Gary Phillips Books

"Los Angeles, 1963: African American Korean War veteran Harry Ingram earns a living as a news photographer and occasional process server: chasing police radio calls and dodging baseball bats. With racial tensions running high on the eve of Martin Luther King's Freedom Rally, Ingram risks ending up one of the victims at every crime scene he photographs. When Ingram hears a call over the police scanner to the scene of a deadly automobile accident, he recognizes the vehicle described as belonging to his good friend and old army buddy, the white jazz trumpeter Ben Kingslow, with whom he'd only just reconnected. The LAPD declares the car crash an accident, but when Ingram develops his photos there are signs of foul play. Ingram feels no choice but 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, Harry Ingram plunges head-first into the seamier underbelly of LA society, tangling with racists, leftists, blackmailers, gangsters, zealots and lovers, all in the hope of finding something resembling justice for a friend." -- Provided by publisher

"Within these pages youll find stories of those walking the straight and narrow, until something untoward happens. Maybe its someone taking a step out of line, getting caught up in circumstances spiraling out of their control. Maybe theyre planning the grift, the grab ... whatever it is to finally put them over. Other times the steps they take are to get themselves or people they care about out from under. Youll find the offerings in these pages are a rich mix of tone, tales told of hope, survival, revenge, and triumph. Excursions beyond the headlines and the hype. The settings herein reflect South Central today or chronicle its colorful past, such as the days of the jazz joints along Central Avenue ... From South Park to East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, from the borderlands of Watts to the one time Southern Pacific railroad tracks paralleling Slauson Avenue, take a tour of a section of Los Angeles that may be unfamiliar to you but you will get to know, at least a little, by the time you finish reading this entertaining and engaging anthology."--Back cover

"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"-- Provided by publisher

What would the White House be like if U.S. Presidents of the past acted with the same bizarre impunity as the 45th president? Nineteen award-winning, diverse authors offer new stories of bizarre presidential antics in this highly-recommended unique act of creative resistance--a must-have for fans of politics, noir, and speculative fiction.

Adapting what may be the most popular of graphic novels, by the edgy Hard Case Crime author, adding layers and exploring the nature of morality. Faced with overwhelming poverty and a pregnant wife, a tragic, struggling comedian is forced to turn to crime. In his first heist, he is immersed in toxic chemicals that disfigure him bizarrely, driving him mad and thus giving birth to The Joker. For years, the Clown Prince of Crime has been caught in a dance of violence with his greatest nemesis, the Batman. Escaping Arkham Asylum, he plots his most lethal caper. This will be the ultimate punch line... his KILLING JOKE. In their mission to protect Gotham City, Batman and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) pursue ruthless criminals such as the grandiose Maxie Zeus and Antonio "Python" Palmares. Simultaneously, Commissioner James Gordon and Detective Harvey Bullock take on a cartel distributing the latest designer drug--"giggle sniff," derived from a venom created by The Joker. This rapid-fire sequence of events spirals together to threaten Batman's closest friends and allies, and locks the two eternal foes in their ultimate death match. Copyright © 2017 DC Comics. BATMAN, THE JOKER, THE KILLING JOKE and all related characters and elements © & TM DC Comics and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

"Deke Kotto is a make-up-the-rules-as-you-go street cop with a marriage on the skids from his many dalliances and a disabled son he dotes on. Tim Brady is a happily married FBI agent who likes to bowl and figures to one day retire from the Bureau with his pension. But when forces conspire to send them both undercover, they end up working the same case from opposite sides. As Kotto delves into corporate espionage and white collar crime, Brady finds himself loving the hip hop street hustle...neither knowing who the other man really is and both in way over their heads...and headed for an inevitable showdown. But each figures to 'cowboy up' when the time comes. That is, if everything doesn't blow up first."--P. [4] of cover.

Set against the backdrop of baseball's segregated past, the story follows private investigator Ivan Monk as he uncovers the truth behind the deaths of Old Man Spears and his former teammate Kennesaw Riles. Monk's investigation reveals a dark history tied to civil rights activism and a conspiracy involving Mississippi businessmen. As he delves into his family's past, he confronts lingering hatred and the impact of historical injustices, making this case both deeply personal and politically charged.

This collection features 18 thrilling and imaginative stories by award-winning author Gary Phillips, blending elements of bizarro, science fiction, noir, and superhero genres. Each tale showcases his unique storytelling style, offering readers a wild ride through outlandish plots and captivating characters. Phillips' work is celebrated for its creativity and excitement, making this anthology a must-read for fans of eclectic pulp fiction.

Exploring themes of family, nature, and rural upbringing, this collection features 20 poems that reflect the intertwined experiences of the poet's life. Gary Phillips, a former poet laureate of Carrboro, North Carolina, draws on his personal history to create evocative imagery and emotional depth, offering readers a glimpse into his world and the subjects that resonate with him.

When Black private eye Ivan Monk takes on a case in a housing project in South Los Angeles, he finds himself facing off with corrupt police and gang members—and indicted for murder. Heat is building in the Rancho Tajuata Housing Projects—and not just because it's summer in L.A. When a Mexican family is killed by a firebombing, local rage threatens to grow out of control. The pressure is on to solve this case quickly to help deescalate the tense situation. At the request of the tenant's security force, P.I. Ivan Monk is called in to find the killer. To track the murderer down, Monk must delve into a tangled history leading all the way back to the 1965 Watts riots—a hunt that reveals layers of buried racism and corruption. Monk sorts through the complexities of gang conflicts and governmental kickbacks, only to find himself at odds with the police, disillusioned by his mentor and, after a fierce struggle with some gang members, under indictment for murder. Monk must race to clear his name before time runs out, and a bad night falls on the Rancho Tajuata Projects, this time for good . . .