Cool Machine

The Harlem Trilogy #3

by Colson Whitehead

From #1 New York Times bestselling author and two-time Pulitzer winner Colson Whitehead, an exuberantly entertaining novel that brings to life 1980s New York in the magnificent final volume of his Harlem Trilogy

1981. New York City is beginning to emerge from financial ruin and decline, energized by rampant real estate development and a Wall Street unchained by Reagan-era predatory capitalism. Up in Harlem, successful business owner/master fence Ray Carney has just been named Sterling Furniture’s Dealer of the Month. When the banks won’t give his beloved wife Elizabeth a loan for her new travel agency, however, Carney gambles on one last heist, and finds himself entangled with a legendary criminal mastermind.

1983. To some, Carney’s friend and partner in crime Pepper is a stone-cold sociopath. To others, a top thief with questionable people skills. Either way, he’s feeling his age in his troubled gut and his aching bones. When he takes on a bodyguard gig as a favor to Elizabeth, he’s plunged into the alien territory of the East Village art and club scene. Luckily for him, whether you’re uptown or down, everyone speaks the same language of violence—Pepper is a native speaker.

1986. Carney has always been haunted by his inability to save his cousin Freddie. Now, twenty years after Freddie’s death, he has a chance to rescue Freddie’s son from the violent forces of the city. But coming out of retirement and teaming up with Pepper again will mean risking the safety and security he’s spent decades building for his family, with only one shot to get it right.

With his usual pitch-perfect prose Whitehead paints a portrait of a city in transition, where shimmering skyscrapers rise to the heavens as displaced people huddle in abandoned tunnels below. In a dazzling display of protean imagination, Cool Machine roves all over the city, from Windows on the World to the Meadowlands, to show that in New York, and in the lives of Whitehead’s vivid characters, it’s what’s below the surface that reveals the truth.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, New York, Crime, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 21, 2026

About the author

COLSON WHITEHEAD is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eleven works of fiction and nonfiction, and is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad, which also won the National Book Award. A recipient of MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, he lives in New York City.

Harlem Shuffle is the first book in The Harlem Trilogy. The second, Crook Manifesto, will be published in 2023.

Reviews

[Book Riot Community]

Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:

A literary fiction trilogy is already a rare treat for readers, so one from an incredible two-time Pulitzer Prize winner is a glorious freaking gift. Cool Machine closes out Whitehead's Harlem Trilogy about Ray Carney, an NYC furniture salesman and master fence. This third story is set in the 1980s, when Reaganomics has been unleashed on the economy, and the country is lulled into thinking they have money to spend. In need of a loan to get his wife's travel agency off the ground, Ray makes one more questionable (and certainly illegal) business decision. How will Ray and his partner, the lovable sociopath Pepper, fare this last time around? —Liberty Hardy

[Jifu · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)

In this last installment of his Harlem trilogy, Whitehead provides one final book that is as much about New York City as it is about the heists, betrayals, and other schemes that his characters get swept up in, and rather openly and unashmedly so. And it’s precisely why I enjoyed it as much as I did its two predecessors, because besides being a thrilling ride, Colson Whitehead yet again makes the city come richly and immersively alive in all of its fierce and gritty glory.

[Carol Scheherazade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great novel by one of my favorites. This book ends the Harlem trilogy.
Ray is now getting older but those criminal instincts are still there. New York City (loved the dedication) was changing during these novels and even more so in this last one. The three years are separated and seamless. The character of NYC in this book is my fav one of the series. Whilst Ray changes quite a bit, the city changes around him. The writing is again very good. A sort of fitting end to the series.

[Alan]

Rec. by: Ryan D.; previous work

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1981: Ray Carney, full-time businessman and part-time fence, has been trying hard to walk the straight-and-narrow as he restores his furniture store operation from a devasting fire. However, the need to help his wife Elizabeth with a sudden cashflow problem in her own business finds Ray getting involved in a few more heists, where things quickly go deadly wrong. It is 1983: Pepper, Ray’s long-time friend, protector, and partner in crime, has been engaged as a bodyguard for Elizabeth’s most important client. The assignment soon turns, throwing Pepper into an unfamiliar world involving the city’s avant-garde art scene, the search for stolen African artifacts, and a series of gruesome murders committed by a deranged hitman. It is 1986: Ray reflects on his life and career, still lamenting the inability to save his cousin Freddie from an untimely end some two decades earlier. When Freddie’s son Robert goes missing under suspicious circumstances with Mafia connections, Ray gets a chance for redemption and enlists Pepper’s help to solve the mystery.

