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Hap and Leonard #2
Mucho Mojo
Hap and Leonard return in this incredible, mad-dash thriller, loaded with crack addicts, a serial killer, and a serious body count.
Leonard is still nursing the injuries he sustained in the duo's latest escapade when he learns that his uncle Chester has passed. Hap is of course going to be there for his best friend, but when the two of them clean up Uncle Chester's dilapidated house, they uncover a dark little secret beneath the house's rotting floorboards: a small skeleton buried in a trunk.
Hap wants to call the police. Leonard, being a black man in East Texas, persuades him this is not a good idea, and together they set out to clear Chester's name on their own. The only things standing in their way are a houseful of felons, a vicious killer, and possibly themselves.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1994
120 people are currently reading
1989 people want to read
About the author
Joe R. Lansdale
818 books3,834 followersChampion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
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January 26, 2024
VOODOO CHILE
Albero delle bottiglie, per imprigionare gli spiriti cattivi.
Seconda apparizione della più improbabile coppia di detective dilettanti della storia letteraria, il bianco Hap Collins e il nero Leonard Pine, il primo tombeur de femmes suo malgrado (poco malgrado), l’altro gay non particolarmente attivo, il primo ex obiettore di coscienza (per la qual cosa si fa un anno e mezzo di carcere), l’altro invece veterano del Vietnam.
Lansdale ci fa sapere che è la sua storia preferita tra tutte, la migliore della serie Hap & Leonard, ma forse anche la sua migliore in assoluto.
Ecco la spiegazione del titolo:
Arrivammo all'albero bottiglia e restammo a guardare le macerie annerite e fumanti della casa.
Mucho mojo,” disse Florida.
“Cosa?”
“Molta magia cattiva”, tradusse lei. “La casa dei vostri vicini era mucho mojo. Ne parlava sempre mia nonna. Mojo è un termine africano per magia”.
“Credevo significasse sesso”, dissi.
“Perché ascolti la musica blues”, disse lei. “Sì, è il sesso, o gli organi sessuali. Ma in una accezione più larga. Cioè il sesso è una specie di magia. Mojo significa magia. Mia nonna sapeva un po’ di spagnolo, e quando le cose andavano male, diceva mucho mojo. Mucho in spagnolo sta per molto. Mojo in africano per magia. Però lei intendeva dire magia cattiva. Per lei mojo è sempre stato un termine negativo".
In pratica, molto vudù.
La storia è nera, torbida, tenebrosa: forme esasperate di religione che spingono ad atti di macabra violenza su vittime molto più che innocenti: eppure Lansdale la racconta e si muove tra i momenti topici come se stesse raccogliendo rose.
La lettura scivola giù come un bicchiere d’acqua fresca dopo una corsa sotto il solleone. Scivola con gusto e piacere, e regala parecchi sorrisi: l’umorismo di Lansdale è una delizia, sicuramente più greve di quello british, ma non meno efficace.
È ambientata, anche questa, nell’est del Texas che per vari aspetti a me evoca luoghi del sud degli States come per esempio la Louisiana.
Hap e Leonard sono una coppia per certi versi assurda, in realtà amalgamata benissimo: sono una coppia di personaggi che trovo davvero simpatica, non mi capita spesso di affezionarmi così tanto a due figure nate sulla carta.
A parte, s’intende, Marco Buratti aka Alligatore e Beniamino Rossini.
Albero delle bottiglie, per imprigionare gli spiriti cattivi.
Seconda apparizione della più improbabile coppia di detective dilettanti della storia letteraria, il bianco Hap Collins e il nero Leonard Pine, il primo tombeur de femmes suo malgrado (poco malgrado), l’altro gay non particolarmente attivo, il primo ex obiettore di coscienza (per la qual cosa si fa un anno e mezzo di carcere), l’altro invece veterano del Vietnam.
Lansdale ci fa sapere che è la sua storia preferita tra tutte, la migliore della serie Hap & Leonard, ma forse anche la sua migliore in assoluto.
Ecco la spiegazione del titolo:
Arrivammo all'albero bottiglia e restammo a guardare le macerie annerite e fumanti della casa.
Mucho mojo,” disse Florida.
“Cosa?”
“Molta magia cattiva”, tradusse lei. “La casa dei vostri vicini era mucho mojo. Ne parlava sempre mia nonna. Mojo è un termine africano per magia”.
“Credevo significasse sesso”, dissi.
“Perché ascolti la musica blues”, disse lei. “Sì, è il sesso, o gli organi sessuali. Ma in una accezione più larga. Cioè il sesso è una specie di magia. Mojo significa magia. Mia nonna sapeva un po’ di spagnolo, e quando le cose andavano male, diceva mucho mojo. Mucho in spagnolo sta per molto. Mojo in africano per magia. Però lei intendeva dire magia cattiva. Per lei mojo è sempre stato un termine negativo".
In pratica, molto vudù.
La storia è nera, torbida, tenebrosa: forme esasperate di religione che spingono ad atti di macabra violenza su vittime molto più che innocenti: eppure Lansdale la racconta e si muove tra i momenti topici come se stesse raccogliendo rose.
La lettura scivola giù come un bicchiere d’acqua fresca dopo una corsa sotto il solleone. Scivola con gusto e piacere, e regala parecchi sorrisi: l’umorismo di Lansdale è una delizia, sicuramente più greve di quello british, ma non meno efficace.
È ambientata, anche questa, nell’est del Texas che per vari aspetti a me evoca luoghi del sud degli States come per esempio la Louisiana.
Hap e Leonard sono una coppia per certi versi assurda, in realtà amalgamata benissimo: sono una coppia di personaggi che trovo davvero simpatica, non mi capita spesso di affezionarmi così tanto a due figure nate sulla carta.
A parte, s’intende, Marco Buratti aka Alligatore e Beniamino Rossini.
August 15, 2015
If you are very politically correct just don't even plan on reading this series. Joe Lansdale manages to offend pretty much every sensibility you will have. He doesn't really care either.
Hap's working in the rose fields when his pal Leonard comes to get him. Hap doesn't mind because he hates the job anyways. So he cusses his boss and goes off with Leonard. Leonard's uncle has died and he wants Hap to go to the funeral with him.
They find out that his uncle has left Leonard his house and a chunk of money. Hap is now jobless so Leonard offers to keep him in toilet paper and hamburgers if he will help him clean up the house so he can sell it.
The crack house next door comes to our heroes attention. Attitude adjustments happen.
Then they find a young child's body in the uncle's house. They begin searching for answers to clear Leonard's uncle's name. The fun is just beginning for the dynamic duo. Several young kids from the neighborhood have gone missing.
I've learned quite a bit from these books.
Like when Leonard says "Stand back, motherfuckers"
It's probably a good idea to stand back.
And from Hap: Another bad thing about a holding cell is you don't exactly meet a great crowd of people. A lot of them are criminals.
Not that our boys would know anything about that.
Hap's working in the rose fields when his pal Leonard comes to get him. Hap doesn't mind because he hates the job anyways. So he cusses his boss and goes off with Leonard. Leonard's uncle has died and he wants Hap to go to the funeral with him.
They find out that his uncle has left Leonard his house and a chunk of money. Hap is now jobless so Leonard offers to keep him in toilet paper and hamburgers if he will help him clean up the house so he can sell it.
