African American Fiction Mystery

In 1992, Los Angeles burned. In the aftermath of the Rodney King beating and subsequent riots, a ground-breaking ceremony at the infamous intersection of Florence and Normandie unearths the body of a Korean liquor store owner. Black private eye Ivan Monk searches for the killer—many suspect the motives for the murder were racial. But then another body turns up, and while the FBI and the Rolling Daltons, the largest gang in the city, dog Monk’s trail, Monk questions who the real perpetrators are and whether he can prevent more from dying, including himself, before he uncovers the truth.

It's 1955 and ex-cop Tommy Smith is working as a crime writer for the only daily black newspaper in America when his boss, a prominent publisher with a politically complex past, turns up murdered, a group of corrupt white cops takes the opportunity to make sure Smith is prime suspect. To clear his name, Smith will need to enlist the help of his old boss, the resilient Sergeant McInnis - who has logged seven difficult years as the only white cop in a black precinct.

From Richard Wright comes a compelling story of one man's attempt to escape his past and start anew in Harlem. Cross Damon is a man at odds with society and with himself—a man of superior intellect who hungers for peace but who brings terror and destruction wherever he goes. The Outsider is an important work of fiction that depicts American racism and its devastating consequences in raw and unflinching terms. Brilliantly imagined and frighteningly prescient, it is an epic exploration of the tragic roots of criminal behavior.

After Kerrick Khumalo's wife is murdered in their home, he migrates from Africa to America for better opportunities. But his thick accent and dark skin makes him unaccepted. Unable to find legal employment, he discovers that the drug trade can be a lucrative business for the man who is willing to do anything, including kill. Self-possessed, he quickly rises to the top and becomes the most fearful man in Baltimore.

Delighted by a surprise invitation, Miriam Macy sails off to a luxurious private island off the coast of Mexico, with six strangers - an ex-cop, a chef, a financial advisor, a nurse, a lawyer, and a young widow. Surrounded by miles of open water in the gloriously green Sea of Cortez, Miriam is shocked to discover that she and the rest of her companions have been brought to the remote island under false pretenses - and all seven strangers harbor a secret. Danger lurks in the lush forest and in the halls and bedrooms of the lonely mansion.

Evelyn Thomas may have bitten off more than she can chew when it comes to her relationship with Brandon Fletcher. It seems he is trying to clone her into an exact replica of his beloved fiancee, Cassandra, who was brutally murdered. He's also still obsessed with finding Cassandra's killer. When Cassandra's aunt Ruby is arrested for murder, she proclaims her innocence. She points the finger at Jabbar, a police officer who was having a secret affair with Cassandra before her death. Accusations fly and secrets are revealed as Brandon seeks the truth.

Blanche White is working as a temporary cook and housekeeper for a right-wing Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate, Alistair Brindle, when someone tries to blackmail him. It's an ugly mess that Brindle's political team is eager to sweep under the carpet and that Blanche can't resist cleaning up herself...especially after a young black man is killed who knew too much about Brindle's dirty laundry. Her investigation raises dark secrets involving sex, environmental contamination, and political corruption, difficult stains that someone is trying to remove with murder.

The Network and its affiliates used to be one of Oklahoma City's most organized crews. No one knew exactly where they got the money to buy up businesses and real estate, but everyone on the streets respected them. Their criminal enterprise is unraveling quickly, though, as member loyalty is challenged and betrayal becomes the name of the game.

Jackson Bedeau is the leader of a highly skilled and sophisticated crime organization. He desperately wants to find and complete what is dubbed as the “last job” so that he and his team can retire from the street life forever. Unbeknownst to him, his employer Oliver “Ollie” Monk, London’s most notorious crime lord, is made aware of his plans, and begins to mastermind the removal of Jackson and promoting his overly ambitious, money hungry cousin Julius. 12th Ward Police Chief Devin “Finn” Finnegan receives vital information from Oliver to arrest Jackson for the murder of ...

Outsiders call Manuel a villain. After spending his youth entangled in inner-city gang warfare, he’s lied, robbed, and murdered his way to the top. His path was set long ago, when two killers massacred his family in front of him. While Manuel was able to take down one of the murderers, his bloodlust has grown for the killer who got away. When he gets the chance to complete his vengeance, the city cowers beneath his thirst for retribution....

