Gary Phillips

Race and civil rights in 1963 Los Angeles provide a powerful backdrop in Gary Phillips's riveting mystery about an African American crime scene photographer seeking justice for a friend—perfect for fans of Walter Mosley, James Ellroy, and George Pelecanos. Los Angeles, 1963—Korean War veteran Harry Ingram earns a living as a news photographer and occasional process server, chasing police radio...

"If you're of a certain age, your perception of South Los Angeles might have been formed by riots and rappers. Or maybe you know it through television. But Gary Phillips, who grew up there, has a more historically complex point of view. For Phillips and the 13 other writers who contributed to his just-published anthology, those narrower, pop-infused renditions are...

Former Vegas showgirl Martha Chainey is a statuesque WOC with a penchant for martial arts. Done with the spotlight and the forty-pound headdresses, Martha's foregone the usual path of winding up arm candy and has taken up a career as a courier of off-the-books money. Cold, hard cash. When a former colleague (with a more legit line of work) asks...