The crack house next door comes to our heroes attention. Attitude adjustments happen.
Then they find a young child's body in the uncle's house. They begin searching for answers to clear Leonard's uncle's name. The fun is just beginning for the dynamic duo. Several young kids from the neighborhood have gone missing.
I've learned quite a bit from these books.
Like when Leonard says "Stand back, motherfuckers"
It's probably a good idea to stand back.
And from Hap: Another bad thing about a holding cell is you don't exactly meet a great crowd of people. A lot of them are criminals.
Not that our boys would know anything about that.
August 29, 2014
When Leonard's Uncle Chester dies and leaves him a house, Hap and Leonard move in in order to fix it up and find a child's skeleton wrapped in a porno mag. Was Uncle Chester a child predator or was someone else the killer? And does it have anything to do with the crackhouse next door?
2014 Reread
Here we are, the second book in Joe Lansdale's redneck noir adventures of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. While I had vague recollections of reading this sometime around the turn of the century, it was mostly a new book.
Leonard's Uncle Chester dies so the boys pack up and head to LaBorde to settle his affairs. While repairing his house, they stumble upon a child's skeleton and uncover a wasp's nest of religious-themed serial killing that has been going on for decades.
While the first book wasn't quite firing on all cylinders, this one roared down the track like one of those crazy tractors with four or five engines on it. Hap and Leonard's investigations come from the Spenser school of walking around, pissing people off, and eventually having the case come together in the midst of some bloodshed.
Some longtime supporting cast members were introduced in this volume, like Marvin Hanson and Florida. Marvin is also the star of Act of Love, a Lansdale that I still have yet to read but own at least two copies of. Like most of the early Hap and Leonard's, Hap and Leonard do a lot of philosophizing when they're not cracking wise or cracking skulls. This may account for the brevity of later volumes when Hap isn't such a bleeding heart. Also, this is the first time Leonard burns down a crackhouse, something that happens at least two more times in the series if I remember correctly.
The mystery is fairly intricate. I guessed part of it, both the first time and this time but forgot some of the wrinkles. I guess I'm lucky I remembered the details that I did considering it's probably been over a decade since I first read it. In fact, if the girlfriend I'd let borrow this book sometime years ago hadn't left a couple post-its in the book with notes on them, I probably would have been a little further afield than I was when all the shit went down.
Funny thing, I completely forgot about one character's death and was surprised when another one lived. Like I've said before, old books magically become new books once enough time passes.
Lansdale's really shows his chops in this one, writing like a backwoods Elmore Leonard. When the killers are revealed, their motives make a certain amount of sense, to me and Hap, at least. Leonard's not as kind was we are. The contrasting personalities of Hap and Leonard set them a cut above other buddy teams for my money.
Mucho Mojo is one of the best books of one of my favorite series. Five out of five stars.
2014 Reread
Here we are, the second book in Joe Lansdale's redneck noir adventures of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. While I had vague recollections of reading this sometime around the turn of the century, it was mostly a new book.
Leonard's Uncle Chester dies so the boys pack up and head to LaBorde to settle his affairs. While repairing his house, they stumble upon a child's skeleton and uncover a wasp's nest of religious-themed serial killing that has been going on for decades.
While the first book wasn't quite firing on all cylinders, this one roared down the track like one of those crazy tractors with four or five engines on it. Hap and Leonard's investigations come from the Spenser school of walking around, pissing people off, and eventually having the case come together in the midst of some bloodshed.
Some longtime supporting cast members were introduced in this volume, like Marvin Hanson and Florida. Marvin is also the star of Act of Love, a Lansdale that I still have yet to read but own at least two copies of. Like most of the early Hap and Leonard's, Hap and Leonard do a lot of philosophizing when they're not cracking wise or cracking skulls. This may account for the brevity of later volumes when Hap isn't such a bleeding heart. Also, this is the first time Leonard burns down a crackhouse, something that happens at least two more times in the series if I remember correctly.
The mystery is fairly intricate. I guessed part of it, both the first time and this time but forgot some of the wrinkles. I guess I'm lucky I remembered the details that I did considering it's probably been over a decade since I first read it. In fact, if the girlfriend I'd let borrow this book sometime years ago hadn't left a couple post-its in the book with notes on them, I probably would have been a little further afield than I was when all the shit went down.
Funny thing, I completely forgot about one character's death and was surprised when another one lived. Like I've said before, old books magically become new books once enough time passes.
Lansdale's really shows his chops in this one, writing like a backwoods Elmore Leonard. When the killers are revealed, their motives make a certain amount of sense, to me and Hap, at least. Leonard's not as kind was we are. The contrasting personalities of Hap and Leonard set them a cut above other buddy teams for my money.
Mucho Mojo is one of the best books of one of my favorite series. Five out of five stars.
March 14, 2022
Novela protagonizada por Hap Collins y Leonard Pine, segunda de la serie, con una atractiva trama detectivesca ambientada en el Texas en los años 90 y en la que se ponen de manifiesto las injusticias que sufren los más vulnerables: niños, pobres y víctimas del racismo. Buen desarrollo de personajes y cautivadores diálogos que resaltan con grandes dosis de humor negro la complicidad y carisma de los protagonistas.
Un novela muy ágil, divertida y cautivadora.
Un novela muy ágil, divertida y cautivadora.
May 23, 2022
"Hap, my man, there is evil in the world. True evil. It doesn’t twirl its mustache and it doesn’t wear black and it doesn’t slink and it doesn’t come in any one color or sex. Sometimes evil comes from good places, like MeMaw, and sometimes it can wear all kinds of good faces and talk good as anyone can talk, but it’s just a face and it’s just talk. Evil’s real, man. Same as good.”
4.5 ⭐
Initial Thoughts
After reading Savage Season, the first installment of Joe R. Lansdale's Hap/Leonard series, it didn't take me long to dive back in. Mucho Mojo is book number two and picks up right where the other left off, as we're back with East Texas' most unlikely duo.
I was really taken by the pair of amateur crime fighters, who despite being rough around the edges have the hearts well and truly in the right place and a sense of humour that had me in absolute stitches. Lansdale has a brilliant sense of humour and knows how to integrate this into his stories in a completely natural way. He's always a complete pleasure to read and I'm expecting Mucho Mojo to be no different.
The Story
The tale begins in a scorching rose field in East Texas where our boy, Hap Collins, is working his ass off for very little money. His best bud Leonard Pine is still nursing wounds from what happened in the last novel. Absolute carnage. But that's the least of his problems when his Uncle Chester passes away and he needs Hap to go to the funeral with him. Well what are friends for?
"Uncle Chester came back into Leonard’s life, came back after he was dead like some kind of ghost. And not a happy one.
When Leonard inherits his Uncle's property, which is in the rough part with drug dealers for neighbors, Hap moves in to help with fixing the place up. Everything runs smoothly until they're ripping out the floorboards and a trunk beneath the house, which is the beginning of a mystery that will take the pair to some very dark places. Doing battle on a number of fronts, never loosing their awesome sense of humour, while kicking ass and taking names.
The Writing
Right to the point, Joe Lansdale is a great, great storyteller. He has a very distinct voice that's compelling yet unpretentious. It's so authentic and fits these style of stories perfectly. What style is that? Let's say redneck noir.
