Book of the Week: George Pelecanos' "The Turnaround"

George Pelecanos, one of the finest living writers, returns with The Turnaround, yet another outstanding piece of literature from the dark poet of DC. In a broad sense this is a crime novel, but more importantly it's a story that tackles important themes like the relationship between fathers and sons and the question of what it means to be a man. A crime decades past unites a group of men in the present, bonding them together against their will. The Turnaround is not the masterpiece that some of Pelecanos' work is, but it's still a powerful, resonant story, and it makes a fine introduction to his work for those readers who haven't yet had the pleasure.

Comments

[Scott Parker]

Pelecanos, along with Lehane, are the two authors responsible for my love of crime fiction. The Turnaround is next on my list. Right now, I'm trying to get out of a skyscraper with Jamie DeBroux in Duane Swierczynski's Severance Package.

[coomme]

good article

thank you

[Goozer]

NUUUUHHH! NUUUUHHH!

[Roddy Reta]

I read this novel, and enjoyed it quite a bit. the ending is a bit too neat and sentimental, however.

What is Pelecanos' masterpiece?

[David J. Montgomery]

I thought The Big Blowdown was stunning when I read it years ago. I haven't read it again, but I'd like to sometime to see how it holds up.

That being said, I think the books in the Derek Strange/Terry Quinn trilogy -- Right as Rain, Hell to Pay, Soul Circus -- are his best work so far.

[Leonard T. Carruthers]

Looking forward to this book.