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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Several violent confrontations; shootings and physical altercations in Harlem
Language
Some
Period-authentic Harlem dialogue; some strong language
Sexual Content
Barely any
No significant sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking in the Harlem milieu
Emotional Intensity
Some
The psychological complexity of Black law enforcement in 1960s Harlem — caught between the community they serve and the institution they work for; political anger about exploitation
What this book is about
Harlem detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones pursue a Back-to-Africa scheme that goes spectacularly wrong when a bale of cotton containing $87,000 disappears into the streets of 1960s Harlem. Explosive, funny, and deeply engaged with the politics of race and identity in America, this is a cornerstone of African-American crime fiction — fast-paced, violent, and alive with the energy of a community in a particular historical moment.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Violent confrontations throughout
Race and exploitation examined with political sharpness
Period language authentic to 1960s Harlem
Reader Verification
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