What do you think?
Rate this book
Moe Prager #2
Redemption Street
Walking the Perfect Square introduced Moe Prager—retired New York City cop-turned-wine shop owner—to much acclaim and an enthusiastic readership. Still possessed of his vintage police savvy, and perhaps the only Jewish licensed PI in the five boroughs, Moe wonders if he’s really meant to be a merchant and not a cop. Redemption Street finds him in 1981, lured into the mystery of a 1966 hotel fire—one that killed seventeen people, including his first love—by a long-grieving brother and Moe’s own restless determination to set things right.
Reed Farrel Coleman’s crisp, page-turning narrative has Moe trudging through his childhood summer vacation stomping grounds, the now-decaying Catskill resort scene. The borscht belt’s near-forgotten landscape of scarred lives, ambitious politicians, and corrupt cops is the minefield Moe must brave to find the truth. Was the fire really sparked by a negligent smoker or was it murder? Will the long dead keep their secrets or divulge their stories? And will what Moe uncovers lead him down another blind alley or into the bright light of Redemption Street?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2004
122 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Reed Farrel Coleman
166 books744 followersaka Tony Spinosa
Reed Farrel Coleman’s love of storytelling originated on the streets of Brooklyn and was nurtured by his teachers, friends, and family.
A New York Times bestseller called a hard-boiled poet by NPR’s Maureen Corrigan and the “noir poet laureate” in the Huffington Post, Reed is the author of novels, including Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, the acclaimed Moe Prager series, short stories, and poetry.
Reed is a three-time Edgar Award nominee in three different categories—Best Novel, Best Paperback Original, Best Short Story—and a three-time recipient of the Shamus Award for Best PI Novel of the Year. He has also won the Audie, Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards.
A former executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America, Reed is an adjunct instructor of English at Hofstra University and a founding member of MWA University. Brooklyn born and raised, he now lives with his family–including cats Cleo and Knish–in Suffolk County on Long Island.
Reed Farrel Coleman’s love of storytelling originated on the streets of Brooklyn and was nurtured by his teachers, friends, and family.
A New York Times bestseller called a hard-boiled poet by NPR’s Maureen Corrigan and the “noir poet laureate” in the Huffington Post, Reed is the author of novels, including Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, the acclaimed Moe Prager series, short stories, and poetry.
Reed is a three-time Edgar Award nominee in three different categories—Best Novel, Best Paperback Original, Best Short Story—and a three-time recipient of the Shamus Award for Best PI Novel of the Year. He has also won the Audie, Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards.
A former executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America, Reed is an adjunct instructor of English at Hofstra University and a founding member of MWA University. Brooklyn born and raised, he now lives with his family–including cats Cleo and Knish–in Suffolk County on Long Island.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
May 25, 2009
This one was a little cheezer compared to the first book in the series. A lot of the things in the plot were just a little too contrived, and the attempts at humor were heavy-handed. Still an enjoyable enough quick read, though.
The story takes place in 1981. Moe Prager sets out to discover what really caused a fire at a resort in the Catskills that killed 16 people in 1965.
The story takes place in 1981. Moe Prager sets out to discover what really caused a fire at a resort in the Catskills that killed 16 people in 1965.
May 17, 2009
Redemption Street by Reed Farrel Coleman
My Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had a "comfy" feel to it, like the narrator was a friend. The retired detective (Moe) turned wine-store owner in the 1970's New York City takes his first P.I. case, not because someone asks him to do it; but because someone offers him money to not take it. Right away I knew that I would like this character and he didn't disappoint anytime. As he investigates an old fire in a Catskills hotel that killed 17 people in the 60's; one a girl he'd had a crush on in high school; he explores his feelings about being a Jew especially as he meets other Jews who are quite visually advertising their beliefs like the Hassids and the Yellow Stars. These emotional threads colour and influence his findings about the fire and the people involved, the small resort town police, politicians and former members of the destroyed hotel. All the characters are well rounded out and quite believable. The twists and turns sometimes come as a surprise which I like in a mystery, who likes to know the ending before getting there? The author has included personal scenes in the development of the character which helps Moe come alive and makes the story something that is happening to the character right now. I give 5 stars.
My Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had a "comfy" feel to it, like the narrator was a friend. The retired detective (Moe) turned wine-store owner in the 1970's New York City takes his first P.I. case, not because someone asks him to do it; but because someone offers him money to not take it. Right away I knew that I would like this character and he didn't disappoint anytime. As he investigates an old fire in a Catskills hotel that killed 17 people in the 60's; one a girl he'd had a crush on in high school; he explores his feelings about being a Jew especially as he meets other Jews who are quite visually advertising their beliefs like the Hassids and the Yellow Stars. These emotional threads colour and influence his findings about the fire and the people involved, the small resort town police, politicians and former members of the destroyed hotel. All the characters are well rounded out and quite believable. The twists and turns sometimes come as a surprise which I like in a mystery, who likes to know the ending before getting there? The author has included personal scenes in the development of the character which helps Moe come alive and makes the story something that is happening to the character right now. I give 5 stars.
May 6, 2017
I saw a review of a different book by this author that got my attention so I looked him up and thought I might like him. I picked this one up on Kindle Unlimited and I really did like it.
Moe is a retired cop and a non-practicing PI. He gets pulled in to a case that is 16 years old and for all intents and purposes already solved out of guilt and curiosity and boredom.
It is interesting reading and fairly unpredictable how he bumbles around and discovers the truth. There is also some deep dialogue about being Jewish that will make you think of some things that you might never have thought about before.
At the end of the book the author talks about how this book didn't do well at the bookstore and was his most unsuccessful . If that is true the rest must be really something!
Moe is a retired cop and a non-practicing PI. He gets pulled in to a case that is 16 years old and for all intents and purposes already solved out of guilt and curiosity and boredom.
It is interesting reading and fairly unpredictable how he bumbles around and discovers the truth. There is also some deep dialogue about being Jewish that will make you think of some things that you might never have thought about before.
At the end of the book the author talks about how this book didn't do well at the bookstore and was his most unsuccessful . If that is true the rest must be really something!
March 21, 2017
This series is fantastic. Short, very well written mysteries. Very glad I'm reading this in order (not that I ever would purposely not read a series in order) but so many references to Moe's father in law would be missed by not having read the series in order.
Moe's first official PI case he goes to the Catskills to investigate a fire that killed his high school crush, and 15 other people, some 20 years before. A lot of focus past and present on the Jewish culture. As with the first book Moe fights his own moral code on how to best deal with outcome.
Moe's first official PI case he goes to the Catskills to investigate a fire that killed his high school crush, and 15 other people, some 20 years before. A lot of focus past and present on the Jewish culture. As with the first book Moe fights his own moral code on how to best deal with outcome.
June 30, 2021
Reed Farrel Coleman is such a tremendous gift. His protagonist, Moe Prager, is a study of how a multi-dimensional a character can be; complex, concerned, troubled, and ultimately at peace with his decisions; good or bad. Yes, this is a mystery at its core, but it's really an opportunity to see a masterful example of how an evolving character can connect with a reader. I'm not always sure when it happens, that moment, when you suddenly realize that you are 100% invested in the lead character. But I will read all of the Moe Prager stories. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, but it almost became secondary as I felt more and more connected to Prager. If you've not had the pleasure of reading Coleman, please do. I'm only two books into the Prager series. My introduction to Coleman's storytelling prowess, was in "Where it Hurts" and "What You Break". They are both fantastic reads, and a wonderful place to enter Coleman-land. Damn, I love reading!!!! Especially books like this one.
Happy 4th of July everyone, and cheers to losing yourself in a great story, and taking your imagination out for a joyride.....
Happy 4th of July everyone, and cheers to losing yourself in a great story, and taking your imagination out for a joyride.....
January 17, 2019
This was my first "hard-boiled P.I./Detective" novel. It was an enjoyable read. Coleman's main character was thoroughly fleshed out and I felt like I knew the man.
