The Big Blowdown

by George P. Pelecanos

Book Overview

Powerfully told, elegantly wrought, George P. Pelecanos's The Big Blowdown is a knockout.

Washington DC, 1946. For Joey Recevo and Pete Karras, two kids from one of Washington's rougher neighborhoods, the easiest work to find after the War is all criminal---providing a little muscle for a local boss. But Karris is soft on his fellow immigrants, and the boss can't let his mob get soft, so one of his boys gives Karras a painful...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312242913
• ISBN13: 9780312242916
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A great period piece of crime fiction by a superstar author

Pelecanos continues to amaze me. The thing that particularly struck me about this book was the way he is able to transfer his scene writing skills to an earlier era. He's just as effective in putting the reader in a scene in the 1940's as he is in writing more modern material. Other than that, this book is just what I've come to expect from this author: great character development with complex personalities, gritty people and places, a twisting, hard story that truly holds your interest, etc. I particularly liked the way the author worked World War II service into the lives of these characters, along with the fear of the big bomb being dropped on Washington, D.C. Also, as usual, the good guys are not even close to being all good and not everything turns out OK in the end. Let me just sum up my thoughts on this book and this writer like this: If you think you like crime fiction and you're not reading everything Pelecanos has written, it's your loss.

Washington In the 40s

We follow the fortunes of Peter Karras, a Greek American living in Washington DC, before, during and after World War II. After coming out of the war a hero, Karras, along with his childhood friend Joe Recevo, finds himself drifting along, occasionally providing muscle for the Mafia in their protection rackets. When Karras makes the mistake of showing leniency towards one of his boss's "clients", it's inevitable that he has to be taught a (painful) lesson. The story is ultimately a commentary on how the two friends deal with the different directions their lives have taken, particularly when their paths cross again.The mood of the time and place are captured with remarkable vividness. Even the street noises are described in such a way that it almost feels as if we are there watching the drama unfold in front of us. I feel this is the defining novel for George Pelecanos and a must read for Pelecanos fans. I can't recommend it highly enough without appearing to gush, so I'll just say that it's a fantastic piece of American literature that manages to capture the 40's very nicely.

A very satisfying period piece

Fans of George Pelecanos will not be disappointed in this excellent novel. Set in D.C. during the years just before and after WWII, his familiar cast of characters inhabit a world of hope and violence that somehow seems appropriate to the American Dream. The plot is engaging and believable, the action is fast paced, and the character portrayals are as satisfying as a reader could want. This is a great story of friendship, betrayal and flawed redemption. Much more than just a 'crime novel' (and this is true of his other books as well) The Big Blowdown evokes a time when everthing seemed possible, from great success to 'the Big Blowdown' (atomic annihilation) and tells the story a few immigrant kids whose future turns out to be quite different from any they would have imagined.Reading a Pelecanos book always leaves me feeling as though I had touched a piece of real life. This book has the added appeal of touching a real piece of time gone by as well. Very satisfying. I highly recommend it.

An excellent read!!!

I read this book, along with Suckerman, after reading interesting article on Pelecanos on Washington City Paper and I was not disappointed. Excellent plotline and rich characterizations of immigrants and others in 1930s and 40s Washington. Pelecanos captures the feel of the streets, the diners, organized crime, and the sordid side of life like no one else I've read. I highly recommend this book.

A wonderful, different kind of crime novel

This was the first Pelecanos book I read, almost by accident. When I was done, I was completely satisfied and hooked on this writer. This is set in the '40s, around the Washington DC and Maryland area, and I loved the history, the subtle ways of establishing place and time and community through dialogue and action. It is a very character driven novel, the best type, right on the edge of what a crime novel is considered to be. I'm grateful to see Pelecanos joining the ranks of those writers who are pushing the envelope in crime writing. This novel is more the story of the life of a man who attracted violence more than about the violence itself. Great, great work.