The Long Fall

Full disclosure, I listened to the Audio book version of this novel read by Mirron Willis who, I am not a big fan of which may have swayed my verdict of this book just a little. That being said, this was a tough one to get through. I've been trying to read/listen to more novels by POC lately and this is the second novel I read by Walter Mosley and the first with this character Leonid Mcgill a unique but pretty unlikable character. He doesn't allow himself any happiness or room for reprieve from his difficult life and past transgressions just nearly constant misery. The story which seemed really drawn-out despite not being very long and the motive for the murders was exposed half way through the story but it continues on as if their is more to discover with subplots that don't quite further the main story. The disjointed nature of the storytelling was not a pleasurable experience as I had to keep going back to make sure that I didn't miss the point when the story took those sudden unexpected right turns, it seemed to be an attempt to provide background and substance to the Mcgill character but it was just confusing. His home-life with loveless marriage and the kids that aren't his own didn't really add to the story just like some odd Stepford situation, along with the woman that works at his office that he's involved with it would have seemed that she would be a bigger part of the story but after her introduction she is barely mentioned again. Like I stated at the start Mirron Willis reads the audiobook version was a bad choice to portray Leonid Mcgill; a short 50-something amateur boxer who up until recently spent his life conning and scheming others out of their money among other unlawful activity, is a very raw, cunning, street-smart, serious character and hearing Willis use Ebonics and street slang is totally unconvincing and ruined the illusion for me. Overall this was a disappointing read because of the disjointed nature of the story, the audiobook narrator and the final reveal was very very underwhelming as padded subplots seem to take priority over the main mystery, maybe after some time I'll give Mcgill a chance at redemption.