Interesting story about murder in the Catskills, which brought back memories of visiting that area and staying at the Concord years ago. The author really nailed description of that area.
Easy for me to recommend this novel to readers who love this genre.
Interesting story about murder in the Catskills, which brought back memories of visiting that area and staying at the Concord years ago. The author really nailed description of that area.
Easy for me to recommend this novel to readers who love this genre.
September 26, 2013
Even though he's only in his 30s, Moe Prager was forced to retire from his job as a New York City cop because of a bad knee. It's 1981, and he and his brother own a wine shop in Manhattan. Although the business is doing well, Moe is beginning to feel bored. That feeling dissipates quickly when Arthur Rosen comes in to the shop and begs Moe to solve the mystery of a fire which occurred in 1961 at a hotel in the Catskill Mountains, one which supposedly was started by someone smoking in bed. Rosen's sister, Karen, who went to high school with Moe, was killed in that fire, along with 16 other young people who were working at the hotel, including a woman on whom Moe had a huge crush. Rosen doesn't believe the story about the origin of the fire, feeling that it was arson. At first, Moe isn't interested in pursuing the investigation; Arthur isn't exactly lucid and the story seems farfetched. When Rosen commits suicide, Moe finds that he is haunted by the possibilities and dusts off his private investigator's badge.
Moe goes up to the Catskills and stays at one of the formerly grand hotels which were so popular in the 30s, 40s and 50s. At that time, the Catskills had flourished as a vacation spot for New York City's lower and middle-class citizens. The "Borscht Belt" was a series of hotels that had sprung up in the Catskills over the years to service a vibrant Jewish clientele. The area was famous for the comedians who played the hotel ballrooms: Myron Cohen, Milton Berle, Jerry Lewis, Henny Youngman, Don Rickles, Stiller and Meara, Totie Fields, Joan Rivers, David Brenner. In fact, the hotel where he is staying is run by a former vaudeville comedian who never quite made it, Sam Gutterman. However, there is nothing funny about what Moe experiences as he begins to investigate the fire. As he's nosing around, he is attacked for being a Jew. There are some pockets of anti-Semitism in the area, which is ironic since most of the growth in the area was due to its success within the Jewish community.
My main problem with the book was that the author never decided what he wanted it to be, which resulted in huge inconsistencies. It began as a wise-cracking private investigator book. Although funny, I found that Moe's dialog boiled down to a series of one liners which started to lose their charm after a short time. It's probably just a prejudice of mine, but I find it very implausible for a person to be telling jokes when their life is being threatened. When Moe went up to the Catskills, the book became a homage to the old-time Borscht Belt, complete with comedy routines between Moe and the owner of the hotel. Then the anti-Semitism thread became dominant, complete with 5-page sermon on being a proud Jew. The tone of the book moved from light-hearted and humorous to heavy-handed and didactic. In the latter part of the book, Moe exhibited a kind of meanness that wasn't there in the beginning, as did some of the other characters. This inconsistency was also demonstrated in his relationship with his wife, Katy, who he loved very much but with whom he wasn't open about an issue that was very important to her.
Coleman did a good job of developing the main thread and resolving it in a satisfactory way. I wish that there had been more cohesiveness to the book, as it felt fractured as the tone and direction of the narrative changed. Although there were some likable characters in the book, I found that I didn't enjoy it very much. REDEMPTION STREET is the second book in the series; I wonder if the earlier book, WALKING THE PERFECT SQUARE, had these same kinds of problems.
Moe goes up to the Catskills and stays at one of the formerly grand hotels which were so popular in the 30s, 40s and 50s. At that time, the Catskills had flourished as a vacation spot for New York City's lower and middle-class citizens. The "Borscht Belt" was a series of hotels that had sprung up in the Catskills over the years to service a vibrant Jewish clientele. The area was famous for the comedians who played the hotel ballrooms: Myron Cohen, Milton Berle, Jerry Lewis, Henny Youngman, Don Rickles, Stiller and Meara, Totie Fields, Joan Rivers, David Brenner. In fact, the hotel where he is staying is run by a former vaudeville comedian who never quite made it, Sam Gutterman. However, there is nothing funny about what Moe experiences as he begins to investigate the fire. As he's nosing around, he is attacked for being a Jew. There are some pockets of anti-Semitism in the area, which is ironic since most of the growth in the area was due to its success within the Jewish community.
