One-shot Harry
Soho Press · Paperback · April 12, 2022
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.
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- Who it’s for
- A lean, gritty read that pairs mystery drive with cultural and historical texture.
- Genres
- Black Mystery, Historical Mystery, Black Historical Fiction
- Published
- Soho Press, April 12, 2022
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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 calls and dodging baseball bats.
Continue reading
With racial tensions running high on the eve of Martin Luther King’s Freedom Rally, Ingram risks becoming a victim at every crime scene he photographs. When Ingram hears about a deadly automobile accident on his police scanner, he recognizes the vehicle described as belonging to his good friend and old army buddy, a white jazz trumpeter. The LAPD declares the car crash an accident, but when Ingram develops his photos, he sees signs of foul play. Ingram feels compelled to play detective, even if it means putting his own life on the line. Armed with his wits, his camera, and occasionally his Colt .45, “One-Shot” Harry plunges headfirst into the seamy underbelly of LA society, tangling with racists, leftists, gangsters, zealots, and lovers as he attempts to solve the mystery. Master storyteller and crime fiction legend Gary Phillips has filled the pages of One-Shot Harry with fascinating historical cameos, wise-cracks, tenderness, and an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride of a plot with consequences far beyond one dead body.
Hard-Boiled Pull
A lean, gritty read that pairs mystery drive with cultural and historical texture.
Come here for
- hard-boiled pace, cultural resonance
- black mystery with a private-eye edge
Expect
- layered, serious tone
- insight folded into the chase
Where it sits
| Black Mystery | 60% |
|---|---|
| Historical Mystery | 47% |
| Black Historical Fiction | 34% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Black Mystery
- Crime Fiction
- Noir Fiction
- Authors
- Gary Phillips
- Publisher
- Soho Press
- Published
- April 12, 2022
- Format
- Paperback
- Reading lane
- Black Mystery