His actual prose are very straightforward yet he never struggles to conjure a sweaty and stifling Texas backdrop. It's literally as if you can step right into one of those down and dirty bars, grab a beer before having a throw down with some of the local clientele. Lansdale is certainly writing what he knows and it really shows.
"I took a minute to make fun of Leonard, just so he knew I loved him, and he showed me his middle finger to show he cared about me too."
As with Savage Season, the dialogue is again the highlight for me. Lansdale has such a skill at creating witty, believable and absolutely hilarious dialogue. I don't normally giggle when reading a book, but this one caught me out a few times and I had to grab a tissue I was laughing so hard.
But it's certainly not all belly laughs as throughout the book is a depth of emotion that ranges from that jaw dropping humour, to heart warming moments and the pits of darkness. Lansdale has this unique ability of varying the tone of a book consistently where before the comedy starts to get too much he'll throw in some horror, and when that looks like it might get too much he'll give us a touching moment that really resonates. It's absolutely fantastic.
The Characters
As with Savage Season, Mucho Mojo is told from the perspective of Hap Collins, a middle aged, ex hippy, who is best friends with Leonard Pine, a gay, tough as nails, ex-vietnam vet. An unlikely duo that go together like peanut and jelly (or jam is we call it over here in England). They're relationship is one hundred percent the glue that's holds this series together and the effort and craft Lansdale employs in developing their characters is masterful. The chemistry between them is so realistic and natural you do start to see them as real people who you want to spend time with.
There's also a number of side characters that the author introduces and all are top notch. Particularly Hap's new love interest, Florida, who is so nuanced and layered. Despite being a fast paced novel, Lansdale always give his characters time to breathe and contemplate life. And Florida certainly does this as Lansdale explores some of the mild racist feelings that she holds toward white people, despite being a good person at heart. I really hope we get to see her in the upcoming novels.
Final Thoughts
Mucho Mojo is mucho awesome and a significant improvement on the first in the series. It delivers the same action packed fun that was delivered in Savage Season with a more engaging plot and better, more developed characters.
By the way, Mucho Mojo means "lots of magic" and there's definitely some in this book as Lansdale weaves some literary spells. My only criticism was to do with the ending, but I won't say what it is as that will probably spoil it for you. Then I'll be deserving of a Leonard Pine style ass kicking and I wouldn't complain.
This book is close to a five star, but I have to keep in mind the absolute best of books and not get carried away when rating others. I've often done this in the past. That post book after glow. A bit like something else.
So a very well deserved 4.5 stars. Thanks for reading. Cheers!
August 4, 2019
Sometimes it happens with me. I’m reading a book, often two, even enjoying both, and I come across a book I’d read long ago and--zap!--I’m in reread mode. Hence my reintroduction to Mucho Mojo. Not that the rereading wasn’t in order. It’s next in line to be adapted for the TV series on the Sundance Channel, and it had always been my favorite Hap and Leonard anyway. Reason enough. So this reading just happened ahead of schedule. But, even though it was second entry in the series, Mucho Mojo was my first exposure to both the East Texas duo and their creator, and the first of anything, particularly a positive experience, often magnifies in your memory. I started this book wondering if it was as good as I remembered. Turns out it was better.
The first in the series, Savage Season, was intended to be a one-off, so there were other characters to service. Subsequent novels are a search for new facets within your now-familiar heroes. But a true sequel, four years later yet, allowed Lansdale the leisure to dive deeper in every conceivable way. It’s all there: story, character, atmosphere, philosophy, romance, friendship, prejudice, action--and much more.
The setup is perfect. It allows us to step right into their lives. Leonard inherits a house from a recently deceased uncle, and with Hap at his side, they discover a child’s skeleton. Hap--white, straight, Liberal--wants to call the police immediately. Leonard--black, homosexual, Republican--knows what will follow: a sensational crime in the poor, black section of town; blame Uncle Chester and close the case. But Hap has concerns that Uncle Chester might just be guilty, and Leonard knows for a certainty that such a thought is impossible. The best friends confront conflicting impulses without cliché, and still have each other’s back while working their way through what turns out to be a more far-reaching and appalling series of crimes.
This novel is dense--in a good way. Dense usually means having to wade through unending tangents or excessive wordage to, hopefully, discover the good stuff. In Mucho Mojo, density represents substance. From beginning to end, you are in East Texas with the boys, and will regret having to leave when the novel ends.
The first in the series, Savage Season, was intended to be a one-off, so there were other characters to service. Subsequent novels are a search for new facets within your now-familiar heroes. But a true sequel, four years later yet, allowed Lansdale the leisure to dive deeper in every conceivable way. It’s all there: story, character, atmosphere, philosophy, romance, friendship, prejudice, action--and much more.
The setup is perfect. It allows us to step right into their lives. Leonard inherits a house from a recently deceased uncle, and with Hap at his side, they discover a child’s skeleton. Hap--white, straight, Liberal--wants to call the police immediately. Leonard--black, homosexual, Republican--knows what will follow: a sensational crime in the poor, black section of town; blame Uncle Chester and close the case. But Hap has concerns that Uncle Chester might just be guilty, and Leonard knows for a certainty that such a thought is impossible. The best friends confront conflicting impulses without cliché, and still have each other’s back while working their way through what turns out to be a more far-reaching and appalling series of crimes.
This novel is dense--in a good way. Dense usually means having to wade through unending tangents or excessive wordage to, hopefully, discover the good stuff. In Mucho Mojo, density represents substance. From beginning to end, you are in East Texas with the boys, and will regret having to leave when the novel ends.
March 31, 2016
My favorite rednecks, Hap & Leonard, can’t do anything without it turning into bloody mayhem. Leonard’s Uncle Chester helped raise him, but then coldly disowned him when Leonard told him he was gay. However, after Chester dies, he leaves Leonard his house and a decent sum of money.
Leonard never really got over the way Chester reacted to his coming out, and when the house turns out to be in terrible shape, he wants to live in it to relive a bit of his childhood while he fixes it up to get it ready to sell. Since it’s a bad part of town with a crack house next door, he asks Hap to help out and keep him company. When they make a horrible discovery underneath the floorboards, the guys get sucked into a murder mystery that the cops are ready to pin on Chester posthumously. Leonard doesn’t buy it and is determined to clear his uncle’s name. But they’ll have to do it while feuding with the neighborhood crack dealers.
I’ve seen many Lansdale fans declare this the best of the Hap and Leonard books, and it’s tough to argue with that. (Bad Chili is probably my favorite.) There’s the hilarious politically incorrect dialogue mixed with horrific violence and terrible tragedy. One thing that stands out for me on this one is the nice role reversal Lansdale did here. Since most of the story takes place in a black part of town, Hap is the minority and he often feels out of place, especially while navigating a romance with a black woman who is a little ashamed of dating a white guy.
I always enjoy Hap and Leonard’s sociological debates, too. The bleeding heart, ex-hippie Hap can’t help but make excuses for people, no matter what they’ve done. The black and gay Leonard is always hilarious in his hard-hearted arguments that everyone is responsible for what they become no matter what happens in their past, and he has zero sympathy for anyone that doesn’t meet his standards.