My main problem with the book was that the author never decided what he wanted it to be, which resulted in huge inconsistencies. It began as a wise-cracking private investigator book. Although funny, I found that Moe's dialog boiled down to a series of one liners which started to lose their charm after a short time. It's probably just a prejudice of mine, but I find it very implausible for a person to be telling jokes when their life is being threatened. When Moe went up to the Catskills, the book became a homage to the old-time Borscht Belt, complete with comedy routines between Moe and the owner of the hotel. Then the anti-Semitism thread became dominant, complete with 5-page sermon on being a proud Jew. The tone of the book moved from light-hearted and humorous to heavy-handed and didactic. In the latter part of the book, Moe exhibited a kind of meanness that wasn't there in the beginning, as did some of the other characters. This inconsistency was also demonstrated in his relationship with his wife, Katy, who he loved very much but with whom he wasn't open about an issue that was very important to her.
Coleman did a good job of developing the main thread and resolving it in a satisfactory way. I wish that there had been more cohesiveness to the book, as it felt fractured as the tone and direction of the narrative changed. Although there were some likable characters in the book, I found that I didn't enjoy it very much. REDEMPTION STREET is the second book in the series; I wonder if the earlier book, WALKING THE PERFECT SQUARE, had these same kinds of problems.
December 24, 2013
I read and really enjoyed the first Moe Prager book about a year ago; Coleman hit home with me with the reluctant PI angle and when I saw this at the library I figured it was about time to follow up with the series. Apparently, this volume was doomed from the start. I don't know the exact history but it went from distribution to bargain bin very quickly. It didn't sell well and got none of the accolades the next installment, The James Deans received.
Moe hasn't worked a case since the first book but has been working at the wine shop he and his brother opened in the city. Once again he is dragged into another case, this time revolving around a deadly fire in a hotel that occurred sixteen years ago in the "Borscht Belt" area of the Catskills. Moe meanders around the case and there are several pretty good twists but there are some deeper themes here. Coleman talks about them in his afterword as he goes into the rocky past of the book, the paperback reissue and some of his thoughts as he himself, re-read the book. I have to say I generally just skim over an afterword but I found this one very interesting. Coleman says that in Walking the Perfect Square we are introduced to Moe the person, while in Redemption Street we find the soul of Moe, especially his Jewish soul. I think this statement by Coleman really sums up the book nicely,
I think somepeople enjoy the novel because I took on serious topics like cultural assimilation, Jewish self-hatred, and anti-Semitism.
But at its core, Redemption Street is the work that lays out the pattern of Moe's obsession with the past and his dread of its implications for the future.
Moe hasn't worked a case since the first book but has been working at the wine shop he and his brother opened in the city. Once again he is dragged into another case, this time revolving around a deadly fire in a hotel that occurred sixteen years ago in the "Borscht Belt" area of the Catskills. Moe meanders around the case and there are several pretty good twists but there are some deeper themes here. Coleman talks about them in his afterword as he goes into the rocky past of the book, the paperback reissue and some of his thoughts as he himself, re-read the book. I have to say I generally just skim over an afterword but I found this one very interesting. Coleman says that in Walking the Perfect Square we are introduced to Moe the person, while in Redemption Street we find the soul of Moe, especially his Jewish soul. I think this statement by Coleman really sums up the book nicely,
I think somepeople enjoy the novel because I took on serious topics like cultural assimilation, Jewish self-hatred, and anti-Semitism.
But at its core, Redemption Street is the work that lays out the pattern of Moe's obsession with the past and his dread of its implications for the future.
September 3, 2009
This is the second of the Moe Prager mysteries. I hadn't read the first, but there's enough reference to it/background given that that's not a problem.
