Customer Reviews

Sideswipe: A Hoke Moseley Detective Thriller

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4 star:		(1)
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Overwhelmed by an abundance of cold cases, Miami homicide detective Hoke Moseley retreats into a fugue state, abandons his pregnant partner and housemate Ellita Sanchez and his two daughters to seek a simpler life managing his father's apartment complex in Riviera Beach.

Meanwhile, Stanley Sinkiewicz, an elderly Ford Motor retiree who spends a night in jail on a false charge which prompts his wife to leave him, makes the acquaintance of Troy Louden, a cold-blooded killer who adds a new dimension to his life.

Stanley does a favor for Louden, which results in his release from jail. The two then embark on an odyssey which can only lead to disaster.

Hoke soon finds the simple life is easier to envision than to envelop. Coping with a job offer from the local police, a string of local burglaries and a daughter with an eating disorder puts him back on the path home.

But--before he gets there--Louden, Sinkiewicz, a grotesquely disfigured stripper and an artist with questionable talent launch a crime spree that comes full-circle into his sphere for a surprising climax.

Like others in the series, Sideswipe is packed with action and wry off-beat humor. Elmore Leonard says no one writes a better crime novel. Who am I to argue with that?

Black humor's best friend--author Charles Willeford--created a memorable character in everyman detective, Hoke Moseley. Only 4 Moseley novels were written before Willeford died--and that's the sole negative and only disappointment of this short series. Sideswipe may be the best of the quartet, but do yourself a favor and read them sequentially. Sure they may seem dated as the Miami of 2010 in no way reflects Miami of the 1980s, but that doesn't diminish their delight. Willeford had a great touch creating almost-likable but ultimately abominable sociopaths, like Troy Lauden. As evil as this cretin is, you can't help but chuckle at his comic interactions with his misfit gang of unwitting thieves. Remember, however, that black humor, along with a farcical side, is not without its gruesomeness.

Walter Mosley referred to Charles Willeford in an interview as someone he liked to read. That was a good enough recommendation for me.

Wow! Vivid, clear writing. Characters that are less than perfect human beings, whose foibles are not necessarily endearing. The psychopath was absolutely fascinating to observe.

The not improbable behaviors of the people in the plot end in a satisfying conclusion.

A unique voice. I'm going on to his other books.

I got this book in a box of old books someone gave me. It was a fast paced, great read. My only complaint was the very last line of the book. I didn't reall get it. What happened to the old man, he wasn't completely guilty and where DID he get those cyanide pills from??

Loved it. I really enjoy Willeford's writing and the feel of seedy Florida in his books