Ray Carney is a family man and business owner, selling fine home furnishings on 125th Street. Ray and Elizabeth are expecting their second child and money is a little tight with all those sofas purchased in installments. He doesn’t have a problem cashing in on the occasional piece of jewelry his cousin Freddie brings to him, especially since he knows a discreet jeweler.

Things go too far when Freddie volunteers Ray to help out with a heist at the Hotel Theresa that naturally goes wrong. Now Ray’s respectable clientele is laced with dirty cops, local gangsters, and other shady Harlemites. Walking a razor fine line between upstanding businessman and crook, Ray has to maintain his reputation while also saving Freddie from a bad situation and cashing in on a big score.

This crime caper was an unexpected piece of historical fiction from Colson Whitehead. I enjoyed the family drama, double life, and heists as well as the atmosphere of 1955 Harlem richly layered within so many monumental events of the Civil Rights era.
That being said, it was lacking action in the moment with time jumps and back stories that try to carry the narrative. This leaves some incredibly interesting characters with little to do in propelling the story forward. Still, Harlem Shuffle is an entertaining caper full of authentic characters.

Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Harlem Shuffle is scheduled for release on September 14, 2021.

Colson Whitehead is back with a darkly comedic crime novel after two rather heavy Pulitzer winners. But his voice and the emotional heft of his characters flourish in this type of story as well.

The book follows Ray Carney throughout the '60s as he walks the wire between being an upstanding family man and business owner and operating as a fence for the crooked world of Harlem criminals. Carney's tale is told in three acts, framed around three separate big 'jobs' he pulls. The scale, mood, and gravity of these jobs act as a metaphor for Carney's internal struggles as well as the changing landscape of Harlem in the mid-century.

Carney is a complex character and I loved being in his head. Surprisingly, I also ended up loving Pepper and what he brought to the page. I do wish there were more women as main characters in this book, especially Elizabeth. I wish she had been more developed.

A great book -- and classically Whitehead -- this gets three stars because while I enjoyed it, I don't think it will stick with me and chase my thoughts around my brain the way some of his other work has.

With colorful characters and a fast moving pace, Harlem Shuffle is a multi-tiered novel that centers around Ray Carney, a man torn between being a respectable businessman/family man and an individual who keeps getting drawn into shady schemes, mostly involving his cousin Freddy. In addition to describing the various heists into which Carney gets ensnared, the novel describes Harlem in the 1950s and 1960s, chronicling the racial issues of the time, issues that continue and repeat to the present. Harlem Shuffle evokes a time and place that I was not familiar with, drawing me in from the beginning and keeping me absorbed throughout on Carney’s activities, the various social issues described, and the brief history of happenings in New York during the 50s and 60s.

Are you reading this, Colson Whitehead? If you are, I'm sorry. I still like your writing.

But this one just didn't work for me. I like Whitehead, and I was looking forward to reading a book that's a little less harrowing than the last one, but I couldn't follow the plot, and didn't like the characters enough to find that a way to push through, so I gave up.

I'll try again on his next book.

Ron Carney is just trying to get by in the (sometimes) mean streets of 1960s Harlem. His father was a crook, but he owns a furniture store and is, by his own estimation, "only slightly bent." His close cousin Freddy is pretty sketchy, though, and keeps pulling Carney into illegal activities. The first section takes place in 1959. Freddie gets involved in a robbery, and pulls Carney in to fence jewelry from it. The results are unexpected (as usually happens), and additionally make Carney into a serious fence, as well as giving him the opportunity of disposing of a corpse.

The 1961 section finds Carney expanding his business, while also attempting to join an elite social club. His rejection includes the extra sting of having paid a bribe that should have guaranteed acceptance. Like his father he holds a grudge, which he gradually builds to payoff. The 1964 section takes place against the background of the World's Fair and race riots. Freddy pulls Carney into a huge job, which Carney tries to resolve while protecting both of them. In the end he comes out all right, but Freddy does not. And so it goes. Ever striving, ever upward.