Moe is an ex-cop, wine shop proprietor, and sometime private eye. The novel fits into the noire sub-genre, but Moe himself is a bit too nice to be truly hardboiled. (He's a family man, for one thing. Not so usual with fictional PI's.)
This time out he's away from his home in "upstate" New York, specifically Old Rotterdam, which was in the Borscht Belt of the Catskills. Even in 1981, when the novel takes place, that's a dying scene, but the central mystery harks back to a tragic fire that took place in 1966 when the hotels still did a thriving business.
Needless to say, Moe's poking around in the not-so-dead past displeases several people, and his encounters with some of the current denizens of the area force him to question some of his life choices and his Jewish identity.
The mystery is solid, the characterizations are terrific, and the dialogue is (mostly) clever without being too precious. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy gritty mysteries.
Moe is an ex-cop, wine shop proprietor, and sometime private eye. The novel fits into the noire sub-genre, but Moe himself is a bit too nice to be truly hardboiled. (He's a family man, for one thing. Not so usual with fictional PI's.)
This time out he's away from his home in "upstate" New York, specifically Old Rotterdam, which was in the Borscht Belt of the Catskills. Even in 1981, when the novel takes place, that's a dying scene, but the central mystery harks back to a tragic fire that took place in 1966 when the hotels still did a thriving business.
Needless to say, Moe's poking around in the not-so-dead past displeases several people, and his encounters with some of the current denizens of the area force him to question some of his life choices and his Jewish identity.
The mystery is solid, the characterizations are terrific, and the dialogue is (mostly) clever without being too precious. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy gritty mysteries.
July 6, 2015
I've just finished this novel and I have mixed feelings about it. It's very slow in the first half and then tumbles downhill like a rolling stone pushed over a cliff. It reminds me of my second novel in this respect and I suspect got similar reviews. But I also understand the authors love of this work because it says why the author is writing these stories. I appreciate that.
I did find the back and forth to family cumbersome, contributing to the jerkiness of the first half. And the deal of the secret about what happened to his wife's brother confusing since it was revealed in Walking the Square.
The exploration of his Jewishness did explore Mose's soul searching, and revealed his character in a way that built Him better for future adventures.
I love PI novels. And it's so hard to find really good ones. This author has a unique love of the art of PI-ness. I know what that is because I've been one and written them. And I'm an avid student of this uniquely honorable exploration of the battle between good and evil that is so real in the world.
Bottom line: I liked it and appreciate it for more than just a story.
I did find the back and forth to family cumbersome, contributing to the jerkiness of the first half. And the deal of the secret about what happened to his wife's brother confusing since it was revealed in Walking the Square.
The exploration of his Jewishness did explore Mose's soul searching, and revealed his character in a way that built Him better for future adventures.
I love PI novels. And it's so hard to find really good ones. This author has a unique love of the art of PI-ness. I know what that is because I've been one and written them. And I'm an avid student of this uniquely honorable exploration of the battle between good and evil that is so real in the world.
Bottom line: I liked it and appreciate it for more than just a story.
September 7, 2007
REDEMPTION STREET – VG
Reed Farrel Coleman – 3rd in series
Moe Prager—retired New York City cop-turned-wine shop owner—still possessed of his vintage police savvy, and is, perhaps, the only Jewish licensed PI in the five boroughs, Moe wonders if he’s really meant to be a merchant and not a cop. Redemption Street finds him in 1981, lured into the mystery of a 1966 hotel fire—one that killed seventeen people, including his first love—by a long-grieving brother and Moe’s own restless determination to set things right.
***Coleman is an excellent writer and Moe is a wonderful, fully-dimensional character who, while a tough ex-cop, is human with a family he loves and secrets he carries. His descriptions are well done and his style has a wonderful flow, but a poignancy that leaves you knowing you’ll be waiting for his next book.
There is good suspense and twists along the way. Highly recommended.
