This tale of a singer’s kidnapping in 1920s Harlem is “the best kind of historical mystery” (Lee Child). Lanie Price, a Harlem society columnist, witnesses the brutal nightclub kidnapping of the “Black Orchid,” a sultry, seductive singer with a mysterious past. When hours pass without a word from the kidnapper, puzzlement grows as to his motive. After a gruesome package arrives at Price’s doorstep, the questions change. Just what does the kidnapper want—and how many people is he willing to kill to get it? Evil hides behind the genteel facades of affluent Strivers’ Row, and stalks the ballroom of a famous drag party, in this “dark, sexy” mystery set during the Harlem Renaissance (Publishers Weekly). “Lanie has the makings of a strong series heroine. Walter Mosley fans, in particular, should look for more from this promising crime writer.” —Booklist “Black Orchid Blues works as a study of class and race, plus the debilitating effects of grief, the question of identity and the far-reaching impact of family secrets . . . Walker has a crystal clear eye for what motivates people as she explores disparity and desperation.” —South Florida Sun-Sentinel “Put a Bessie Smith platter on the Victrola, and go with the flow on this mystery/romance/history mix.” —Library Journal

“The best kind of historical mystery: great history, great mystery, all wrapped up in a voice so authentic you feel it has come out of the past to whisper in your ear.” —Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author “[Walker] blends taut prose, memorable characters, and a strong creation of setting to craft a terrific historical mystery. I want to hear more from Walker and her winning lead, Lanie Price." —Alafair Burke “Remarkable … Imagine the richly provocative atmosphere of Walter Mosley or James Ellroy’s best period work, and a savvy, truly likable heroine, and you have Black Orchid Blues.” —Jason Starr “Black Orchid Blues is a terrific read. Persia Walker has written a smart and soulful historical mystery brimming with memorable characters and plot twists. Readers will find her book a journey back in time they won’t want to end.” —Gar Anthony Haywood “Black Orchid Blues is a terrific trip through 1920s Harlem, including some of its more extraordinary underworlds. But it’s not sociology, or travelogue. It’s a gripping crime novel with characters who’ll stick with you long after the story ends.” —SJ Rozan “Black Orchid Blues is that rare mystery novel: both a smart and sophisticated take on the Harlem Renaissance and an unblinking exploration into its sometimes violent and often tragic underbelly. Walker hits all the right notes in this dark blues riff.” —Reed Farrel Coleman Lanie Price, a 1920s Harlem society columnist, witnesses the brutal nightclub kidnapping of the “Black Orchid,” a sultry, seductive singer with a mysterious past. When hours pass without word from the kidnapper, puzzlement grows as to his motive. Then a gruesome package arrives at Price’s doorstep, and the questions change. Just what does this kidnapper want—and how many people is he willing to kill in order to get it? Evil hides behind the genteel façades of affluent Strivers’ Row and stalks the ballroom of one of Harlem’s most famous gay parties. In a complex plot that keeps you tied to the page, Black Orchid Blues explores the depths of human depravity and the desperation of its victims. Get your copy today.

This detective story set in a dystopian New York stars “a seriously weird dude . . . A good time for fans of the likes of Charlie Huston and Charles Stross” (Kirkus Reviews). Nicknamed Dewey Decimal for his obsessive attempts to bring order to the New York Public Library in the wake of disastrous events in the city, the hero of this series earns his keep as a bagman and enforcer for unscrupulous politicians and underworld figures. Now, he’s stumbled upon information concerning the gruesome murder of a prostitute that involves a prominent US senator—and finds himself chasing ghosts and fighting for his life, pursued by private military contractors and the ever-present specter of his own past . . . “Larson’s vividly imagined world and his quirky narrator are likely to win him a cadre of loyal fans.” —Publishers Weekly “This intellectual giddy riot is the book of the year . . . The mystery is taken to a whole new level of technospeak artistry, and wonderfully witty, like John Kennedy Toole if he’d written a mystery novel and did meth—a lot of it. The warmth of the character seeps through in Dewey Decimal’s love for a devastated New York . . . The most original PI since Marlowe. OCD never seemed so compelling. Loved it—and then some. What a writer.” —Ken Bruen, author of Headstone “I’m a sucker for a postapocalyptic setting, and Nathan Larson’s is a doozy; but the real gold here is the voice. I could listen to this guy all day.” —S. J. Rozan, Edgar Award–winning author of the Bill Smith/Lydia Chin series

When Samuel flees Nazi Germany in 1938 to join his brother in Guatemala, he believes he will be able to begin a new life, but once he arrives he finds life there is not what he expected.