Gar Anthony Haywood

The shooting of two Black men by a white youth transforms pre-election Los Angeles into a powderkeg, and Aaron Gunner finds himself caught up in political intrigue, violence, and murder

Fear of the Dark

From acclaimed crime novelist Gar Anthony Haywood comes a riveting tale unlike any he's told before . . . Diane Edwards has spent the last eight months praying for a miracle after losing her son Adrian in a freak car accident at Seattle's Lakeridge Park. When she finds Adrian back in his bed one night-alive and well and oblivious to his death-it appears her prayers have been answered. But this isn't the kind of miracle Diane was expecting, because she soon learns Adrian is not the only one who's forgotten that fateful day in Lakeridge Park. The entire world has no memory of it, with the exception of Diane and three other people: Michael Edwards-Diane's estranged husband and Adrian's father. Laura Carrillo-Adrian's teacher, who loved him almost as much as his parents did. Milton Weisman-The agnostic, sixty-eight-year-old widower and alcoholic who lost control of the car that killed Adrian in Lakeridge Park. Over the next six days, these four people must struggle to understand what Adrian's return to the living means, and why God Himself would choose them, and them alone, to play witness to it. In the end, all will learn that God's mercy knows no limits-but its permanence comes at a price.

A Novel

In Things Unseen

Gary Phillips

This powerful anthology of stories centers around the question: how does witnessing a crime change someone? With all proceeds benefiting the Alliance for Safe Traffic Stops and a star-studded roster of contributors, Witnesses for the Dead is one you'll want to see for yourself. Inspired by recent true events, the all-original stories in Witnesses for the Dead are set in motion by the act of witnessing; the characters who populate these pages are not themselves the original perpetrators of crimes, but find their lives indelibly changed by what they see, as they grapple with coming forward, taking action, or retreating into the shadows. In "Envy" by Christopher Chambers, a sweet, shy wallflower watches as something horrific happens in his neighborhood--revealing something horrific about himself. Agatha Award-winner Richie Narvaez's "The Gardener of Roses" sees a Puertorriquena college student on the run from the FBI for her accidental involvement in a "terrorist" plot. Anthony Award-winner Gary Phillips confronts police corruption in "Spiders and Fly." And the protagonist of "A Family Matter" by IPPY Award-winner Sarah M. Chen investigates the murder of a stranger, leading her to question the political structure of Taiwan entirely. Other stories feature a brothel, the film industry, immigrant detention centers at the Mexico-US border, World War II-torn France, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The stories are incisive, unflinching, wry, dark, and, in some cases, terrifying. You'll ask yourself: If I saw what they see, what would I do? Edited by Anthony Award-winner Gary Phillips and Shamus Award-winner Gar Anthony Haywood, the collection includes contributions from NAACP Image Award-winner Pamela Samuels Young, New York Times bestsellers Cara Black and Tod Goldberg, Edgar Award-winner SJ Rozan, Agatha Award-winner Richie Narvaez, and more.

Witnesses for the Dead: Stories

"When his old friend R.J. Burrow is brutally murdered in Los Angeles, Errol "Handy" White must return from exile to attend the funeral, certain that a terrible secret is about to reveal itself. Twenty-six years earlier, Hand, R.J. and O'Neal Holden were three young thieves who pulled a heist that went horribly awry, and Handy's been waiting to pay for it with his life ever since. Both the police and Holden, now a slick politician, are convinced R.J.'s death was the result of a bungled drug deal, but Handy, like R.J.'s widow, just can't buy it. Was R.J.'s killing related to the tragedy lurking in the trio's past? Or is something even more sinister afoot? Handy won't go back home until he knows the answer - even if it means putting himself next in line for a bullet"--

Cemetery Road

Gangsta-rap superstar C.E. Digga Jones had everything to live for, but when he commits suicide, questions need to be asked. L.A. private detective Aaron Gunner looks for the answers to those questions, and finds the dead man's perfect life was far from perfect -- and the more questions come up, the more answers point to a motive for murder.

