The Perishing

More about the book

Lou, a young Black woman, wakes up in a Los Angeles alley in the 1930s, nearly naked and with no memory of her past, though she senses this isn't the first time she's been in such a situation. After being taken in by a caring foster family, she focuses on her education and eventually becomes the first Black female journalist at the Los Angeles Times. However, her life takes a remarkable turn when she befriends a firefighter at a downtown boxing gym. Lou is startled to discover that she has been drawing his face since her days in foster care, despite having no recollection of ever meeting him. Convinced their paths have crossed before—perhaps in a past life—and haunted by unexplainable flashes from different times in her dreams, Lou begins to suspect she may be an immortal with a significant purpose in this time and place. With her journalistic skills and support from friends, she embarks on a quest to unravel the mystery of her existence and the echoes of lifetimes calling to her. Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1930s Los Angeles, the story explores themes of racism, poverty, and the looming threat of war, intertwining Lou's extraordinary journey with the city she learns to call home.