Review: Crazy Kill by Chester Himes (1959)

Crazy Kill is the third in Himes' Harlem Detective series. When these books are mentioned, the focus is on the two detectives, Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones but when you read the books you find that, while memorable characters, the books are not fully about them, at least not in the first three books I've read. These are not procedurals and do not spend a lot of time on the investigation.

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Crazy Kill opens at the wake for Big Joe. The Reverend Short of the Church of the Holy Rollers is leaning out the third story window above an A&P watching a man run away pursued by a policeman and the manager of the grocery after stealing a bag of money. He leans too far out and falls but his landing is cushioned by a basket of bread into which he falls. When he reenters the flat where the wake is being held, no one believes he fell and survived. When they look out the window they see the basket of bread but it now holds the body of Val who is lying there with a knife in his heart. In spite of the grilling the wake goers, the police can't establish motive or opportunity. Seven principals emerge: Johnny, a gambler; Johnny's wife Dulcy of whom he is aggressively possessive; Aunt Mamie, Big Joe's widow; Chink Charlie, who is after Dulcie; Baby Doll, who says she was the deceased's fiance but who is also carrying on with Chink; Reverend Short, who is, indeed, short and subject to seizures and visions; and Almena, Johnny's ex-wife who lives with Johnny and Dulcie. Grave Digger and Coffin Ed figure they could figure out who if they knew why but that eludes them for most of the story.

Now the book shifts to the real stars of the story, Harlem and the seven principals. Himes has a way of describing the streets and people that makes me pause, re-read, and marvel at the words I just read. There are small things that give you a feeling for a character like when Johnny enters a restaurant:

Inside it was cool, and so dark he had to take off his sun glasses when entering. The unforgettable scent of whisky, whores and perfume filled his nostrils, making him feel relaxed.

Himes' descriptions of Harlem, the people who live there, the way they live, the summer heat, is lyrical. It's like like reading poems by Langston Hughes. His description of the wake and the funeral of Big Joe made me think of Hugh's poem Harlem Night Club to mind, the way he makes you actually feel your heart beating faster.

The story is complicate with no one telling the complete truth. Most of the principals are themselves trying to figure out who killed Val and there appears to be an overriding secret that may hold the key. We also get to experience Grave Digger and Coffin Ed weave themselves through the lives of the principals trying to get someone to tell them the truth. They are not above stretching the limits of their authority while aware that it could go badly for them in the process.

There is also humor in the story, mostly at the expense of Reverend Short whose frothing, hysterical rants and preaching verge or stray into caricature.

The story has a good resolution. I had decided who did it early on but not the how or why and I liked the way it played out. There was a certain poignancy to the stories of several of the principals in the end so I wouldn't exactly call it a happy ending.

I think the Harlem Decective stories are still well worth reading 50 years later. Give them a try and let me know what you think. Is my comparison to Langston Hughes valid?