All the Lucky Ones Are Dead

"Cemetery Road is a power novel. Beginning to end, it never loses its grip . . . The book is a wonderful achievement" Michael Connelly When Errol 'Handy' White returns to his native Los Angeles to attend the funeral of his old friend R.J. Burrow, who has been brutally murdered, a terrible secret threatens to reveal itself. Twenty-six years earlier, Handy, R.J. and O'Neal Holden pulled a heist that went horrible awry, and Handy's been waiting for it to come back and haunt them ever since. Was the murder linked to the past? Handy knows he can't leave until he finds out for sure.

Lawrence Block

Jenny Bhatt

Hilary Davidson

Michael Scott Moore

JoAnn Chaney

John Palisano

Brian Asman

Shannon Hollinger

Vinnie Hansen

Nik Xandir Wolf

Lindsay Jamieson

David Zimmerle

Gary Grace

Ewan A. Dougall

The Dark Waves of Winter is a follow up to the critically acclaimed anthology, The Silver Waves of Summer (Kelp Books, 2021). In this installment, the beach again takes center stage in stories from some of the biggest names in literary and noir fiction. From Edgar and Shamus award winners, to a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, the sun-bleached noir in these pages features old school legends, alongside the brightest emerging writers in the game. Our contributors include Lawrence Block, Hilary Davidson, Gar Anthony Haywood, JoAnn Chaney, Michael Scott Moore, Jenny Bhat, Lindsay Jamieson, Brian Asman, Nik Xandir Wolf, David Zimmerle, Billy Minshall, John Palisano, Vinnie Hansen, Ewan A. Dougall, Shannon Hollinger, and Gary Grace.5/5 Stars from Indie Reader. "As each tale contains a compelling feature that makes it shine on its own, THE DARK WAVES OF WINTER is a first-rate anthology for literary short story fans with consistently excellent writing throughout."

The Dark Waves of Winter

Jonathan Brown

John M. Floyd

S.A. Cosby

Debra H. Goldstein

Stacy Woodson

Penny Mickelbury

Trey R. Barker

William Dylan Powell

Kimberly B. Richardson

Whether their cover bands play Willie Dixon or Willie Nelson, juke joints and honky-tonks appeal to hard-working men and women looking for a good time. Offering hot music, cheap food, and generous amounts of liquor, jukes and tonks are often a community’s unofficial gathering spot, where Saturday nights are spent committing the sins church leaders rail against the following morning. The stories in Jukes & Tonks introduce you to many sinners and few saints, love begun and love gone wrong, and all manner of unsavory criminal endeavors. What the stories have in common is that they plop you down in worlds where the music pulsating from the compact stage—if there’s a stage at all—provides the backbeat for tales that are unsparing, heartbreaking, twisty, and a few are as dark as the night, and the blinking sign offering live music is an invitation to the unexpected. Contributors include Trey R. Barker, Michael Bracken, Jonathan Brown, S.A. Cosby, John M. Floyd, Debra H. Goldstein, Gar Anthony Haywood, Penny Mickelbury, Gary Phillips, William Dylan Powell, Kimberly B. Richardson, and Stacy Woodson. Praise for JUKES & TONKS: “The world needs more jukes, more tonks, and more fine crime fiction—and this fast-paced playlist from Michael Bracken and Gary Phillips offers all of the above and then some. It’s a #1 hit…with a bullet!” —Josh Pachter, editor of The Great Filling Station Holdup: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Jimmy Buffett “While twists abound and nothing is predictable, one thing is certain: Jukes & Tonks transports the reader to a world where the drinks are cheap, the dancing is close, and the music reigns supreme.” —Holly West, Anthony Award-nominated editor of Murder-a-Go-Go’s: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of The Go-Go’s

Crime Fiction Inspired by Music in the Dark and Suspect Choices

Jukes & Tonks

Investigating the alleged suicide of a hip-hop star, Gunner uncovers a murder. Carlton Elbridge, better known as C. E. Digga Jones, was too nice for gangsta rap. When he allegedly shot himself, he had millions in the bank, his face on the cover of Time magazine, and a nation of fanatics to mourn his death. He was found in a locked room, gun in his hand and bullet in his brain, and the police assumed it was suicide. Only the rapper's father thinks otherwise. Suspecting that his son was killed as the result of a hip-hop feud, Carlton's father hires private detective Aaron Gunner to investigate the death. As Gunner tries to juggle the case with security work for a conservative black talk-show host, he learns that for some in the hip-hop world, the thug life is much more than an act.

