Psychological Thrillers discussion
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THE LONG FALL....BY WALTER MOSLEY..BOTM for MAY 2016.
Mod
My first Mosley. It had me guessing. I thought I was going to have to take notes as it had so many twists and turns. I am new to this group but I love mysteries especially psychological thrillers :)
Hi everyone! I'm so glad to be the host for this book this month. Walter Mosley is one of my favorite authors. I've read many of his books, but not all since there are so many. The Long Fall is the first book in the Leonid McGill series. If you are familiar with any of Mosley's other books especially the Easy Rawlins series, you will find that this series is different.
Set in modern day New York McGill is nothing like Rawlins.
Has everyone gotten the book yet? Thoughts so far?
Nascha
Hello, Nascha! Glad you're on the hot seat here in BOTM land! I'm next in line to get TLF as an eBook from our library.In fact I've been waiting a looong time already. Mr. Mosley has been very busy lately getting awards and attending gala receptions. He will be doing a personal appeareance in NYC mid-June with Kareem! Yes! THAT Kareem, who has become a mystery writer.
Hi Jim,Yes Mr. Mosley is a busy man. I am going to see him in NYC with Kareem Abdul Jabbar at the NY Public Library. I haven't checked out Kareem's book yet.
Please come back and let us know what you think of the book once you've gotten it!
So Nascha has a picture of her living room or library instead of a face. We're used to that because our Big Mod Stephanie never shows her face either, cause she's Incogonito! But this living room picture in more than intriguing when you expand it really huge. All sorts of interesting objects arranged just so. But what really caught my eye was the head sitting high upon the shelf behind the couch. Yes, it's a head awright. Check it out.So while everyone is trying to decide whether to read or go bowling, how about explaing the head and telling us folks out in the Rocky Mountains about life in the cit-tay. Now we already know that y'all get up reaaaly early back there. Like right now us cowboys are staring that first cuppa coffee in the face while you Eastcoasters are reading your lunch menus.
This is the 1st Walter Mosley book I've read. Although I've been aware of him for a long time. Don't know why I never picked him up before. I'm excited and will let everyone know how it is going.
Barbara wrote: "My first Mosley. It had me guessing."Welcome to our group of Happy Readers, Barbara! It's my first Mosley in a looong time. So I'm excited about this BOTM read. Just feel free to chime right in here with your observations and opinions about why you think some character did this or that. Of course Mr. Mosley has done a whole bunch more in this series. So at least we're off to a great start here with book one.
What do you see in this story? ** places or people **
What do you hear? ** musical score or theme song**
Last time it was DOGS, and we still got that going on, too! While Mod Stephanie is off taking care of family bidnass or digging out of the latest Colorado blizzard, we're gonna tare this house down!
We're lucky to have Nascha at the controls of this runaway train. Yunno.
Glad to see ya, Mary! Did you happen to send in a dog pix for the April BOTM thread? Or a cat or goat would work, too!
No, we are cat and dogless for the time being. Our 16 yr old Lab died and we deciding what we want to do
Mary so sorry to hear that your long lived companion has passed. I imagine he was almost human to you. Labs have a way of making themselves felt like that.
Soooo... I've been waiting and waiting for the eBook to come up in my library queue and nothing yet. I dunno. The person must be memorizing the thing or something. So I broke down and got the audio version. Thing is, though, that the guy reading does voice imitations of the different characters. Know what I'm saying? And it just sounds weird to me. I really like to do the voices in my own head, but not with an audio book. Why don't the get an ensemble of folks to do the dialogue, like on Prairie Home Companion? Then it would be like the old days of radio with the sound-effects guy and everything.And then with the audio books you can't go back to check something out. For example, Leonid's boxing buddy calls him LT. What's that all about?
Now I am intrigued by The Tesla Building. Last time I was in The Citay, or any city, I missed it. Saw The Chrysler Building, which was pretty cool. Could see Tudor City from my hotel window, but didn't have sense enough to go over there. My loss. So now I'll post a few pix of The Tesla Building on the site this afternoon (Mountain Time) and y'all can check it out. So has anyone actually gone there?
Jim wrote: "So Nascha has a picture of her living room or library instead of a face. We're used to that because our Big Mod Stephanie never shows her face either, cause she's Incogonito! But this living room p..."Hi Jim! Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm so glad to be reading a Mosley book with you all. I was one of the members who suggested him to our dear Mod, Stephanie.
