Sideswipe

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?

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

Charles Willeford has definitely improved with age. His earlier works were a mixed bag. Competent, but no humour. However since the 1980s Willeford has developed a sense of humour which matches his ability to crank out good crime stories, complete with memorable characters. 'Sideswipe' carries on in this tradition.In 'Sideswipe' with have a violent ex-con, a disfigured ex-stripper, a retiree who just lost his wife, and a talentless artist caught up in some shenanigans. Solving the caper is Hoke Moseley, our quirky cop from the novel 'Miami Blues'. Actually most of 'Sideswipe' concentrates on Hoke and his odd family whereas the crime story itself is a relatively minor element to the book. But overall it works well. The overall effect is funny without being stupid.Bottom line: competent and fun.

If you're wondering whether or not it is necessary to've read the first two Hoke Mosley books to appreciate Sideswipe...the answer is a resounding NO. This was my first Hoke book & I absolutely loved it. Willeford had an amazing gift. I never found myself wondering where the story was going. It didn't matter...his storytelling abilities are that good. If the book ever seems slow, it is because Willeford actually takes the time to let you become familiar with the characters. Sideswipe is, on occasion, ugly, but it is more often hilarious. Willeford has a way of making his heroes flawed enough to make them believable. I will read the other Hoke Mosley books, without trepidation, because of what I found in Sideswipe. The quirks of Hoke, Troy, Stanley & the other characters steal the show from the actual mystery. It's almost as if the criminal events were created as a stage to showcase these bizarre characters. The strength of Willeford lies not in the story itself, but more often in the telling of that story. I don't like to give away anything in my reviews, just enjoy a wonderful book.

One of my favorite Willeford books. From start to finish, it never loses steam. The character of Stanley Sinkiewicz (Pop) is one of the funniest and most enjoyable characters in the crime novel genre. Troy Louden is a brilliantly structured psychopath. Troy and Pop create the most unlikely duo in crime, but you cannot get enough of them. Hoke's unsuccessful attempts at a very early retirement are hilarious as is his inept but somehow effective parenting of his two daughters. You can not go wrong with this one, folks!!