Reed Farrel Coleman – 3rd in series
Moe Prager—retired New York City cop-turned-wine shop owner—still possessed of his vintage police savvy, and is, perhaps, the only Jewish licensed PI in the five boroughs, Moe wonders if he’s really meant to be a merchant and not a cop. Redemption Street finds him in 1981, lured into the mystery of a 1966 hotel fire—one that killed seventeen people, including his first love—by a long-grieving brother and Moe’s own restless determination to set things right.
***Coleman is an excellent writer and Moe is a wonderful, fully-dimensional character who, while a tough ex-cop, is human with a family he loves and secrets he carries. His descriptions are well done and his style has a wonderful flow, but a poignancy that leaves you knowing you’ll be waiting for his next book.
There is good suspense and twists along the way. Highly recommended.
February 13, 2010
While I wouldn't go so far as to call this a sophomore slump, REDEMPTION STREET lacks some of what made the first Moe Prager book so strong. By removing some of the personal stake in the investigation, the momentum of the story slows and at some times feels forced.
The emotional story and the humanity of the hero is as fresh as it was in the first book, but the whodunit elements combined with the fish out of water premise didn't play to the Coleman's strengths.
A keen observer and a writer interested in exploring fairly complex themes within crime fiction, Coleman is definitely an author to watch. I already have the next Moe Prager book in my stack and I'm looking forward to a good read.
The emotional story and the humanity of the hero is as fresh as it was in the first book, but the whodunit elements combined with the fish out of water premise didn't play to the Coleman's strengths.
A keen observer and a writer interested in exploring fairly complex themes within crime fiction, Coleman is definitely an author to watch. I already have the next Moe Prager book in my stack and I'm looking forward to a good read.
December 22, 2011
Second in the Moe Prager series and another solid entry. Prose has a nice flow to it. Very descriptive style rather than a thriller where the pace picks you up and pulls you along. This entry is sandwiched between the two elements of the first book which was set both in present day and 20 years ago - this can make things seem a little weird at times because Moe doesn't know things that we have learnt from the first book. While the key perpatrator is integral to the story the focus only shifts to them as a suspect much later in the story when the events are are unveiled and it is very much a case of being unveiled as the story is one where you are brought along for the ride rather than clues being left for you to try and solve the mystery before the PI.
October 23, 2013
Redemption Street is the second book in the Moe Prager series. Moe is a former NYPD cop out on a disability and now part-time PI and co-owner of a wine shop in New York City with his brother. In this outing, Moe gets involved in looking into an old fire in which two school mates of his (one whom he had a crush on) and several others were killed in a resort in the Catskills. During the course of the investigation, Moe rediscovers his Judaism and what it means to him. I greatly enjoyed this book. I love Moe. He is very real, with troubles and baggage like anyone else, is deeply introspective with a somewhat darker world view. Reed Farrel Coleman is a skilled story teller, bringing the characters and the story to life on the page. I am very glad to have several more Moe books to read.
July 1, 2014
#2 in the Moe Prager series. Reed Farrel Coleman, for some unknown reason, is one of a handful of writers whose books keep being displaced on my To Read list and then when I finally start them, I find them utterly enjoyable. Of the Coleman books that I have read, this one stands as the most memorable. Highly Recommended.
Moe Prager is asked by a psycho to find his sister, a high school classmate of Moe's, who perished in a hotel fire 16 years earlier. Moe goes to the halfway house where the man is living to turn him down, but when he finds the man has committed suicide decides to invest a week poking around in the Catskills. Jewish themes, danger and memorable characters add to the experience.
Moe Prager is asked by a psycho to find his sister, a high school classmate of Moe's, who perished in a hotel fire 16 years earlier. Moe goes to the halfway house where the man is living to turn him down, but when he finds the man has committed suicide decides to invest a week poking around in the Catskills. Jewish themes, danger and memorable characters add to the experience.
August 15, 2009
Second in the Moe Prager series. Short, sweet and complicated. Easy read and great for summer. Like the main character...Moses Prager...flawed and real, and loves his wife and daughter. Lots of political issues in this one too -- racism, religion. What is also interesting is that Moe is keeping a secret from his wife, a secret revealed in the 1st book (as it flash forward to 1998). However, in book 2, 1981, secret is not revealed, so, we know the secret, we are keeping it. Interesting device by the author and makes 'us' feel like co conspirators saying 'tell her'!
