I didn’t realize this was the second book was part of a a trilogy when I read it, but it doesn’t seem to rely too much on the first, because I was able to follow the plot. This was a book of three linked stories following Ray Carney years after he got out of jail for moving stolen goods, and after he was on the straight and narrow. Whitehead’s voice is so unique and I loved his writing style. Harlem is brought to life in Whitehead’s writing and it’s such an entertaining noir fiction. It feels old in a nostalgic way, like a heist movie from the 70s. I will definitely go back to read Harlem Shuffle before rereading this.