The Man in My Basement – Book Review

“The Man in My Basement” by Walter Mosley

“The Man in My Basement” is almost a writer’s version of a symphony. His theme is calm and subtly played, but he draws you into his music, changing the rhythms to make even the most mundane existence of a man extraordinary.

The two main characters couldn’t be more varied. Charles Blakey lives in the house and on the property that his family has owned for generations. He recently lost his job and is behind on his mortgage payments. The other man, Anniston Bennet, appears to be an affluent man who wants to rent Blakey’s basement for the summer for a “worth it” price. The cash would be more than welcome, but as with any deal that comes out of nowhere, there are some weird provisions that come with it. At first the offer is rejected, but then revisited for financial reasons and the one-man rescue.

As the story opens up, the plot thickens as the reader discovers strange personality quirks about the two men. One reveals he’s a closet thief and possibly drunk with little way to care for himself or the people in his life. The other turns out to be a complete sham, hiding his cultural background and the fact that he is indeed a ruthless killer, who is now beginning to have regrets about his life.

Like a beautiful symphony, you know this fairly simple story must end. Due to the unfolding events, you also know that its completion will be more like a dirge, but you keep reading. The end, as a melody is not a surprise, yet it was an interesting piece of orchestration.

Carine is a journalist and writing coach with many different areas of journalistic interest. She has had articles published in major magazines, websites and newspapers. To learn more about Carine’s work, log on to: http://www.Carine-whatscooking.blogspot.com