I think I expected something more literary, so I was disappointed by the stock characters and all the paragraphs full of boring (to me) details. Honestly, why name every street Spero takes to get from location to location? Does anyone doubt that you know the names of streets in Washington, Mr. Pelecanos? And why name every brand of every piece of clothing worn? Why name every musician Spero listens to? All of this came off as so much name dropping to me, as clunky as a paid product placement. If you took out all of these annoying, pointless details the book would've been a lot shorter and probably better.

The mystery itself wasn't bad. It surrounded a supposedly non-violent marijuana dealer who wanted Spero Lucas, a late-twenties war vet and unlicensed investigator, to track down some lost packages. During his investigation, which he conducts largely by iPhone (as we're told again and again--why not just say phone?), Spero exercises a lot, hangs out with other veterans, and beds beautiful women in a decent but emotionally empty way.

I liked the stuff about Spero being adopted by a Greek couple and being raised Greek along with other adopted siblings. The scenes with Spero and his family actually explored some interesting relationships and had a little character development. For the most part, though, Spero is your typical mass market hero: tough, troubled, and the only female characters in his world are his mother and the hot women he sleeps with. ( )

By now, I think, I've read George Pelecanos' entire oeuvre, as well as admired the episodes of "The Wire" he scripted. Here is another author who is one of those rare examples in our hypersaturated culture of excessive praise (which is mostly, I think, marketing copy disguised as criticism) who actually has earned and therefore richly deserves every word issued in accolade of him. This book, however, strikes me as a major advance and departure for this already seriously talented writer: in terms of characterization (particularly) and dialogue, this book, of any "crime fiction" or "thriller" novel, transcends the limitations of its genre and earns its place as a work of art. When I came to the end of this satisfying story, I found an unexpected benefit: it makes the loss of Elmore Leonard, for me, much easier to bear.

I registered this book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14417486

Action thriller. Spero Lucas, home from Iraq, found another line of work. He recovers lost property, among other things, and takes 40% for his trouble. While doing investigative work for an attorney, he meets a man in prison and takes on a job for him, recovering the value of stolen marijuana. Large packages.

The pursuit of the thieves leads to unexpected places and to Lucas questioning his own motives at times. But in the end, he's a badass who rolls with his own set of morals.

I'm not a thriller fan as a rule but I can recognize a good thriller writer. Pelecanos is one. ( )

I love the vernacular and sense of place. I've read all his books ( )

George Pelecanos’ “The Cut” is a crime novel that is sure to please readers who prefer a literary as opposed to commercial approach to fiction. His approach reminds me of Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series.

Pelecanos’ emphasis is on character development and the creation of a fully realized physical and social milieu. Spero, his protagonist, is not without flaws and some of his villains have redeeming qualities. The plot moves forward at a leisurely pace as Pelecanos focuses on the details that bring each scene to life. For example, as Spero heads for a local bar with a killer lying in wait, we learn about the houses and business he passes, the surface of the church parking lot, and Spero’s familiarity with the area.

Atkinson gives greater attention to the quirks and attitudes of her characters, and her characters are far more eccentric. However, Pelecanos has a superior understanding of male thought processes and the behaviors that result. While Atkinson has difficulty crafting a competent male character that is little more than window dressing, Pelecanos’ female characters are slighted in a similar manner.

Spero is a genuinely interesting character and the leisurely development of the plot is not so exaggerated that it spoils the reading experience. I would enjoy spending more time with Spero. ( )