So go the basic plots of the three novellas comprising Cool Machine, the concluding book in Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy. Preceded by Harlem Shuffle, which was set in the 1960s, and Crook Manifesto, set in the 1970s, this volume continues the exploits of Ray and Pepper as they age somewhat gracefully into a new decade. Beyond chronicling the exploits of those two human protagonists, though, the special brilliance of this series is the way the author elevates the city of New York itself to the status of a main character. Indeed, Cool Machine finds the city emerging from a decades-long malaise of economic deprivation and physical decline to a time of hope and prosperity—from Wall Street to the Bronx, if a little unevenly distributed—ushered in by Reagan-era policies. This is the New York City of Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities, warts and all, but told from the point of view of people living well north of Central Park.

Having read with considerable enjoyment the first two books in the trilogy, I was really looking forward to this final installment. Happily, nothing about Cool Machine was in any way disappointing. In telling this part of Ray and Pepper’s saga, the author maintained a stylistic symmetry—the story is packaged in three sections set a few years apart within a single decade—that I found useful in creating a sense of continuity across the entire project. Also, as in Crook Manifesto, the first novella in this volume features Ray’s story, while the second focuses on Pepper’s activities, and the last section brings Ray and Pepper together for a final collaboration. That was a satisfying division for me because, although I suspect that Ray was meant to be the main protagonist with his moral dilemmas creating the dramatic tension, I found Pepper to be a far more interesting character. As always, Whitehead’s writing is sharp throughout and the crime capers presented here are even more interesting than those in the previous two novels. This is an easy book to recommend, particularly for those who are already invested in the series.

[Catherine DeLeon (Horvath) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Random House (and Goodreads) for an advanced copy of “Cool Machine.”

I am honored to be randomly chosen to receive an advanced copy of a book from a publisher for review. This is important for me to note, because I believe my excitement upon receiving this surprise in the mail influenced my perspective as I read.

I loved Harlem Shuffle. The characters, though flawed, were easy to root for. I just wanted Ray Carney to succeed. I wanted him to succeed without getting into too much trouble, especially with his wife.

By the time I read Crook’s Manifesto, I was hoping RC would try harder to live cleanly. He got looped into some crazy plots yet again. While I enjoyed Crook’s Manifesto, I found it more difficult to get to know and root for all the new characters in RC’s world, we were introduced to so many. Book 2 definitely felt like the “bridge book” that many 2nd books in a trilogy end up being: a bridge from the first to the third and not quite living up to expectations.

With slightly lower expectations paired with the excitement of reading book three before publication, I grew to love RC again. (And, at this point, I guess getting money through illegal means is the only way he knows how to solve all his family’s problems). I don’t understand RC’s need to risk everything to save Frankie’s son’s ass. Again. I’ve tried. I know he loved Frankie…it does make me contemplate how much of my own life I would be willing to ruin to save the son of a cousin I was particularly fond of…and the answer is maybe RC has a better heart than me. Pepper was my favorite character to learn more from in book 2, so I’m glad to see an aging and even snarkier version of Pepper to finish out book 3.

New York City growing and changing, gentrification making things look cool and modern while displacing people who can’t afford to keep up (despite their best efforts)…made for a well loved, well executed setting. Overall, I liked book 3 better than book 2 because we get to dive deeper into familiar characters without being overwhelmed by so many new faces as in book 2. Though we still meet some new characters, I felt more grounded in the repeat characters this time because I know them better than in previous books. The three storylines in three different years was easier to follow than all the bouncing around in book 2, but it was still quite jarring. Book 2 had a lot of flashbacks, especially in Pepper’s perspective, which made it difficult to tell where we were in the story. It’s the same for this book: a lot of bouncing around and changing perspectives…the only reason for the 4/5. Book one is still my favorite because it was more focused and less jammed full of different people, different perspectives, different years, all jumping around trying to get you as much information as possible in barely 300 pages.