The picture of the library in the living room belongs to none other than Coco Chanel. I am passionate about Paris and so I have a lot of photographs of Paris stored on my computer and even a few at home. I thought her apartment was chic, elegant and beautiful---timeless really. Also being a library on Good Reads is fitting. There is also a picture of me on my actual page here on Good Reads.
Jim wrote: "Now I am intrigued by The Tesla Building. Last time I was in The Citay, or any city, I missed it. Saw The Chrysler Building, which was pretty cool. Could see Tudor City from my hotel window, but didn't have sense enough to go over there. My loss. So now I'll post a few pix of The Tesla Building on the site this afternoon (Mountain Time) and y'all can check it out. So has anyone actually gone there?" I've actually been inside of the famous Tesla building, not farther than the lobby and also down to the lower level in the basement. This building is really the Hotel New Yorker building and hosts a hotel as well as a famous diner which sits on its famous bottom corner, called the Tick Tock Diner.
I've eaten at the Tick Tock Diner a few times and most recently had dinner there with my mother. Food was delicious. (In New York City, some of our best dining spots are the famous diners.) It is an Art Deco building and it is simply gorgeous. One of the best design styles in my humble opinion. I haven't toured the building or anything---I should probably do so but from what I've seen, it is simply gorgeous. Down on the lower level of the diner are the restrooms, an unused dining area (probably for private dining) and a big old safe---it was so pretty to look at. LOL.
What I liked about this book was that Mosley writes about the beautiful architecture in the city.
My all time favorite building is the Chrysler building. I haven't gone on a tour or anything but I would love to. In the works.
In the meantime please check out this website: http://nyc-architecture.com/TEN/TEN-D.... It lists the top ten Art-Deco buildings in NYC and the Tesla is number 6!
I am only 52% through but I am having one problem right now, there are so many characters. The names get so confusing. I had to go back and check, for example, who was Carson. At least that is one good thing about some e-books, you can look up people and where they appear in the text.
Great info about the Tesla Bldg, Nascha. Almost makes me want to get on a plane and fly there. I'll be on the lookout for Carson, Karen. Maybe he's the old butler from Downyon Abby!
Maybe I'm confused. He might be Kitteridge. Maybe Carson Kitteridge? He's what LT calls, an "honest" policeman.
Karen B. wrote: "He's what LT calls, an "honest" policeman."Ya don't say! So what does the "LT" reference mean?? I'm really interested in LT's background and worldview. I see him as somebody out of Compton or what we called "The Projects" in San Francisco, where I delivered the mail back in 1972. Back then we were nearly all Nam vets and fried. And I lived in downtown Detroit back in 1966, too. What a beautiful scene that was.
Leonid Trotter; it doesn't say so in the book but I am thinking ... Trotter was one of the pigs' names in Animal Farm and Trotter represents a communist leader and Leonid's father was a communist. Maybe there is no connection there.
oops I tried to look it up but it only says that Napoleon (the leader of the animals) had a right hand trotter who was the Minister of Propaganda. oh well. I was wrong on the middle name. But LT is Leonid Trotter
Wow! Could be a veiled reference to Trotsky! Somehow I missed all this with the audio version. We need Mr. Mosley here to answer these questions. I'll hit him up on his Facebook page. Again!
Trotsky! That's who I am thinking of and why I made that connection.
Yes, Karen and Jim. LT does reference Leonid Trotter and Trotsky. Leonid's father was a radical person. You learn more about LT and his childhood and life as the series progresses.
KarenSorry for the long response time. Yes, labs are great . Unfortunately, we've moved to a new (to us) house with less space so, as my father always said, don't get a dog unless you have the space to keep him happy. We are trying to figure out what that will be but I'm sure there is one in our future.
I find all the discussion about trotter and Trotsky really interested. My dad grew up on a farm and liked an occasional pig trotter (also known as pigs feet) for dinner. I always assumed that was where the pig's name in animal farm came from but now you have me thinking maybe it was the connection to Trotsky. Huh!I also agree with the person who commented on the number of people in the book and that are not consistently called by the same name. I'm been thinking of going back to the beginning and keeping notes on who everyone is, so I can keep them straight but since I've never had to do that before, I would find it annoying.
