Crook Manifesto

A Novel

By: Colson Whitehead

Narrated by: Dion Graham

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of Harlem Shuffle continues his Harlem saga in a powerful and hugely-entertaining novel that summons 1970s New York in all its seedy glory.

A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME, NPR, BookPage

“Dazzling” –Walter Mosley, The New York Times Book Review.

It’s 1971. Trash piles up on the streets, crime is at an all-time high, the city is careening towards bankruptcy, and a shooting war has broken out between the NYPD and the Black Liberation Army. Amidst this collective nervous breakdown furniture store owner and ex-fence Ray Carney tries to keep his head down and his business thriving. His days moving stolen goods around the city are over. It’s strictly the straight-and-narrow for him — until he needs Jackson 5 tickets for his daughter May and he decides to hit up his old police contact Munson, fixer extraordinaire. But Munson has his own favors to ask of Carney and staying out of the game gets a lot more complicated – and deadly.

1973. The counter-culture has created a new generation, the old ways are being overthrown, but there is one constant, Pepper, Carney’s endearingly violent partner in crime. It’s getting harder to put together a reliable crew for hijackings, heists, and assorted felonies, so Pepper takes on a side gig doing security on a Blaxploitation shoot in Harlem. He finds himself in a freaky world of Hollywood stars, up-and-coming comedians, and celebrity drug dealers, in addition to the usual cast of hustlers, mobsters, and hit men. These adversaries underestimate the seasoned crook – to their regret.

1976. Harlem is burning, block by block, while the whole country is gearing up for Bicentennial celebrations. Carney is trying to come up with a July 4th ad he can live with. ("Two Hundred Years of Getting Away with It!"), while his wife Elizabeth is campaigning for her childhood friend, the former assistant D.A and rising politician Alexander Oakes. When a fire severely injures one of Carney’s tenants, he enlists Pepper to look into who may be behind it. Our crooked duo have to battle their way through a crumbling metropolis run by the shady, the violent, and the utterly corrupted.

CROOK MANIFESTO is a darkly funny tale of a city under siege, but also a sneakily searching portrait of the meaning of family. Colson Whitehead’s kaleidoscopic portrait of Harlem is sure to stand as one of the all-time great evocations of a place and a time.

Engaging and Entertaining

I enjoyed this story, narration, and arc! I have recommended this story to my husband like 5 times!

Loved it

It was great seeing how old characters had grown and the excitement of the new stories.

Great storytelling…that must be put on film!

This is a good book, really good! I couldn’t stop listening! ✍🏽Note to the author: Please don’t kill off Pepper! 🙏🏽I’ve already cast the movie starring Jonathan Majors, Denzel or Jamie Fox would be excellent as Carney! Samuel Jackson or Forrest Whittaker as Pepper!

Perfect followup to #1

Interesting characters and story development here, a little tricky with the stories inside the story. Gotta Pulp Fiction kinda structure and delicious dialogue to munch on. Dion’s performance was top drawer and gave an Harlem eloquence to the tales & exchanges. I’ve lived in Harlem for the last 8 years and many places still stand and it’s fun imagining the hood back in the day.
Dying to see who who’ll do the movie. Maybe Sam L Jackson & Denzel could share the screen. It’s rife with cameo opportunities.

Wonderful!

The second part of the trilogy just keeps me wanting more! Can't wait for the third book.