Those of us who like detectives with character and courage will find bits of Walter Mosley's - Easy Rawlins, Sallis's - Lew Griffin and Parker's - Spenser sidekick Hawk, neatly packaged in Aaron Gunner.


Simply superb-genius at work   December 8, 1997
South Central Los Angeles private investigator Aaron Gunner is working on two cases that seemed simple when he first accepted both of them. However, as Aaron should know by now, one never should judge a case by its inital appearance, especially when women are the clients. City Council man Gil Everson's spouse Connie hires Aaron to catch, in living color, her husband committing adultery. Yolanda McCreary wants Aaron to locate her missing sibling, Elroy Covington. Elroy has been missing since the Million Man March, a historical event attended by Aaron also.

The Everson case is a snap until Aaron learns that a weird prenuptial agreement muddies what should have been lucid waters. The Covington case should also be relatively easy, but instead the trail is pure frozen tundra. Aaron begins to wonder if Covington has been offed by a black separatist group, "The Defenders of the Bloodline". The group expects Aaron to join them as part of the solution or die as part of the problem. If that is not enough pressure on the private investigator, his inquiries has brought Aaron to the attention of the FBI, who want to use him to bring about the end of the group. Trapped between a hard place (the Defenders) and a rock (the FBI), Aaron continues his tour into hell (also called LA) in trying to learn what happened to Covington.

WHEN LAST SEEN ALIVE is a great private detective story, starring the wonderful Aaron Gunner in his fifth mystery. The bomb story line is fast and hip and loaded with social insight without turning the star into a preacher (Garth Ennis does that well enough). Aaron is a top gun who is one of the leading sleuths on the market today. This reviewer strongly recommends all five of Gar Anthony Haywood's Gunner mysteries if readers want enjoyable detective stories that provide insight into living in South Central. California.

Harriet Klausner