Leonard never really got over the way Chester reacted to his coming out, and when the house turns out to be in terrible shape, he wants to live in it to relive a bit of his childhood while he fixes it up to get it ready to sell. Since it’s a bad part of town with a crack house next door, he asks Hap to help out and keep him company. When they make a horrible discovery underneath the floorboards, the guys get sucked into a murder mystery that the cops are ready to pin on Chester posthumously. Leonard doesn’t buy it and is determined to clear his uncle’s name. But they’ll have to do it while feuding with the neighborhood crack dealers.
I’ve seen many Lansdale fans declare this the best of the Hap and Leonard books, and it’s tough to argue with that. (Bad Chili is probably my favorite.) There’s the hilarious politically incorrect dialogue mixed with horrific violence and terrible tragedy. One thing that stands out for me on this one is the nice role reversal Lansdale did here. Since most of the story takes place in a black part of town, Hap is the minority and he often feels out of place, especially while navigating a romance with a black woman who is a little ashamed of dating a white guy.
I always enjoy Hap and Leonard’s sociological debates, too. The bleeding heart, ex-hippie Hap can’t help but make excuses for people, no matter what they’ve done. The black and gay Leonard is always hilarious in his hard-hearted arguments that everyone is responsible for what they become no matter what happens in their past, and he has zero sympathy for anyone that doesn’t meet his standards.
October 1, 2021
Book 1, SAVAGE SEASON, has this heist thriller vibe and MUCH MOJO takes off into murder mystery territory.
Leonard's uncle dies and he inherits the property. Hap and Leonard make a discovery during renovations which leads the two men down a pretty dark path.
Lansdale does a fine job preserving the levity in Hap & Leonard's dynamic even though the situation they're involved in is extremely grim. The character development goes deeper in this story as the men struggle to find their bearings in an overwhelmingly heavy situation. We get to see their moral compass, their flaws, and strengths.
Much like Lansdale's newest book, MOON LAKE, I noticed the way he touches on themes of racism & homophobia but it's peppered into the narrative and done in a preachy way.
Joe R. Lansdale's storytelling is like a warm blanket. This is my happy place.
Leonard's uncle dies and he inherits the property. Hap and Leonard make a discovery during renovations which leads the two men down a pretty dark path.
Lansdale does a fine job preserving the levity in Hap & Leonard's dynamic even though the situation they're involved in is extremely grim. The character development goes deeper in this story as the men struggle to find their bearings in an overwhelmingly heavy situation. We get to see their moral compass, their flaws, and strengths.
Much like Lansdale's newest book, MOON LAKE, I noticed the way he touches on themes of racism & homophobia but it's peppered into the narrative and done in a preachy way.
Joe R. Lansdale's storytelling is like a warm blanket. This is my happy place.
January 12, 2016
While the first great book in this series,
Savage Season
, focuses a lot on Hap Collins's backstory, this second installment focuses a bit more on Leonard's past and the town that he grew up in. Hap owes Leonard after getting him involved in the violent events of the first book so he agrees to accompany his buddy to the funeral of Leonard's estranged Uncle Chester. After the funeral, the boys are cleaning up Chester's old, run-down house and discover a skeleton and a stash of kiddie porn stuffed into a box under the floorboards. Leonard wants to learn the truth, so the two decide to try detective work on for size and get to the bottom of it all.
Once again, the two good ol' boys are a joy to read. I would read anything with these characters. At this point, if one of the subsequent books in the series turns out to be a 700-page tome about Hap and Leonard sitting in a boat the whole time trying to catch a catfish, I'd still read it in a heartbeat! Lansdale is a stunning writer. He has a real knack for finding the perfect combination of tone in his work (at least in the three books I've read so far). He's able to balance tender moments of real connection between friends with intriguing mystery, and with the perfect blend of humor. The books are downright funny sometimes without feeling forced. The humor seems to come naturally and the book never feels like it's trying to hard to be in the quirky humor crime genre. I think that's what I love about the characters Hap and Leonard, the balance and the ease of their characterization. They're funny while not trying to be and they're tough dudes while not having to be hard-boiled. I mean Hap actually seeks out non-alcoholic beer!
Anyway, this is another great Southern thriller by Joe R. Lansdale, who really is an awesome storyteller. I'm glad I still have a plethora of books written by him to choose from!
Once again, the two good ol' boys are a joy to read. I would read anything with these characters. At this point, if one of the subsequent books in the series turns out to be a 700-page tome about Hap and Leonard sitting in a boat the whole time trying to catch a catfish, I'd still read it in a heartbeat! Lansdale is a stunning writer. He has a real knack for finding the perfect combination of tone in his work (at least in the three books I've read so far). He's able to balance tender moments of real connection between friends with intriguing mystery, and with the perfect blend of humor. The books are downright funny sometimes without feeling forced. The humor seems to come naturally and the book never feels like it's trying to hard to be in the quirky humor crime genre. I think that's what I love about the characters Hap and Leonard, the balance and the ease of their characterization. They're funny while not trying to be and they're tough dudes while not having to be hard-boiled. I mean Hap actually seeks out non-alcoholic beer!
Anyway, this is another great Southern thriller by Joe R. Lansdale, who really is an awesome storyteller. I'm glad I still have a plethora of books written by him to choose from!
January 13, 2016
'Hap, my man, there is evil in the world. True evil. It doesn't twirl its mustache and it doesn't wear black and it doesn't slink and it doesn't come in any one color or sex.'
The quote pretty much sums up what this book is about. If you are easily offended this is definitely not a story for you. I don't think Lansdale missed anyone. Let's be nice to each other doesn't really work when it comes to racists, drug dealers, homophobes and so on, no matter what you want.
Leonard inherits a house, a copy of Dracula and a bunch of coupons from his uncle Chester. The house is a mess ("There's roaches in here big enough to own property," Leonard said. "I know. One just helped me carry the trash out.") Also, there is a skeleton under the floor they were fixing. There are other, disturbing things buried with that small skeleton too.
To clear his uncle's name Leonard decides to dig deeper. Hap is there to help, of course. Horrible things are happening in that neighbourhood but nobody seems to care. Well, few overworked cops can't make any difference when most of them don't care what they do in their part of the town.
I guessed pretty soon who is guilty, but that didn't make any difference in how good this books is. Hap and Leonard's banter, their bickering with almost everyone they meet, their conversation over the heads of the people that annoy them, the bitter-sweet and dark humour, their unbreakable bond and friendship, it is all here.
I only wish Hap is not this much of a jinx when it comes to certain things in life but I'm guessing that won't change. It's part of his charm. Leonard doesn't need any change as far as I am concerned.
September 17, 2024
I'm two books into this series and so far they've been fun, but nowhere near the amazingness of (most of) his stand alone novels.
At least not yet....
3 1/2 Satisfactory Stars
At least not yet....
3 1/2 Satisfactory Stars
August 9, 2020
This series is laugh out loud funny and Hap and Leonard are a brilliant pair of characters. I haven’t seen the tv show but don’t feel the need to either!
September 4, 2014
Watching the very good adaptation of Joe Lansdale's Cold in July the other night reminded me that I always meant to get stuck in to a second Hap & Leonard story after only finding the first one so-so, I;m very happy to say that Lansdale really stepped it up a gear second time out to bat with Mucho Mojo. Man I love me a mixed sporting metaphor.