Carney is a truly colorful character, but the novel also includes several others. The main one is Pepper, a crook who had been an associate of his father's who also appears throughout in a supporting role. The novel starts out looking like one thing, but expands beyond that into a broader social history.

Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy.

This story was so amazingly written and quick moving. From heists to shady deals to revenge plots, Colson Whitehead makes the setting of this story come alive. I am walking down the streets of Harlem with the main character and huddled in the back room for a meeting of criminal minds. The story follows Carney as he balances his two lives: an upstanding business owner by day and a man familiar with crooks and thieves at night. While telling Carney's story through the years, Whitehead is able to highlight racial issues that played out in 1960's  Harlem and continue to this day. Overall, my opinion is this is Colson Whitehead's best book yet.

Thank you to Doubleday and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book I'm exchange for my honest review.

Harlem Shuffle isn't the type of book I'd gravitate toward naturally on my own, but I'm glad to have read it. Whitehead sucked me into the changing cultural landscape of 1950-60's Harlem with his vignette-style structure and atmospheric depictions of the neighborhood and its residents.

Though this was, in part, a crime drama which featured its share of shady characters, heists, fences, and underworld criminality, it didn't have quite the same high-climbing pulse -the same kick - as your typical thriller. That's not a criticism, though. The prose was restrained for good reason. It was intricate, measured, layered.

The three sections of the narrative, each of which show the main character, Ray Carney, being dragged into another seedy problem (thanks in large part to his cousin, Freddie) where he must straddle the line between upstanding furniture-seller and "only slightly bent" crook, pull him into an increasingly graying labyrinth. Morality, propriety--they bend as a result.

Carney, well-meaning and level-headed man though he is, becomes more and more entrenched in Harlem's underworld the further the story unfolds. However, his slide is subtle. It's justifiable. The changeability that unfolds in him ripples outward into the streets, into the atmosphere of the city itself. As a reader, I couldn't help but empathize.

One of the things I thought the author did exceptionally well was pivot genre and expectation to shuffle in themes about family, opportunity, class struggle, racism, upward mobility, and sociopolitical change that were relevant to this era in Harlem. A lot of what occurred still felt timely, too. Even for today. It made me wonder how much has really changed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I was excited to read this as my first novel by Whitehead, but this wasn’t for me. I found the plot and characters to be too busy. I had a hard time keeping everything and everyone straight. I will try his backlist and see if something there works better for me.

This is another tour de force from Colson Whitehead.
If you liked his last two works, this may be something of an head-scratcher for you but do persevere.
Not only does it work as a good piece of straight-up crime fiction, it does a wonderful job of evoking a
New York of a certain age and temperament.

The novel to some extent reminds me of some of his earlier pre-Underground Railroad work in its subject matter and style.

The characters are very well drawn, the pacing is terrific and Whitehead sets the mood perfectly.
I gather that the author is working on a sequel -- which I cant wait to read.
I highly, highly recommend this work.

REVIEW
3/5
‘How long do you keep trying to save something that has been lost?’

Jump into Colson’s newest- 1960s Harlem where we meet Ray.
"Ray Carney was only slightly bent when it came to being crooked..."

Ray Carney is a furniture salesman- his father was a crook. Ray wants to be nothing like his father was. He wants his furniture store to be a household name and wants to move his family up-town, but money is tight.

Enter cousin Freddie.

Freddie is always mixed up in some scam, and occasionally funnels his goods through our man Carney. He doesn’t ask where the goods come from, he knows he doesn’t WANT to know- a necklace here, a ring there, or a TV set pops up and it’s his job to move it. Except when Freddie opens his mouth to the wrong people, inviting them into the crooked side of Carneys Furniture Store- the avalanche begins.

What follows: bribery, deceit, murder, heists, and revenge. At the core of everything Carney gets dealt with along this story, Freddie has a hand in it. The plus- he has made some connections that will ultimately be beneficial to move himself up in the World, but to what sacrifice?

I don’t want to give too much away about this because the plots all co-mingle, each couple year gaps and their strife have connections that will be apparent once reading.