Okay, I just got the eBook up and running and am ditching the audio version. Already in chap 7 of the eBook I'm finding the narrative voice and the dialogue playing better in my head. So maybe I can get rolling here. I'll find a bunch of pix of the Tesla bldg / New Yorker Hotel and post them on the website on Saturday!
Jim, remember you can use both together *S*. I get so much more out of a book when I am reading the ebook version and listening to the audio at the same time.
Hello everyone! Received my copy and I'm on Chapter 9. So far, so good.
I have the audiobook from the library but I just started another book I need to read for another group first. But I will follow this discussion.I've read 1 or 2 of Mosley's books before and I liked them but it' s been a long time. So I'm looking forward to this book.
I agree with Karen B..there are several characters to keep track of. Also, I tend to read books that keep me in suspense as to what is happening and more fast paced. I'm on page 165 in the hardcover book and the storyline is moving ever so slowly for me. I'm getting through it but not enjoying it as much as The Dogs. I am however rooting for LT and hope he can stay on the " not so shady" side of his business. Who is that big white guy anyway? The one that gave him a roach sized knot on his temple and what is the motive for killing those four guys. I'll have to keep reading to find out. ;)
Karen B. wrote: "Jim, remember you can use both together *S*. I get so much more out of a book when I am reading the ebook version and listening to the audio at the same time."I do that when I'm editing my own stuff, but it never occurred to do that with another story. An amazing idea.
How was everyone's weekend? For all the mothers, Happy Mother's Day!How is the reading going? Is everyone getting comfortable and acquainted with LT's world?
I have to say that LT is probably the grittiest of all the heroes Mosley has ever written about.
Just an aside...Mosley seems to have a "thing" about women who cheat on their men. In many of his books, the hero has a girlfriend or wife who is unfaithful. I don't know why that is. But it is interesting.
'Cause girls jess wanna have funnnn! That's what Cindi said. I guess us humans are simply a little funny that way, huh?
Enjoying the book so fat but haven't really noticed it being psychological yet. I suspect it has to do with the mystery person who hired him to find the 4 guys in the beginning.
I gotta admit that I almost quit reading this because I was getting frustrated with so many characters that I couldn't keep up. The story line had me hooked enough that I stuck with it. Boy, am I glad I did. I eventually got the hang of all the characters and really enjoyed the book!
Thank you to everyone who has submitted a review thus far. To those still reading or who have already finished, what did you think of LT aka Leonid McGill.
Is it difficult to like or sympathize with a character who has unclean hands? Why or why not?
I liked LT. He was flawed like any human but he basically was good indicated particularly by his trying to protect Twill and the guilt he felt after the men he found were killed. I didn't like the book because of the complexity of the characters (abundance of characters) which complicated the plot too much for me to follow.
I liked LT. I'd like to read more books with him as the character. Yes, he was flawed, but he was also entertaining. I'd much rather read about a realistic (a good heart, but has some questionable values) character than one that is always on the good side.
Cathy, I agree about the character. I'd be curious if another book with LT would be less complicated with so many characters. I liked LT and wouldn't mind reading about him again.
I liked LT too. Yes, he was flawed but basically a good person trying to better himself. Twill reminds me of a kid I know too. Very personable but you never know what he's up to!
In the end, did you get the impression that LT's marriage might work out?
Karen B. wrote: "In the end, did you get the impression that LT's marriage might work out?"No, LT couldn't trust his wife. He was sticking with it but I got the impression she was done if he didn't commit to it.
Does anyone understand what the title refers to? LT seems to be trying to go straight(er) and not fall further into darkness. I don't get it.
There are four or five books in the series so far. I've read all of them. LT continues to develop throughout the series, including his relationships with the women in his life.Some of the characters repeat throughout the series so you get used to them and it doesn't seem as so many when you read the next one. If you continue that is...
Nascha- hope i am not too late to this party i had 2 other books to finish and hope to start this one over the weekend.
Michele, no you're not late! Please join in. Tell us what you think of the book when you start reading it.
Just checking in with you guys. How is the book going so far? Anyone have any questions or thoughts about the book?
I am sorry Nascha, I really can't discuss the book because I didn't like it. A friend told me I was generous to give it two stars. I liked the character, but not the book as a whole.
I have been trying to read this book, for some reason I can't get into it. Kindle says I am 20% done. I will keep on trying.
BN....Nook 11.99
Paperback: 14.00
Used from 1.99
AMAZON....Kindle 11.99
Paperback 13.96
Used..$0.01