Crook Manifesto, by Colson Whitehead - Stephen
Any Colson Whitehead book can be seen as a literary event, with the author having garnered numerous accolades - including a Pullitzer apiece - for two of his more recent novels, The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys.
It’s interesting, then, that his first sequel novel is not to one of his more acclaimed novels, but his most recent one, 2021’s Harlem Shuffle. Set between 1959 and 1964, this saw enterprising furniture salesman Ray Carney attempting to leave behind his family’s criminal past and live a life of respectability - something that invariably doesn’t go to plan.
Crook Manifesto picks up seven years after the events of the previous novel, with Carney continuing seeking to stay straight. Yet again, his attempts to do this run into trouble when maverick cop Munson calls in a favour, throwing Carney back headfirst into the Big Apple’s underworld, from which there’s every chance he may not resurface.
You occasionally hear of an author writing ‘one for them, one for me’. While the excellence of his writing means that Whitehead is for everyone, you can tell he’s enjoying himself here. A love letter to a long-lost era, this setting is populated by all manner of loveable and not-so-loveable rogues, all of whom he imbues with more personality than many novels afford even their protagonists.
Crook Manifesto drifts by like an opera, taking place in acts as it moves its characters around like chipped and weathered chess pieces, with explosive denouements taking place in the blink of an eye and with little warning. Despite the abundance of bloodshed and gunfire, there’s none of the panicked urgency of The Underground Railroad, and for all the casual reflections on race relations, there’s none of the gut-wrenching tragedy of The Nickel Boys; this is something much more light-hearted, and in some respects, more fun.
With a trilogy closer on the way, it looks like Whitehead will gave an opportunity to bring this full circle. We hope he has as much fun doing so with that as he clearly did with this one.
Stephen
