Book Description

In this hard-boiled mystery, a Brooklyn bodyguard-turned-P.I. investigates a case involving funk, R&B, and his grandfather’s murder. Ex-bodyguard D Hunter heads to the City of Angels on a very dark mission when his grandfather, businessman Daniel “Big Danny” Hunter, is shot dead in a drive-by. Why would someone execute a grocery store owner? D soon finds there was more to Big Danny’s life than selling loaves of bread. The old man was deeply involved with Dr. Funk, a legendary musical innovator who has become a mysterious recluse. To Funk and Die in L.A. is set largely in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Crenshaw, Koreatown, and Pico-Union—areas where Black, Asian, and Latino cultures intersect away from the glamour of Hollywood—and echoes of the 1992 riots play a significant role in D’s investigation. In the tradition of Raymond Chandler and Walter Mosley, D Hunter rides through the mean streets of Los Angeles seeking truth and not always finding justice. Praise for To Funk and Die in L.A. “A supercharged spin through the dynamic, ever-changing neighborhoods of urban LA. Nelson George’s new book is full of music, secrets, heart, and more than a little heartbreak.” —Nina Revoyr, author of A Student of History “Inventive and well-written . . . I really enjoyed To Funk and Die in LA.” —Don Winslow, New York Times–bestselling author of City on Fire “George explores funk in his fine fourth novel featuring D Hunter, New York bodyguard and, by virtue of his jobs and interests, music historian . . . . As usual, George writes with knowledge and passion about the evolution of Black music.” —Publishers Weekly “Critic and journalist George knows the streets and his work has a gritty feel that will hold readers’ attention. Name-dropping of 1970s and 1980s performers such as the Dazz Band, Shalamar, and Chaka Khan adds spice to this well-crafted mystery.” —Library Journal