4/5

[Ryan Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s impressive that Ray Carney has thrived as a legitimate furniture dealer for decades, but it’s damn near miraculous he’s still breathing after an equal amount of time as a NYC fence.

We get three truly kick-ass stories in Cool Machine, connected vignettes set in 1981, ’83, and ’86. Each is a thrilling piece of entertainment loaded with literary flair and deeper meaning. Carney has had success in business and family, but maybe due to reasons of nature or nurture, his itch for that last big score is not yet sated.

Set pieces move like perfectly oiled gears and highlight the genius behind Whitehead’s prose and storytelling. Yes, he approaches scenes with the keen eye of an insider, but weaves social and political themes into the fabric of the plot like a trained Big Apple anthropologist. The author lived through the crackdown on graffiti and discriminatory stop-question-frisk policies, but he's not bitter and would rather apply NYC's racial imperfections into a novel of pure fun loaded with mob etiquette and lovable sociopaths. Objects of desire have their own stories to tell and include Jesse Owen’s gold medal from the 1936 Olympics and a priceless African Ngil mask that changes those who place it on their face. After risks grow too large, above all, Carney wants safety for his family.

This is gritty and real, it never turns into Ocean’s Eleven, and is as much historical fiction as crime. Readers must beware that every chapter ends with an ingenious cliffhanger or major twist, so putting the book down is often an impossibility. Cool Machine works splendidly as a standalone and will satisfy those that have been on the full Whitehead Harlem Trilogy train all along. It possesses an ending worthy of a life long journey.

Before this, two books encapsulated New York City in the 1980s moat authenticity; Bonfire of the Vanities and American Psycho. Cool Machine must be added, as it brings unique perspective to that indelible decade that defines America.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the review copy.

[Indra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool Machine (The Harlem Trilogy #3)
by Colson Whitehead
Thank you to Doubleday for the ARC 💛
⭐ 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was such a sharp, gritty, and satisfying close to the Harlem Trilogy. Colson Whitehead once again makes New York feel alive on the page, not just as a setting, but as a living, scheming, changing force.

Ray Carney is trying to stay respectable, or at least respectable enough, but of course one last job has a way of becoming something much bigger. Then there’s Pepper, who might honestly steal the whole book. He is brutal, strange, aging, dangerous, and somehow endlessly compelling. Together, their stories capture a city shifting under their feet, full of money, violence, ambition, and ghosts.

I loved how the book moves through the 1980s in sections. It gives the story shape while showing New York changing decade by decade, from Harlem to the East Village to the shiny towers rising above everyone left behind. 🏙️

What I Loved
• Whitehead’s portrait of 1980s New York
• Pepper, who remains fascinating and terrifying
• The crime capers felt tense, smart, and layered
• A strong sense of closure for Ray and the trilogy

What Didn’t Fully Work for Me
• Some exposition felt a little heavy
• A few emotional moments could have hit harder

Overall, Cool Machine is stylish, entertaining, and full of bite. A fitting final ride through Whitehead’s Harlem, where everyone is hustling, history is always watching, and the city never stops moving. 📚✨

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool Machine is Colson Whitehead's third novel in his so-called Harlem trilogy. The first novel, Harlem Shuffle, was like a lightning bolt out of the blue--both a departure for the author and a wildly compelling plot with great writing. Crook Manifesto, the second in the series, was almost as good. But is there a problem with going to the well too often? His new book, Cool Machine, shows Carney (the protagonist in all three novels) as an established pillar of his Harlem community--a trusted,. dependable furniture store owner. But increasingly, Carney wants to go deeper into his side-vocation--that of a fence, handling loot stolen in New York during various heists. Unlike in the earlier novels, he actively pursues criminal activities, often at risk to himself and possibly his family.

But the execution of Cool Machine feels lacking somehow. The prose doesn't sparkle quite as often, Carney remains oddly impervious to the emotional trauma of being held up at gunpoint (and witnessing the deaths of others), and some of the writing feels slapdash. Also, there's a lot of exposition, both relating to the earlier novels, and in the voices of different characters, many of whom provide information in a blunt manner, i.e., not really how people would speak. It's jarring to read at times, and diminishes the novel's authenticity.

