who doesn't offer value for achieving his goals ... no matter how he manipulates her. Worse still, there is a rather crusty old cop out to get him. No spoilers here, but suffice to say Miami Blues has a good ending.

The best part of Miami Blues is Willeford's excellent capturing of the "feel" of Miami. It's very much like Carl Hiaasen material without the caustic satire (..oh, I should add Miami Blues does have funny bits also). And it doesn't take itself too seriously, as if Charles Willeford wasn't planning to write fine literature but simply a good story. He succeeded very nicely.

Bottom line: a minor jewel amongst the masses of mystery novels. Recommended.