Hard times are nothing new for private investigator Aaron Gunner. Working on the mean streets of South Central Los Angeles, he's seen more than his fair share of trouble. But when his cousin and confidante Del Curry commits suicide after allegedly killing his wife and critically injuring their daughter Zina, Gunner knows he's about to face the hardest times of all. He doesn't buy the LAPD's version of the shooting and isn't going to wait for Zina to regain consciousness to disprove it. Whatever drove Del to take his own life---and possibly assault his wife and daughter---Gunner's going to find it, even if it means learning things about his late cousin he'll wish he never knew. But first, he has a paying case to work, proving the innocence of an Afghan War veteran accused of murder. Plagued by seering migraines and occasional fits of rage, Harper Stowe III is counting on Gunner to fill the holes in his ruined memory that make him the perfect suspect in the killing of his former employer. With a new era of American racism and divided politics on the rise all around him, Gunner must seek the truth behind two fatal shootings now, and grieve for his beloved cousin later.

An Aaron Gunner Mystery

Good Man Gone Bad

Walter Mosley

Ron Fortier

Michael Gonzales

Christopher Chambers

A collection of stories featuring characters of African origin, or descent, in stories that run the gamut of genre fiction.

Black Pulp

An encounter at the Million Man March sucks Gunner into an ice-cold missing persons case. Elroy Covington should have run. He had traveled to the Million Man March in Washington, DC, looking forward to a new city and new faces. Then in a Dupont Circle restaurant, a twist of fate brought him face to face with a man from his long-forgotten past. Instead of running, Elroy said hello. He never made it home. Eight months later, Elroy's sister shows up in the Los Angeles office of private detective Aaron Gunner, who traded business cards with Elroy at the march and promptly forgot they ever met. Elroy's last known location was Los Angeles, and his sister thinks he was coming to see the detective. As he tries to warm up Elroy's frigid trail, Gunner uncovers ties to a black militant group. The time for brotherhood is over, and finding the vanished marcher will mean getting tough.

When Last Seen Alive

Gunner attempts to set the record straight for a dead police officer with a racist pastNo one in South Central is surprised when Jack McGovern, a brutally racist cop, is accused of gunning down a black teenager in cold blood. But they are shocked when the LAPD actually responds to the charges, firing McGovern and leaving him without badge, pension, or pride. Eight months later, a thief breaks into a stereo store and encounters the disgraced cop, now a night security guard. McGovern draws his gun and, to the thief’s surprise, shoots himself in the head. Few mourn the suicide, but one citizen is unsettled. A witness to the shooting that ended McGovern’s career, Mitchell Flowers knows the cop wasn’t lying when he said the teenager had fired first. Flowers hires private detective Aaron Gunner to clear the dead cop’s name—pitting Gunner against every civilian in South Central. Soon Gunner tugs on a chain of police corruption that stretches all the way to the top of the LAPD.

You Can Die Trying

Gunner attempts to set the record straight for a dead police officer with a racist past. No one in South Central is surprised when Jack McGovern, a brutally racist cop, is accused of gunning down a black teenager in cold blood. But they are shocked when the LAPD actually responds to the charges, firing McGovern and leaving him without badge, pension, or pride. Eight months later, a thief breaks into a stereo store and encounters the disgraced cop, now a night security guard. McGovern draws his gun and, to the thief's surprise, shoots himself in the head. Few mourn the suicide, but one citizen is unsettled. A witness to the shooting that ended McGovern's career, Mitchell Flowers knows the cop wasn't lying when he said the teenager had fired first. Flowers hires private detective Aaron Gunner to clear the dead cop's name -- pitting Gunner against every civilian in South Central. Soon Gunner tugs on a chain of police corruption that stretches all the way to the top of the LAPD.

Gar Anthony Haywood

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