Colson Whitehead remains a wizard with language, but Cool Machine inevitably lacks the freshness of the great novel, Harlem Shuffle.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to this book for a while. Thanks to Net Gally for an ARC.

If you've read the first to books of the Harlem Trilogy, little will surprise you here. It's a new decade - the glamourous, neon-1980s - and whether they want to be or not, Carney, Pepper, et al. are still in the churn.

I loved the first two books in this series and reread them so I was ready for this read. The same things I love in the first two - the Mosley-esque crime, watching the characters change over time, and meticulously detailed time period recreation, the humor - are all present here.

Through 81 chapters spread out over three novels, Whitehead has accomplished a fully realized picture of people growing and changing (or staying the same) over time in a city that relentlessly changes. I think he lands the conclusion. Altogether these books are, for this reader, a huge accomplishment.

Seven bazillion bonus stars for referencing Richard Edsen - RICHARD GODDAMN EDSEN - in this book. That reference - to the first drummer of the band Sonic Youth (and parking lot attendant in Ferris Bueller's Day Off) - is beyond obscure, but made this reader laugh out loud with joy and recognition. I think there's an earlier novel in which Whitehead references SY in the acknowledgements; in a recreated world so rich with historical detail, this bit reminded me of the specificity of Whitehead's NYC. So real you can touch it - if you dare.

Eds. Note: Future Matt, this was not your best reading experience. It took you a while. The detail in these books add up over time, and reading them all in a row (this last one minus wonderful audio) was hard, a chore even. You were reading TJ Klune for an author visit. You started the Parable of the Sower WHILE reading this. It's May and - new dishwasher aside - you are tired of the constant churn in your world, too. Carney's getting older - you aren't doing a damn thing different. Reread the whole trilogy - better spaced out, less ARC pressure - in a year or two.

[Paul Gormley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our 3rd meeting with Carney, furniture shop owner and fence, in New York in the 80s. Carney’s business (and his wife’s) is a success, his children have left the nest and his life is at a crossroads.

Mirroring the previous books in the trilogy, the book is divided into 3 parts, one focusing on his associate Pepper, and 3 different years across the decade. New York is changing and demands change of its inhabitants, including the crooks and lowlifes.

As always, the writing is good and Whitehead surely knows how to tell a story. The first section, where Carney teams up with a legendary thief, is the weakest, lacking narrative drive. Pepper’s section is the opposite and one warms to Pepper, getting too old for the game but clear in his principles and his sense of self.

The third returns the focus to Carney (with a brief cameo from Pepper) as he takes on the mob in defence of a family member, bringing back painful memories.

A strong finish to a trilogy which traces the social and political history of New York City over 3 decades.

(I was given an advance copy in exchange for an honest review)

[Elainedav · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book having read the previous two episodes of the Harlem trilogy. In this episode we catch up with the same characters across three separate timelines in the 1980s - 1981,1983 and 1986. In 1981 Ray involves himself in a final heist which expands his past role as fence into something much more risky. In 1983 Pepper acts as a bodyguard for a client of Elizabeth's travel agency. He is not a well man and whilst in the men's room his client is robbed and he is determined to make things right. In 1986 Ray is called upon to save his nephew from a very difficult situation.

The three timelines read as three separate storylines. They are somewhat tied up in 1986 mainly because there is an update on all the main characters and what they are doing now. The furniture shop doesn't play such a central role in this book, but it still pops up throughout. I love this, it feels like a very unique setting in a book series.

I also particularly like that the story is told from the point of view of the criminal. The police and the law are there in the background but this is not their story.

The writing is superb and I enjoyed being taken back to a non digital era. I guess these crimes would play out somewhat differently now! It feels right to retire these characters now, although I'm a bit sad there won't be a fourth episode. It would make a great TV series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read was nostalgia a trip for me...I spent time during my late teen and early teen years visiting in NYC, and Colson Whitehead has created a novel that has so many references that feel familiar to me. The first two books in this trilogy felt like "historical fiction" in a sense, but this one was suddenly, for me, contemporary. Mr. Whitehead's writing is clean and sharp...he never pulls a punch, as the saying goes. This book is no different. I enjoyed seeing where Carney was in his life, and learning more about his wife, Pepper in this book, and I liked how the city seemed like a character that sprawled all over the storyline. While I don't think a reader needs to have read both of the previous books, at least reading the first, Harlem Shuffle, probably helps the reader feel more invested in the characters and knowing what is happening to them. Plus, Harlem Shuffle is a good read. I'm a little perplexed about telling more about the book without adding spoilers, so I will just say that like a rollercoaster, it took me on a ride.

My thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are solely my own.

[Brithney Remy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A special thanks to DoubleDay for sending over a galley! What a privilege!

3.5 stars! Cool Machine is part three of Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy. I’ll admit, I didn’t read part two (Crook Manifesto), but you don’t need to in order to understand this book. Like the other installments, we follow Carney and familiar faces as they navigate the highs and lows of a crime-ridden Harlem/New York City—thieves, fences, crooked politicians and cops, and the pressure of making a name for yourself, for better or worse.

I really enjoyed catching up with these characters, now in their 50s and 60s, as they reckon with being pulled back into the criminal world, sometimes unknowingly. Themes of “one last job,” health scares, and reconsidering past choices added depth and realism. I especially loved reading about NYC as someone who lives there. While the pacing was occasionally slow as Whitehead filled in backstory, the writing was strong throughout, making this an overall solid and worthwhile read—as expected from Whitehead.

[Rayna (Poindextrix) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid end to the Harlem Shuffle trilogy, Cool Machine follows Ray Carney through the ups and downs of the 80s as he flirts with more dangerous jobs in his sideline, goes straight, and gets pulled into the underworld again. Readers reunite with some familiar characters and are introduced to some new ones as well. And, of course, the book is all about atmosphere with 1980s New York (and Harlem, specifically) playing a huge role.

One thing to note with Cool Machine is that there is not one central plot point driving the narrative forward. Something will resolve and there will still be more book left. This initially had me off kilter, but as the narrative progresses you see how everything fits into the arc of Carney’s story. Still, this can be emotionally exhausting as a reader. Also, the abrupt changes in perspective that happen throughout the book can feel jarring. Even with these factored in, it was an engaging and enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday for this advance review copy.

[Gordon Smart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn’t read the previous two books in this series set in New York but I don’t think it really mattered as the book works as a standalone. However it was so good it made me want to read the first two. The main character is Ray Carey, owner of a furniture showroom and occasional fence for thieves. His friend Pepper is a thief and the other main protagonist in the story which is set in the early 1980s.
Both Carney and Pepper are drawn into schemes through acquaintances which put them in extreme danger and they need all their skills to succeed. Both are ageing black men and would prefer a quiet life but they have a strong sense of justice and an urge to help others. Carney tries to help a friend recover Jesse Owen’s Olympic gold medal while Pepper tries to find a stolen African mask in order to return it to Africa in restitution.
I was gripped by the plot and the characters right to the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Penguin Random House for an advance copy in return for an honest and fair review.

[Ben Dutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool Machine, by the double Pulitzer winner Colson Whitehead, returns to New York in the 1980s, following two previous works exploring that city - Harlem Shuffle and Crook Manifesto - to complete his Harlem trilogy.

Ray Carney and his friend Pepper again take central stage in a series of stories - three here - which complete a picture of a New York City that is only a living memory now - a place no longer recognisably contemporary New York. Carney and Pepper are great characters, having taken us in previous novels through the 1960s and 1970s, and are now living in the age of big business and money and Wall Street - but neither of whom occupy that space but feel its weight on them. Their escapades again provide entertainment and insight.

As usual Whitehead's prose is electric - he was a real way with words, almost a free jazz at times - and he knows how to pull the reader straight in and keep their attention. I loved spending time with these characters again, and in this world, and a new Whitehead is always a delight.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC of Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead.

It is a immersive journey in Harlem, joining crime, social commentary and wit with a distinctive narrative voice. Set in 1970s New York, this instalment of the series continues to explore the shifting landscape of Harlem through a cast of layered, morally complex characters. The author captures the atmosphere brilliantly while weaving a story that is as much about survival and identity as it is about crime. What stood out for me was the character development. The plot is clever and deliberately paced, with moments of sharp humour amongst the darker parts of the story. Stylish, thoughtful and richly atmospheric, Cool Machine is a compelling novel that is an absorbing and rewarding read.

