"Jaunty, highly entertaining. ... The whole idea of conjuring up on the printed page a Ragtime-esque mix of actual and make-believe people who readily punch and swindle other such people could be just another flimflam. But in Strauss' ingenious concoction, it's sure a lot of fun to be the dupe."
—Newsweek

"Strauss is ... ambitious. ... A good storyteller, too, with shrewd notions about what makes people tick."
—The New York Times Book Review

"Superb. ... Strauss has crafted another brilliant book, peopled with memorable characters and vivid settings. ... This book would read well in a marathon session, but I chose to savor it over several days. Either way, its title is fair billing: This is the Real McCoy."
—Rocky Mountain News

"Strauss writes strong and evocative prose, and his result is a tightly built world that feels historically and emotionally right."
—The Denver Post

“The kind of writing that exhilarates the reader and proves Strauss' talent. ... he writes with such energy that the words spill of the page.”
—January Magazine

“A rewarding read. ... Strauss's writing style is frenetic and creative.”
—The Boston Globe

“Loud, muscular, and full of outlandish characters. ... A wild and joyful ride.”
—The Sun (Baltimore)

“Ingenious. ... The Real McCoy's strength, dynamism and sorrow will make it one of the most quintessentially American novels published this year.”
—San Francisco Chronicle Book Review

“Beautiful writing, memorable phrases and good old-fashioned storytelling.”
—Chicago Tribune

“In this delightful one-two, heave-ho, and old double-cross book, anything goes—from a spectacular jewel heist to a delicious ending that's perfect for this utterly quirky tale.”
—The Sanford (Florida) Herald

“This engaging book runs the gamut of plot devices, effectively pairing charm and brutality, romance and rejection, shame and stature, humor and pathos.”
—The Arizona Republic

“The Real McCoy is a mesmerizing tale. ... Strauss's audacious style...is a good match for this story of passion, ambition, and the elusiveness of truth.””
—The Seattle Times

“Imaginative. ... Darin Strauss' writing is playful, assured, and possesses a delightful peculiarity.”
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Strauss pointedly explores identity and illusion throughout, and that is both antic and enjoyably contemplative in turns."
—Daily News (New York)

"A muscular and entertaining story about lies, scams, flimflams, and the inconvenience of truth. ... This McCoy is the real McCoy."
—GQ

"Just as he did in his brilliant debut, Chang and Eng, Strauss takes a piece of history—in this case the go-go 1900s—and pumps it up with punchy prose and gritty period detail. ... Like E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime, McCoy is nostalgic without feeling like a textbook lesson."
—Maxim

"Lauded Chang and Eng author Strauss whips up a bustling story. ... Strauss has an obvious affection for this time in American history and the period's electric hum of optimism surges through these pages with a crackling intensity."
—Book magazine

"Like his acclaimed first novel, Chang and Eng, Strauss takes a curious historical footnote and carves from it a sprawling, quirky, and delightful story."
—Booklist

"Daring, unique. ...
This book is well-written, comprehensively researched, and stylish, sure to score."
—Publishers Weekly

"Strauss remains one of the most interesting and promising of younger American novelists."
—Kirkus Reviews