I was really invested in each subplot, but I did find some parts confusing. I wasn’t too familiar with the language at first, but it did get easier as I went on. Carney was definitely relatable in how he handled situations and his inner dialogue was pretty close to what I would be thinking if I were in his shoes. Although this is part historical fiction, part family saga, Whitehead incorporated some humor in to keep things light and fresh. The take that I got overall was: how far would you go to save a family member that has ‘lost their way’? Would you risk everything you have and everything you've built?
Thank you #netgalley and Doubleday books a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

I had high expectations of this one having loved Underground Railroad and boy! This did not disappoint.

This book is a hybrid between a suspenseful crime novel and a gripping family drama. Whitehead just has a way with bringing places and life experiences to the reader that fully immerses them in the world of the book.

Although his writing can be a little dense for me at times, his storytelling is unmatched! I’ll be eagerly awaiting his next novel!

Colton Whitehead vividly brought me to a world unfamiliar to me. Set in the 1950s into the 1960s, Harlem Shuffle hits on issues central to our society today including racial differences and recognizing right from wrong. I found this to be relevant and interesting book.

I absolutely loved The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this latest novel. Too much happened off-page, and I felt there were too many characters.

Thanks to DoubleDay Books and Netgalley for the eARC.

Colson Whitehead really proves that he can do it all. I don't think a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, "America's storyteller", and arguably one of the greatest writers of our generation needs my approval, but here it is anyway.

Full review to come.

Harlem Shuffle is a book about about many things, but it really isn't just a "crime caper" as some call it. Colson Whitehead gives us a story about the real people living in the main street area of Harlem in the late 1950's to the mid 1960's. It's about the personal struggles within these black neighborhoods and the people who negotiate with each other & with themselves to survive & move along. The novel puts great emphasis on family ties & our narrator, Ray Carney, feels those ties strongly, both negative & positive. He was partially raised by his Aunt Millie along with his cousin, Freddy, after being abandoned by his widowed father, Big Mike, a hustler & small time criminal. Ray grew up in the shadow of his father but with the stern yet loving care of his aunt. His father's good friend, Pepper, continues to be a strong influence in his life throughout the novel. Freddy was always a different type of influence & while he loves Ray & sees him as a true brother,, he can't help drawing Ray into increasingly dangerous capers.
Ray is a complicated man. He married Elizabeth, whose parents never approved of Ray, even though he worked hard to support her & their growing family with his furniture store. Ray always is looking to "move up" whether it is to move the family to Riverside Drive or to join the prestigious black businessmen's group his father-in-law belonged to but silently refused to support Ray's admission. On the other hand, Ray frequently looks the other way to acquire "softly used" goods from dubious sources to sell in his furniture store.
The stakes become much higher when Freddy involves Ray in a robbery of the famous Hotel Theresa, thrusting Ray into an entirely different world of criminals, fences & crooked cops. Ray is certainly part of the Harlem Shuffle in that he is constantly fighting the duality of his escalating involvement with dangerous criminals & his intense desire to move on up & be respected as well as to provide a better life for his family. Ray is crafty & carefully hides his dealings from Elizabeth as "she would leave his ass in a second when she found out about his crooked side."
Whitehead shows us Harlem in the late 1950's & creates a vibrant, alive scene populated by a large cast of unique & well drawn characters. The fact that racism was a fact of life in those times is well known & documented with very on-target examples throughout the story, especially as the novel moves to Parts 2 & 3. The addition of Ray's wife, Elizabeth, who works for a travel agency catering to the safety of black travelers is well placed & especially significant of the times. It's a nice touch by Whitehead to juxtapose black citizens negotiating domestic & foreign travel arranged by Elizabeth vs. Ray & all the locals negotiating "shuffling" within the confines of Harlem itself. The Harlem Shuffle becomes ever more complicated for Ray as the years progress as the old neighborhood changes in a major way & more truths are exposed about the white citizens with their own "shuffle."
Harlem Shuffle is very well written, very readable & an admirable addition to Colson Whitehead's ever expanding chronicling of the Black experience in various eras of American life.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the Arc of this wonderful novel.

Colson Whitehead has done it again. He takes you to a time in history that fills your senses in its surroundings. The late 50s and early 60s in Harlem. A young black man trying to provide for his family. Educated and driven he has to fight his past and present to provide a future. He can't do it without going to the wrong side of the law to fulfill his goals.
He paints such a clear picture: the stars arriving by bus, the World's Fair, the riots, the burden of family, past and present. New York undergoing a rebuild, the World Trade going up.
I had the pleasure of attending a book talk by Colson. He is as interesting as his books.
Thank you, NetGalley!

I have never read any of Colson Whitehead's works, but was familiar with his reputation. The
Harlem Shuffle sounded like a historical criminal caper I would enjoy and I was excited to receive an advance copy from Netgalley. I began reading this almost a month ago and I 'm only half way done. On average I read a book every 3 days. I struggled wading through recollections and side antics that were unrelated. While the neighborhood and 60's vibe is vividly described, I cannot keep awake or stay engaged. Carney's cousin Freddiie is more thrilling than the rest. In fact the book description is better than the book itself. It is rare for me to give up, but I just don't care what transpires next.
Thanks to Netgalley, Colson Whitehead, and Doubleday for the advance digital copy. These opinions are mine alone, given voluntarily.

Upon finishing The Nickel Boys earlier this summer, I was excited to see that Colson Whitehead had a new book coming out this fall. While I have enjoyed his other work that I have read, I was interested to see his writing go in a totally different direction.

From Harlem Shuffle’s billing as “a gloriously entertaining heist novel” and Whitehead’s predilection for twist endings, I was expecting something a bit more along the lines of Ocean’s 11. But a heist comedy this is not; Harlem Shuffle is more of a Harlem Godfather that follows the major and minor players around New York City, letting us in on their thoughts. The story itself did not especially draw me in, but due to the beauty of Whitehead’s writing, I was happy to follow it through to the end, even when the action got slow. Ray Carney is a very likable and compelling main character, and you will find yourself cheering for this clever furniture salesman as he tries to get out of the increasingly crazy situations his boneheaded cousin gets him into.

A well written narrative that walks you through several years of Ray’s life as he struggles to live up to the expectations he has for himself. He is also trying to fit his life to what he believes he should give his wife, be for his family, in-laws and community. It is also a discourse on the social and economic changes that take place throughout New York City during that period. It shaped the lives of the characters and generations that followed.

This is not usually the type of book that I read, but it's worth paying attention when Colson Whitehead publishes a new book. I am finding this review a bit difficult to compose. There is no question that Mr. Whitehead is an accomplished writer who tells interesting and important stories with beautiful prose. This was just not my story. It did not reliably hold my interest and at times I was forcing myself to read.

Ray Carney's father was a crook and he prides himself on being mostly different. He runs a legitimate and increasingly successful furniture store, selling both new and used items. On occasion he will be the middleman for his cousin Freddie, who has more shady dealings. Against his better judgement, Ray takes part in a robbery of the finest hotel in Harlem. Of course that goes sideways and Ray is in deeper than he ever expected. He also feels responsible for his cousin, though looking after Freddie is a fulltime and challenging job. Ray has to juggle his legitimate business, protect his wife and children while keeping them ignorant of his crooked side, and also not anger any of the less than honest characters who are now a part of this life.

The best part of the book for me was the historical information and details about Harlem in the 1960's. I enjoy historical fiction but have not read much from that era. Mr. Whitehead does a great job of describing the physical place and the social climate. I would argue that Harlem is also a character in this book. Given the recent state of our country, it was sobering to read about police action and riots, including the shooting of a black child by police. Sixty years later our world is so different but also the same.

I struggled with keeping some of the minor characters straight in my head. I also did not enjoy some of the chapters that were devoted to some of those character's backstory. In my opinion, it didn't add anything. Descriptions of the book bill it as a crime novel/heist story; a social commentary, and a "hilarious morality play." I'm not sure how I would describe it, other than to say that it wasn't hilarious. Unlike The Underground Railroad and Nickel Boys, this is not a story that I will remember reading.