Novie swore she'd never do two things in her lifetime: head up the family drug trade and be some man's baby momma. Unfortunately, when she meets Genesis Kane, things don't go quite as she'd planned. Genesis is an attorney with a reputation for being a "piranha in pinstripes" both in and out of the courtroom. With Novie's mother bugging her to help the family or disappear and her father on a mission to keep reaping land, cars, and more side chicks no matter the cost, Novie is feeling pressured.

Black rookie cop Trevor “Finn” Finnegan aspires to become a top-ranking officer in the Los Angeles Police Department and fix a broken department. A fast-track promotion to detective in the coveted Robbery-Homicide Division puts him closer to achieving his goal. Four years later, calls for police accountability rule the headlines. The city is teeming with protests for racial justice. When the body of a murdered black academy recruit is found in the Angeles National Forest, Finn is tasked to investigate.

Welcome to the fast-paced, high-stakes world of Rasheed, an antihero you'll love to hate, much like Scarface. Caught up in a game of fast money, faster women, and a hustler's dream, Rasheed's secrets and lies threaten to sever his alliance with his baby's mother, Michelle.

Little Black Girl Lost Book 4: Captive is the latest episode from the fertile imagination of Keith Lee Johnson's original epic tale. Captive introduces drop-dead gorgeous Lauren Renee Bouvier, a youthful teenager, the African Root of Johnnie and Marguerite Wise. Its survival of the fittest on the mean streets of 18th Century New Orleans. With her life and virtue constantly in danger, how does she survive the ruthless Monarch of Bouvier Hill?

The streets heat up as rules are broken. No longer are the families all on the same page, now it's every man for themselves. The Best family get's put to the test as they go out on their own in an effort to control it all. You know what they say when you're trying to hold the top spot, everyone starts coming for the Best family the higher up the ladder they go. There are always casualties in war and others are always trying to bring you down from the throne. Only one king will remain to claim it all, which soldiers have what it takes to get the job done is the question at hand.

On a cold December evening, Autumn Spencer's twin sister Summer walks to the roof of their shared Harlem brownstone and is never seen again - the door to the roof is locked, and no footprints are found. Faced with authorities indifferent to another missing woman, Autumn must pursue answers on her own, all while grieving her mother's recent death. With her friends and neighbors, Autumn pretends to hold up through the crisis. She falls into an affair with Summer's boyfriend to cope with the disappearance of a woman they both loved.

Eugeena and Amos are married, but the happy couple may see their new life fall apart when Amos’ daughter moves in next door. Briana Jones is cooking up mayhem when she hooks up with old friends. When Amos receives a call in the middle of the night, he jumps into action to help his daughter, who's quickly becoming a suspect in a murder. Eugeena doesn’t want to rock the boat between Amos and his daughter, but she can tell Briana is keeping secrets. How is Eugeena going to help find the real murderer and keep her new marriage together?

Smoke Kings is a powerful and propulsive novel with a diverse and unforgettable cast of characters. Like Steph Cha's Your House Will Pay it explores decades of racial tensions through a fictional landscape where the line between justice and revenge is blurred.

Hired to cater a fitness event in the small town of Fall River, bakery owner Tia Bliss is surprised that the fitness gurus wanted a tasty treat. While she is busy supplying the event with her famous cupcakes, the affair however is suddenly rocked when at its conclusion the dead body of a young woman is found. Upon further investigation Tia realizes the woman Natalie Evans, is one of two women she overheard in a heated argument earlier. But that's only the beginning, this investigation of the vicious and heinous crime concludes in just 48 hours. Which is exactly how much time Tia has to put ...

Tinseltown's awards season is in full swing, and everyone is obsessed with dressing up, scoring free swag, and getting invited to the biggest awards shows of the year. But when celebrity publicist Lyla Davis is killed, the festive mood comes to an abrupt halt. Apprentice private eye Dayna Anderson thinks she's uncovered the killer. Unfortunately, what starts as an open-and-shut case turns out to be anything but.