January 27, 2011
I certainly can understand why this was a commercial and critical failure upon it's initial release. Not nearly as strong as the previous "Walking the Perfect Square." Moe Prager is a strong detective character and made all the more interesting considering how different he is from most other sleuths (a loving family, doesn't drink too hard, owns his own business) but the never ending parade of wise-crack witticisms gets tired real quick. Still makes for pleasant subway reading for the most part, just not particularly memorable or remarkable.
January 11, 2013
Moe Prager a retired NYPD officer enjoys his work with his brother Aaron in their wine store partnership but when a demented man on the brink commits suicide after begging for Moe's help his detectival juices are stirred up. Prager takes on the old case of a fire in a Catskills summer resort which killed many youngsters working there for the summer.
The story is well told and is very engrossing as it brings back memories of another time and place.This is one of the best stories I have read in a long time.
The story is well told and is very engrossing as it brings back memories of another time and place.This is one of the best stories I have read in a long time.
August 21, 2014
#2 in the series. I am so hooked. this character's development from book one to two, is awesome. where will he go next? can't wait to find out. thanks to my friend Dee (with a smack also) for once again starting me on the path through a new series. I will repeat this every so often: never will I have enough time in this world to read every book I'd like to!
February 27, 2016
Moe Prager is back in the 2nd book in the series. In the Catskill's, at a hotel in the Borsht Belt trying to find evidence that a girl he was sweet on, back in the day, survived a hotel fire that killed 17 young people. All things point to her not having survived, but someone is hindering the investigation.
September 24, 2017
This is more than a good detective story. Moe Prager, former NY cop and now wine store owner/private eye, investigates a 16 year old cold case fire and murders in the Catskills, the home of the former Borscht Belt. In the course of the investigation Moe struggles with his "Jewishness", discrimination, and double dealing, and revenge.
November 16, 2015
Coleman is probably the closest I've come to Ross MacDonald since I started looking. Anyway, Moe is a protagonist I feel comfortable with, & Redemption Street just makes me want keep reading his stories.
March 7, 2017
Book 2 in the Moe Prager series, with Moe digging into a 20 year old fire at a Catskills resort that killed his high school crush and 15 others. Nice twists and turns in the story and great development of the central character and his family.
April 4, 2017
#2 in the Moe Prager series. A hard-boiled detective book that is only 200 pages long but gives you enough depth in the main characters to make it work. This kind aren't been written very much any more, which is a shame.
April 8, 2015
The second Mo Prager mystery, which was lighter than Truth and Beauty..... another twisting mystery
July 13, 2015
A good detective story, with vivid characters and strong narrative voice.
August 8, 2016
Not as god as the first one. But I'll read the next one.
August 7, 2016
A solid second book in the series.
May 5, 2019
"Walking the Perfect Square" was one of my top 5 books (out of 77) that I read in 2018. How could Reed Farrel Coleman top that? Well if he didn't, he came darn close. I'll skip the synopsis that most reviewers give, I mean Goodreads does a fine job of that. I'll just delve into what I think are the weaknesses and strength of this novel.
The only complaints I have worth mentioning, take place in the last part of the book. I'll be vague to avoid spoiling it for you, but you'll understand when you've finished this book and I strongly recommend that you do read it. Moe drops his gun in a situation, where any smart person wouldn't. If he' kept his gun it would have been a standoff between him a the character who had a shotgun pointing at someone else, dumb. My other complaint, was in the epilogue, when Moe started to go back and tell a character the truth, but turned around in the parking lot. I thought that was not very Moesque.