Hap and Leonard, a black guy and a white guy, a gay guy and a straight guy, two assholes who don't necessarily have a heart of gold or agree with each other on just about anything but are willing to do put their lives on the line to track down the man who has been killing unloved black children and getting away with it for the past ten years.
Somehow Lansdale has managed to blend truly dark subject matter with humourous dialogue without making light of the scenario, he has created two characters who love each other and love to irritate each other, creating a dynamic that is irresistible to even the most experienced of noir readers. Not only do they jive talk whilst solving a mystery they enter in to heated sociological debates and observe the life of their town, it's stuff like that that lifts this series to the next level in noir circles, moves it beyond mere thriller or mystery territory. Hap and Leonard are living breathing characters and they won't hesitate to let you know about it.
To anyone paying attention, how important is it to read this series in order? I have book 5 on my shelf but no sign of 3 or 4 just yet.
Hap and Leonard, a black guy and a white guy, a gay guy and a straight guy, two assholes who don't necessarily have a heart of gold or agree with each other on just about anything but are willing to do put their lives on the line to track down the man who has been killing unloved black children and getting away with it for the past ten years.
Somehow Lansdale has managed to blend truly dark subject matter with humourous dialogue without making light of the scenario, he has created two characters who love each other and love to irritate each other, creating a dynamic that is irresistible to even the most experienced of noir readers. Not only do they jive talk whilst solving a mystery they enter in to heated sociological debates and observe the life of their town, it's stuff like that that lifts this series to the next level in noir circles, moves it beyond mere thriller or mystery territory. Hap and Leonard are living breathing characters and they won't hesitate to let you know about it.
To anyone paying attention, how important is it to read this series in order? I have book 5 on my shelf but no sign of 3 or 4 just yet.
February 8, 2019
“ Mojo è un termine africano per magia”.
“Credevo significasse sesso”, dissi.
“Perché ascolti la musica blues”, disse lei. “Sì, è il sesso, o gli organi sessuali. Ma in una accezione più larga. Cioè il sesso è una specie di magia. Mojo significa magia. Mia nonna sapeva un po’ di spagnolo, e quando le cose andavano male, diceva mucho mojo. Mucho in spagnolo sta per molto. Mojo in africano per magia. Però lei intendeva dire magia cattiva .
Per lei mojo è sempre stato un termine negativo".»
In Mucho mojo c'è un bel po'di magia cattiva :
la malvagità di spacciatori di crack, rumorosi vicini di casa, in attività giorno e notte ,con clienti poco più che bambini e le crudeli efferatezze di psicopatici pedofili che compiono omicidi rituali
(con ossa e cadaveri seppelliti sotto i gradini di una vecchia casa nel bosco)
Però c'è anche mojo nell'accezione blues -il picnic (!)-
e soprattutto ci sono Hap & Leonard con i loro divertenti botta e risposta , che all'improvviso ti fanno sghignazzare, in un mix ben riuscito di humour e crime story
La storia si arrampica ,ci sono tornanti mozzafiato, molto veloci , non ci si annoia un minuto e
non si vede l'ora di arrivare in cima
Adrenalinico !
4 stelle
August 4, 2022
this actually is: JOE R. LANSDALE'S - MUCHO MOJO: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
(there is no ISBN at this time)
HAP AND LEONARD- MUCHO MOJO : GRAPHIC NOVEL of
Novel written by: JOE R LANSDALE
Illustrated by: Jussi Piironen
Published: August, 1, 2022 by Dead Sky Publishing / STYGIAN SKY MEDIA
Wonderfully brought to life through the marvelous brush of Finnish illustrator, Jussi Piironen … the British Fantasy Award Winning novel shines again. This is the second in a series of Hap And Leonard crime novels by the multi-award winning author, Joe R Lansdale . Personally I’ve read and enjoyed the novel upon it’s publication in 1994, and welcomed and enjoyed a different media approach. This graphic novel adaptation maintains and enhances the original dark noir novel with perpetuation of its intrigue, suspense and humor. Hap and Leonard are lifelong friend’s. When Leonard’s favorite Uncle Chester dies, he summons Hap to help him get through the funeral and aid him in cleaning up and repairing the house willed to him. In addition to the house, Leonard is bequeathed one hundred-thousand dollars and a key to safe deposit box. Upon clearing the dilapidated house, they discover a surprise beneath rotting floor boards.A child’s skeleton is buried in a trunk …. wrapped in child porn and accompanied by a Psalm. Leonard cannot believe that his Uncle Chester was a murderer. Together they set out to clear Chester’s name, initially without the aid of the police. This unlikely detective duo uncover and open dark doors to the past. Along the way, while trying to uncover the identity of a child serial killer, they are thwarted by crack heads and dealers, and a multitude of thieves and suspicious law enforcement. Multiple twists and surprise reveals ramp up the intrigue and menace … with intermittent humorous reliefs provided by the ongoing banter between the best friends. This graphic novel expertly explores friendship, race relations, sexual orientation, along with the dark side and depravity of human behavior.
Thanks to Dead Sky Publishing and Stygian Sky Media for proving an Advance Copy of this enjoyable graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
(there is no ISBN at this time)
HAP AND LEONARD- MUCHO MOJO : GRAPHIC NOVEL of
Novel written by: JOE R LANSDALE
Illustrated by: Jussi Piironen
Published: August, 1, 2022 by Dead Sky Publishing / STYGIAN SKY MEDIA
Wonderfully brought to life through the marvelous brush of Finnish illustrator, Jussi Piironen … the British Fantasy Award Winning novel shines again. This is the second in a series of Hap And Leonard crime novels by the multi-award winning author, Joe R Lansdale . Personally I’ve read and enjoyed the novel upon it’s publication in 1994, and welcomed and enjoyed a different media approach. This graphic novel adaptation maintains and enhances the original dark noir novel with perpetuation of its intrigue, suspense and humor. Hap and Leonard are lifelong friend’s. When Leonard’s favorite Uncle Chester dies, he summons Hap to help him get through the funeral and aid him in cleaning up and repairing the house willed to him. In addition to the house, Leonard is bequeathed one hundred-thousand dollars and a key to safe deposit box. Upon clearing the dilapidated house, they discover a surprise beneath rotting floor boards.A child’s skeleton is buried in a trunk …. wrapped in child porn and accompanied by a Psalm. Leonard cannot believe that his Uncle Chester was a murderer. Together they set out to clear Chester’s name, initially without the aid of the police. This unlikely detective duo uncover and open dark doors to the past. Along the way, while trying to uncover the identity of a child serial killer, they are thwarted by crack heads and dealers, and a multitude of thieves and suspicious law enforcement. Multiple twists and surprise reveals ramp up the intrigue and menace … with intermittent humorous reliefs provided by the ongoing banter between the best friends. This graphic novel expertly explores friendship, race relations, sexual orientation, along with the dark side and depravity of human behavior.
Thanks to Dead Sky Publishing and Stygian Sky Media for proving an Advance Copy of this enjoyable graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2017
This second Hap and Leonard novel was a bit of a departure from the first as the protagonists seem to move out of the world of petty crime to become, essentially, amateur detectives. Yes, this was a detective novel centered around the grisly discovery of a child’s body in Leonard’s dead uncle’s basement. And while I happened to see the big twist at the end coming from just past the halfway point of the book, Lansdale’s writing is so infinitely readable, it almost didn’t matter. As is the case in Mucho Mojo, it’s all about the journey and not the destination. It’s all about the characters and not the sets.
My only complaint is that sometimes, we veer off into more philosophical areas, discussing things like race, class, good v. evil, etc. While the (sometimes) conflicting views on these subjects are important insomuch as they inform the characters and their decisions, the novel often STOPS completely to discuss such things, creating a whole scene around such a dialogue instead of weaving it into the scene so that it feels more natural. It’s not so much the WHAT or WHY these digressions came up, but the HOW that bothered me. It doesn’t happen all the time, just enough for me to notice.
All in all, this was not as good as Savage Season, but it was far far from being bad. Looking forward to picking up the next Hap and Leonard title.
My only complaint is that sometimes, we veer off into more philosophical areas, discussing things like race, class, good v. evil, etc. While the (sometimes) conflicting views on these subjects are important insomuch as they inform the characters and their decisions, the novel often STOPS completely to discuss such things, creating a whole scene around such a dialogue instead of weaving it into the scene so that it feels more natural. It’s not so much the WHAT or WHY these digressions came up, but the HOW that bothered me. It doesn’t happen all the time, just enough for me to notice.
All in all, this was not as good as Savage Season, but it was far far from being bad. Looking forward to picking up the next Hap and Leonard title.
January 30, 2024
This second entry in the 'Hap / Leonard Series' is as potent as the 1st. But it's very much its own animal.
It's not necessary to have read what went before - though there are a few moments that may resonate in a bittersweet way with prior knowledge. Not at all mandatory, though.
I imagine it takes some clever navigation effort for a writer when it comes to, on the one hand, thinking 'stand alone' while, at the same time, dealing with 'How will people believe that a whole bunch of terrible things could happen to the same two, 'inconsequential' guys over and over and over?'
But I guess that's the deal you make with an author when it comes to a series. Lansdale sets out to make the unlikely real. He walks a fine line with it, blending the believable with dark elements that can only be explosive if you scratch them.
With 'Mucho Mojo', Lansdale captivates while throwing curve balls that, on the surface, feel like dead ends. In the first half of the book, this results in a slow-burn feel. For a long time, you can't quite put your finger on a pulse. In that sense, 'MM' can feel less propulsive than the series debut, 'Savage Season' - where things seem to crackle more quickly.
Still, there's no filler. Lansdale takes the opportunity to let us get to know both Hap and Leonard better, now that we've been introduced. If you're like me, you'll like being in their company - so the time can seem to pass pleasurably.
~ until, of course, things begin to turn freaky. Once that starts, 'MM' begins to move more like an express train without local stops. I read most of the second half of this book in one jittery sitting that kept me up past my bedtime.
I was especially taken with Hap and Leonard's reluctance to bring the police into something that screams 'Set-up!':
All of this comes with Lansdale's resident humor. In one significant, fever-pitch episode - in which the last thing that feels required is ping-ponging jokes - Lansdale plunges ahead with the kind of ripostes worthy of a Coen Brothers flick.
Where all of this ultimately leads is to the kind of 'twisted' that may not be all that easy to buy outright. It depends on how easily you accept that the unthinkable is thinkable. Lansdale seems to believe it is. I've no reason not to agree. This time out, I'll again take him at his word.
It's not necessary to have read what went before - though there are a few moments that may resonate in a bittersweet way with prior knowledge. Not at all mandatory, though.
I imagine it takes some clever navigation effort for a writer when it comes to, on the one hand, thinking 'stand alone' while, at the same time, dealing with 'How will people believe that a whole bunch of terrible things could happen to the same two, 'inconsequential' guys over and over and over?'
But I guess that's the deal you make with an author when it comes to a series. Lansdale sets out to make the unlikely real. He walks a fine line with it, blending the believable with dark elements that can only be explosive if you scratch them.
With 'Mucho Mojo', Lansdale captivates while throwing curve balls that, on the surface, feel like dead ends. In the first half of the book, this results in a slow-burn feel. For a long time, you can't quite put your finger on a pulse. In that sense, 'MM' can feel less propulsive than the series debut, 'Savage Season' - where things seem to crackle more quickly.
Still, there's no filler. Lansdale takes the opportunity to let us get to know both Hap and Leonard better, now that we've been introduced. If you're like me, you'll like being in their company - so the time can seem to pass pleasurably.
~ until, of course, things begin to turn freaky. Once that starts, 'MM' begins to move more like an express train without local stops. I read most of the second half of this book in one jittery sitting that kept me up past my bedtime.
I was especially taken with Hap and Leonard's reluctance to bring the police into something that screams 'Set-up!':
"It's more a thing makes the police force look stupid. Justice seldom overrides embarrassment."How they circumvent in order to undo duplicity makes for a nerve-racking balancing act.
All of this comes with Lansdale's resident humor. In one significant, fever-pitch episode - in which the last thing that feels required is ping-ponging jokes - Lansdale plunges ahead with the kind of ripostes worthy of a Coen Brothers flick.
Where all of this ultimately leads is to the kind of 'twisted' that may not be all that easy to buy outright. It depends on how easily you accept that the unthinkable is thinkable. Lansdale seems to believe it is. I've no reason not to agree. This time out, I'll again take him at his word.
February 12, 2013
I enjoyed this a lot more than book one, and it's because the actual protagonist of book one is Trudy, Hap's ex-wife. It is Trudy's actions that drive the plot, and Hap and Leonard function as narrative focalizers; responding to and framing our impressions of the events she initiates. This left me adrift and wanting, because Trudy remains to a great degree an unknown quantity, and her motivations are not always fully realized..
In contrast, in Mucho Mojo Hap and Leonard are clearly the driving force behind the events. This was far more satisfying. Saying this, however, I wonder if this was a book that would have been better experienced in its original time. The book is from 1995. Nearly twenty years ago I think I would have been more heartbroken by .
However, whatever deficiencies the plot held for me personally, the characterization of Hap and Leonard is so rich that I don't care what's happening in the plot. It's a better book than a mere description of the events that transpire would indicate. I'm looking forward to book 3.
In contrast, in Mucho Mojo Hap and Leonard are clearly the driving force behind the events. This was far more satisfying. Saying this, however, I wonder if this was a book that would have been better experienced in its original time. The book is from 1995. Nearly twenty years ago I think I would have been more heartbroken by .
However, whatever deficiencies the plot held for me personally, the characterization of Hap and Leonard is so rich that I don't care what's happening in the plot. It's a better book than a mere description of the events that transpire would indicate. I'm looking forward to book 3.
March 2, 2019
Il titolo di questo romanzo viene associato all’intera produzione di Lansdale, il Mojo storyteller - da non confondere col mojo che fa il mobile journalist, sennò non se ne esce più.
Ne deduco quindi che dovrebbe essere rappresentativo anche di ciò che potrò leggere in seguito, avendo in pigna già altri esemplari dell’autore e della saga Hap & Leonard.
Rispetto al voto altissimo di media che ha il libro secondo i canoni di Goodreads, io sono stata un po’ sotto e sono convintissima del voto dato.
C’è che per quanto Hap & Leonard siano due personaggi che davvero sono azzeccati anche nel loro essere fuori dagli schemi, per quanto la trama sia divertente e ti attragga e ti venga voglia di leggere tutte le 200 e passa pagine d’un fiato… Siamo sempre lì: ho capito come andava a finire troppo tempo prima di quanto la trama entrasse nel vivo. Il che, secondo me, è sempre una piccola disdetta, perché è vero che io probabilmente sono anche allenata a cercare con ferocia la pistola (quella di Checkov, che se porti la pistola in scena prima o poi bisogna farla sparare) nel sottobosco mimetico della trama, però mi sembra sempre una mezza delusione arrivarci così alla svelta e non essere sorpresa alla fine. Mi piacerebbe sbagliarmi, a volte riesco a essere uccellata dalla trama pure io, in effetti, mica sono Jessica Fletcher… Non è successo stavolta, quindi ho abbassato un po’ il voto finale.
Detto questo, in effetti i thriller del buon Lansdale sono sempre una piacevole cinica lettura. Intrattenimento puro, con sarcasmo.
Ne deduco quindi che dovrebbe essere rappresentativo anche di ciò che potrò leggere in seguito, avendo in pigna già altri esemplari dell’autore e della saga Hap & Leonard.
Rispetto al voto altissimo di media che ha il libro secondo i canoni di Goodreads, io sono stata un po’ sotto e sono convintissima del voto dato.
C’è che per quanto Hap & Leonard siano due personaggi che davvero sono azzeccati anche nel loro essere fuori dagli schemi, per quanto la trama sia divertente e ti attragga e ti venga voglia di leggere tutte le 200 e passa pagine d’un fiato… Siamo sempre lì: ho capito come andava a finire troppo tempo prima di quanto la trama entrasse nel vivo. Il che, secondo me, è sempre una piccola disdetta, perché è vero che io probabilmente sono anche allenata a cercare con ferocia la pistola (quella di Checkov, che se porti la pistola in scena prima o poi bisogna farla sparare) nel sottobosco mimetico della trama, però mi sembra sempre una mezza delusione arrivarci così alla svelta e non essere sorpresa alla fine. Mi piacerebbe sbagliarmi, a volte riesco a essere uccellata dalla trama pure io, in effetti, mica sono Jessica Fletcher… Non è successo stavolta, quindi ho abbassato un po’ il voto finale.
Detto questo, in effetti i thriller del buon Lansdale sono sempre una piacevole cinica lettura. Intrattenimento puro, con sarcasmo.
June 13, 2019
No sabía que era el segundo de una serie, pero aún así me lo disfruté. Hap y Leonard me encantaron. Con diálogos hilarantes, humor negro y desparpajo, este par de amigos, uno negro y gay; el otro blanco y hetero, se ven imersos en la resolución de las desapariciones de unos niños a través de una década, cuando el tío de Leonard fallece y le deja por herencia, una cantidad de dinero, una casa, un libro, unos cupones de descuento en su mayoría caducados, una llave y un cuadro. Objetos que utilizarán como pistas cuando encuentran bajo la casa un arcón con unos huesos que aparentan ser de un niño. Hap y Leonard me recordaron en cierta manera a Myron Bolitar y Win, de la serie de Harlan Coben. Se destacan la marginación, el discrimen por raza, clases, pero sobre todo el valor de la amistad.
December 29, 2017
For a couple of middle-aged blue collar guys in East Texas, these guys get in deep philosophical discussions.
Leonard's uncle, who helped make him what he is, has passed on, and left Leonard his home. The place is in bad need of repair, so he and Hap start cleaning and fixing, hoping to put the place on the market. A big issue is that it's also right next to the local crack/drug house with an assortment of undesirables.
Not to mention a skeleton under the house of a young child. Did Leonard's uncle or one of his friends murder the youngster?
Good mystery, with the topics of racism and pedophilia brought up, along with some romance from Leonard's attorney and Hap.
Leonard's uncle, who helped make him what he is, has passed on, and left Leonard his home. The place is in bad need of repair, so he and Hap start cleaning and fixing, hoping to put the place on the market. A big issue is that it's also right next to the local crack/drug house with an assortment of undesirables.
Not to mention a skeleton under the house of a young child. Did Leonard's uncle or one of his friends murder the youngster?
Good mystery, with the topics of racism and pedophilia brought up, along with some romance from Leonard's attorney and Hap.
October 26, 2024
The second installment in the Hap and Leonard series takes place not too long after the first one, with Leonard still recovering from his wounds. One day Leonard finds out his uncle Chester passed away. Now, Chester assumed the role of a father figure for Leonard growing up, at least until Leonard 'came out' and Chester basically disowned him. Nonetheless, Leonard still has a soft spot for his old uncle. Turns out his uncle had a soft spot for Leonard also, leaving him about 100 grand and his house a few towns away.
So, this starts off with Hap and Leonard moving into uncle Chester's house; pretty run down, Leonard figures he can fix it up and sell it. Their next door neighbors run a crack house, which is not pleasant, but hey, the house is in 'nigger town' and the cops do not really care. Chester also left some odd items in a safe deposit box; was Chester just losing it at the end? Who knows? While this starts off pretty normal, things quickly get interesting when Leonard finds a dead body beneath the floorboards of the house, packed in a chest to which his uncle left him the key for in the safe deposit box. What was his uncle up to? Turns out for the last several years small boys have been going 'missing' around the hood. Leonard cannot imagine his uncle as a child killer, but if not him, who has been doing the deed?
Overall, the mystery behind the story did not really impress; no real twists and turns here and you pretty much know the guilty party right off the bat. Nonetheless, Lansdale can tell a story and this one had me laughing out loud in parts. The acerbic social commentary along the way also added some value, as did the fun characters. Fun story-- not too deep, but engaging and vivid. 3.5 stars, rounding up for GR!!
So, this starts off with Hap and Leonard moving into uncle Chester's house; pretty run down, Leonard figures he can fix it up and sell it. Their next door neighbors run a crack house, which is not pleasant, but hey, the house is in 'nigger town' and the cops do not really care. Chester also left some odd items in a safe deposit box; was Chester just losing it at the end? Who knows? While this starts off pretty normal, things quickly get interesting when Leonard finds a dead body beneath the floorboards of the house, packed in a chest to which his uncle left him the key for in the safe deposit box. What was his uncle up to? Turns out for the last several years small boys have been going 'missing' around the hood. Leonard cannot imagine his uncle as a child killer, but if not him, who has been doing the deed?
Overall, the mystery behind the story did not really impress; no real twists and turns here and you pretty much know the guilty party right off the bat. Nonetheless, Lansdale can tell a story and this one had me laughing out loud in parts. The acerbic social commentary along the way also added some value, as did the fun characters. Fun story-- not too deep, but engaging and vivid. 3.5 stars, rounding up for GR!!
January 10, 2025
I really liked Savage Season a lot, the first book in Lansdale's Hap & Leonard series, but Mucho Mojo was even better. Lansdale locks into a groove here, hitting his stride with his characterizations, his stellar dialogue, and the portrayal of this friendship. He's also able to balance the dark nature of his stories, and their heavy themes with legitimately hilarious banter between his characters, and a keen sense of place. Despite being able to easily pick out who the villains were, the book did not feel hampered at all. His authorial voice is quickly becoming one of my very favourites. Looking forward to volume three in the not too distant future!
July 11, 2009
Leonard Pine is fast becoming my all-time favorite fictional character. When he's not bragging about his sexual prowess, badmouthing preachers, or burning down crack houses he is making some pretty heavy sociological observations with the sureness of a cynic and the realism of the streets. Add on Hap's wistful idealism tempered with blue-collar resignation and you might understand why the team of Hap and Leonard stand out as the rudest but most exciting characters to ever grace mystery and crime fiction. This second installment of the Hap and Leonard series continue the Lansdale tradition of hard-edge action suspense and a razor wit. The nice surprise here is that Lansdale also exhibits a street-smart wisdom regarding the inner city and the consequences of the American obsession with race and class. Yes, this is a mystery but the author is not content with putting Hap and Leonard through the predictable paces of the average who-dun-it. There are real emotions and real problems haunting this wise-cracking duo. This is the second novel I read in the series (I'm reading them in order) and I can't wait to find out the surprises in the next one.
February 9, 2016
"Qui ci sono scarafaggi tanto grossi da poter essere proprietari terrieri" disse Leonard. "Lo so. Uno di loro mi ha appena aiutato a portare fuori i rifiuti."
Quest'uomo è geniale, altroché!
Sa scrivere, sa usare in maniera maledettamente efficace l'ironia, ha costruito una coppia di protagonisti favolosa e la parte thriller è interessante. Insomma, che altro chiedere?!
Certe uscite mi hanno fatto morire.. Avevo un po' dimenticato come fossero le avventure di Hap e Leonard, che perdita!!
Fortuna che ho recuperato :)
Florida è una grande stronza, altroché! Io l'avrei presa a pugni, come minimo..
Per la storia.. che orrore, rapire, stuprare e uccidere bambini. Imperdonabile!
Quest'uomo è geniale, altroché!
Sa scrivere, sa usare in maniera maledettamente efficace l'ironia, ha costruito una coppia di protagonisti favolosa e la parte thriller è interessante. Insomma, che altro chiedere?!
Certe uscite mi hanno fatto morire.. Avevo un po' dimenticato come fossero le avventure di Hap e Leonard, che perdita!!
Fortuna che ho recuperato :)
Florida è una grande stronza, altroché! Io l'avrei presa a pugni, come minimo..
Per la storia.. che orrore, rapire, stuprare e uccidere bambini. Imperdonabile!
November 28, 2018
Very enjoyable read in the amateur detective genre. Not a very complex story but the interaction and dialogue between the two main characters is pure gold and the best part of the book. Quite a bit of non-PC content, so not for the easily-triggered. "Mucho Mojo" is #2 in the "Hap & Leonard" series and I picked this without having read the first one because of the higher GR rating. Will definitely be checking out others in the series, though.
July 3, 2014
While SAVAGE SEASON, the first appearance of Hap and Leonard, was kind of a "caper" novel, this one is more a straight-up mystery. Well, as "straight-up" as you could expect from Lansdale, anyway... and if you know Lansdale, you know he doesn't really do "straight-up".
Leonard's uncle dies, leaving Leonard a house, lots of money, and a dead boy hidden under the floorboards, along with an assortment of moldering kiddie porn mags. This unsavory discovery sets Leonard and Hap on a quest to clear Leonard's uncle's name and nab the real killer. Along the way, they uncover more victims, and since all the victims are wayward black boys, the police aren't much help.
At its heart, this is a novel about the politics of race in E. Texas, and Lansdale doesn't flinch when it comes to that subject. It's a solid mystery novel, too, even if the bad guy(s) are somewhat telegraphed. But what really makes MUCHO MOJO shine, just like all the other books in this series, is the terrific relationship between Hap and Leonard; a straight white guy and a gay black guy with a friendship that is as deep and strong as any you'll ever read about. Their banter is witty and affectionate and feels very real. While the other relationships in the novel-- especially Hap's doomed romance with Florida-- maybe fall a little flat, all is forgiven when Hap and Leonard are on the page together.
Leonard's uncle dies, leaving Leonard a house, lots of money, and a dead boy hidden under the floorboards, along with an assortment of moldering kiddie porn mags. This unsavory discovery sets Leonard and Hap on a quest to clear Leonard's uncle's name and nab the real killer. Along the way, they uncover more victims, and since all the victims are wayward black boys, the police aren't much help.
At its heart, this is a novel about the politics of race in E. Texas, and Lansdale doesn't flinch when it comes to that subject. It's a solid mystery novel, too, even if the bad guy(s) are somewhat telegraphed. But what really makes MUCHO MOJO shine, just like all the other books in this series, is the terrific relationship between Hap and Leonard; a straight white guy and a gay black guy with a friendship that is as deep and strong as any you'll ever read about. Their banter is witty and affectionate and feels very real. While the other relationships in the novel-- especially Hap's doomed romance with Florida-- maybe fall a little flat, all is forgiven when Hap and Leonard are on the page together.
January 6, 2023
Book two in the Hap and Leonard series. Leonard’s uncle passes away and leaves the house and a large amount of money. Hap and Leonard start fixing the house to sell when they discover a skeleton in a box under the floorboards. The guys go into sleuth mode to clear Leonard’s uncle.
May 29, 2021
Tasting Notes:
An initial impression that is reminiscent of Elvis Cole and Pike, but without the PI experience. This is slowly replaced by the Hap and Leonard vibe, consisting of two very close friends that fit together like hand and glove, but in a very odd way.
Undercurrents of the author becoming a bit preachy about social issues, race relations, drug abuse, etc. These flavors wax and wane while the main flavor of the plot rises and strengthens.
Overall, this is a very well balanced read, where the mystery isn't that hard to figure out prior to the reveal, but still satisfying in and of itself. There are a few sour notes on the palate, especially with respect to the topic of child molestation and, on another track, Hap's destined-to-fail relationship with a lovely black lawyer who demonstrates her own version of prejudice toward a white boyfriend-- an interesting little turn of the tables.
The finish is slightly melancholic and lingers for a while after the last sentence has been read. That down-note notwithstanding, this was definitely another well written installment in the series (perhaps even slightly better than the first book, but that's a toss up). Something tells me I'll come back for number three.
An initial impression that is reminiscent of Elvis Cole and Pike, but without the PI experience. This is slowly replaced by the Hap and Leonard vibe, consisting of two very close friends that fit together like hand and glove, but in a very odd way.
Undercurrents of the author becoming a bit preachy about social issues, race relations, drug abuse, etc. These flavors wax and wane while the main flavor of the plot rises and strengthens.
Overall, this is a very well balanced read, where the mystery isn't that hard to figure out prior to the reveal, but still satisfying in and of itself. There are a few sour notes on the palate, especially with respect to the topic of child molestation and, on another track, Hap's destined-to-fail relationship with a lovely black lawyer who demonstrates her own version of prejudice toward a white boyfriend-- an interesting little turn of the tables.
The finish is slightly melancholic and lingers for a while after the last sentence has been read. That down-note notwithstanding, this was definitely another well written installment in the series (perhaps even slightly better than the first book, but that's a toss up). Something tells me I'll come back for number three.
August 17, 2021
Hap and Leonard are two of my favorite crime fighting fictional characters; their banter and brotherly love coupled with the efficient and consistent way they continue to find themselves knee deep in a pile of the proverbial is always entertaining. Mucho Mojo delivered everything I expected and a little more. Great character based book with some nice twists and turns.
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