George P. Pelecanos

The first Pelecanos book I read was Down By the River Where the Dead Men Go and it blew me away. This man deserves to be on the best seller list and on every mystery lovers book shelf. A GQ review called him "the coolest writer in America." Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal give him starred reviews. So why doesn't everyone know his name!

The first in the series was A Firing Offense and introduced us to 1950s bartender and P.I. Nick Stefanos. All his books are set in Washington, D.C., but they aren't about politicians. He takes you to the gritty, real side of the city and tells you about the people who are trying to survive there.

Right as Rain introduced a new set of characters. Hip, black, ex-cop-turned-detective Derek Strange is hired by a woman to clear her son's name. He's Terry Quinn, a white cop accused of killing a black cop. The series continues with Strange and Quinn as partners in Hell to Pay and Soul Circus. Pelecanos really puts you inside the head of his characters; their demons and foibles are sometimes just as interesting as the plot. Give this guy a try.

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