A four star read.

[Jill Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book in the author’s Harlem trilogy opens with Ray Carney being named Sterling Furniture’s Dealer of the Month.
Then circumstances lead him to risk one last heist.
A couple of years later, teaming up with Pepper his mad criminal mastermind friend, he risks everything he’s built up over the last few decades.
What shines through this book is the vivid way the author describes 1980s New York City, rising from its decline and the changes unleashed by unforgiving private enterprise at the expense of the poor.
Wonderfully inventive with an array of colorful characters and settings it’s a great entertaining read.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Little, BrownBookGroup UK for an ARC

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying end to a rich and vibrant trilogy. Slightly bittersweet as I watched Ray Carney age and mature throughout the series. Here, Ray is solidly respectable, winning a coveted award, and he and his wife, Elizabeth, are empty nesters. What he is beginning to see, and realize is the change coming to NYC as it gentrifies. And, not unexpectedly, NYC during this time, is captured with such vivid detail as we follow Ray, Pepper and others through the 1980s.

I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final installment in Pulitizer Prize winner Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy, Cool Machine is brilliant, laugh-out-loud funny, and on-the-edge-of-your seat suspenseful. The novel captures a time, and the unique experience of New York’s Harlem community in the 1980s through the voices and escapades of furniture store owner and sometime fence Ray Carney and his cohort, Pepper. Cool Machine is a love story to New York, a primer on the Black experience and the reverberating effects of colonialism, and a captivating read that had me reading passages out loud to capture their full flavor.

[Sadie Newell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closing out our Harlem trilogy with one more is ALWAYS a good idea and I feel blessed to have read this one as an ARC! Whitehead is one of my favorite authors, and although this series is not my particular favorite of his, I so enjoy the way he paints his settings and characters. I feel like the readers that loved the first two will be happily welcomed into the fold and enjoy the ending of this really wonderful series. Although it isn’t my top five, turning to the last page was a very bittersweet moment.

[Jose Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER – I received an ARC via NetGalley (many thanks) in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book, I had no idea it was part of the Harlem Trilogy; I was just excited to read a new novel by Colson Whitehead.

I loved Harlem Shuffle, was disappointed that the city had taken a back seat in Crook Manifesto, and now have mixed feelings about the trilogy overall.

If I could do it all again, I think I'd just read Harlem Shuffle and leave it as that. At the very least, I'd skip the second part of Cool Machine, which, in my opinion, seemed endless.

[Barbara Scott-Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another slick and entertaining visit to Carney and his pals. They're all getting older but not slowing down - well, not too much. Cool Machine reads like three novellas, rather than a single novel, though they all tie up in the end. As usual the dialogue is snappy and the narration sparky. Carney - and Pepper - are crooks you can love and empathise with. The setting - 80s New York - is spot on and the known future looms but doesn't intrude.

Brilliant - naturally.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes us back to Ray and the world of the Harlem Shuffle. We get three stories that take place during the eighties. Things have changed. Ray is older and has stepped back from his "back door" activities. We see Pepper again. Is there one last caper? Why wouldn't you want to catch up with these guys?
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this title.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m going to miss these guys. An immensely entertaining trilogy.

[Happy Kosel]

I received this ACP from Doubleday—thank you!
Cool Machine is the 3rd and final installment in Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy. Whitehead brings back much loved characters from his 1st two books, Ray Carney and his wife Elizabeth, Ray’s friend and partner in crime, Pepper, and Ray’s deceased cousin, Freddie. The structure of the book is similar to both Harlem Shuffle and Crook Manifesto, set into 3 separate, yet intertwined stories and times. As before, the setting is Harlem, and continues the exploits of furniture store owner and sometime fence, Ray Carney, and top thief, Pepper. In this latest installment, Carney finds himself unexpectedly working with a legendary criminal mastermind, Pepper is tasked with guarding one of Elizabeth’s clients, and Carney and Pepper team up to protect Freddie’s son.
Whitehead’s writing is, as always, descriptive and intriguing. I love the characters with all of their flaws and quirks. The imagery of New York in the early and mid 1980s , especially Harlem, is spot on.
I’ve throughly enjoyed this series and am sad to see it end. I hope the author has another book planned soon!