Coleman does a great job at making the reader things through the eyes and even the soul of Moe Prager. You like Moe, but realize he's flawed and maybe you'd do things a little differently. This book flows well and I had a very hard time putting it down in the two days it took me to read it. The author never crosses the line between giving the character's some depth and becoming boring by over doing it. I like the location of Old Rotterdam (Fir Grove, Swan Song) and that the author changes scenery back to NYC when things start to get a little tedious. The story is a true mystery with lots of suspense and a couple unexpected twists. What sets this novel apart from the typical "good book" is that it's deep. Maybe not as deep as the first in the series, but it definitely makes you think. I believe that's enhanced by the fact that the book takes place in 1981 and much of the references are earlier than that. Resurrecting the past, whether our own or someone else's is always deep.
The only complaints I have worth mentioning, take place in the last part of the book. I'll be vague to avoid spoiling it for you, but you'll understand when you've finished this book and I strongly recommend that you do read it. Moe drops his gun in a situation, where any smart person wouldn't. If he' kept his gun it would have been a standoff between him a the character who had a shotgun pointing at someone else, dumb. My other complaint, was in the epilogue, when Moe started to go back and tell a character the truth, but turned around in the parking lot. I thought that was not very Moesque.
Coleman does a great job at making the reader things through the eyes and even the soul of Moe Prager. You like Moe, but realize he's flawed and maybe you'd do things a little differently. This book flows well and I had a very hard time putting it down in the two days it took me to read it. The author never crosses the line between giving the character's some depth and becoming boring by over doing it. I like the location of Old Rotterdam (Fir Grove, Swan Song) and that the author changes scenery back to NYC when things start to get a little tedious. The story is a true mystery with lots of suspense and a couple unexpected twists. What sets this novel apart from the typical "good book" is that it's deep. Maybe not as deep as the first in the series, but it definitely makes you think. I believe that's enhanced by the fact that the book takes place in 1981 and much of the references are earlier than that. Resurrecting the past, whether our own or someone else's is always deep.
September 21, 2019
Redemption Street by Reed Farrel Coleman is number 2 in the Moe Prager detective series, it is another great read by the author. There are many plot twists, lots of humor and a great deal of humanity. I highly recommend Coleman's books they are excellent detective mysteries.
From the publisher:
Walking the Perfect Square introduced Moe Prager—retired New York City cop-turned-wine shop owner—to much acclaim and an enthusiastic readership. Still possessed of his vintage police savvy, and perhaps the only Jewish licensed PI in the five boroughs, Moe wonders if he’s really meant to be a merchant and not a cop. Redemption Street finds him in 1981, lured into the mystery of a 1966 hotel fire—one that killed seventeen people, including his first love—by a long-grieving brother and Moe’s own restless determination to set things right.
Reed Farrel Coleman’s crisp, page-turning narrative has Moe trudging through his childhood summer vacation stomping grounds, the now-decaying Catskill resort scene. The borscht belt’s near-forgotten landscape of scarred lives, ambitious politicians, and corrupt cops is the minefield Moe must brave to find the truth. Was the fire really sparked by a negligent smoker or was it murder? Will the long-dead keep their secrets or divulge their stories? And will what Moe uncovers lead him down another blind alley or into the bright light of Redemption Street?
From the publisher:
Walking the Perfect Square introduced Moe Prager—retired New York City cop-turned-wine shop owner—to much acclaim and an enthusiastic readership. Still possessed of his vintage police savvy, and perhaps the only Jewish licensed PI in the five boroughs, Moe wonders if he’s really meant to be a merchant and not a cop. Redemption Street finds him in 1981, lured into the mystery of a 1966 hotel fire—one that killed seventeen people, including his first love—by a long-grieving brother and Moe’s own restless determination to set things right.
Reed Farrel Coleman’s crisp, page-turning narrative has Moe trudging through his childhood summer vacation stomping grounds, the now-decaying Catskill resort scene. The borscht belt’s near-forgotten landscape of scarred lives, ambitious politicians, and corrupt cops is the minefield Moe must brave to find the truth. Was the fire really sparked by a negligent smoker or was it murder? Will the long-dead keep their secrets or divulge their stories? And will what Moe uncovers lead him down another blind alley or into the bright light of Redemption Street?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews