The Underbell
by Gary Phillips

Providing insight on homelessness, political corruption, and the potential effects of gentrification, this urban noir tells the tough story of Magrady, a semi-homeless Vietnam veteran in Los Angeles. As he searches for a friend who has gone missing from Skid Row and who may be involved in a dangerous scheme, Magrady must deal with take-no-prisoners community organizers, an unflinching cop from his past, frequent flashbacks of war, an elderly sexpot, the drug culture, and the perils of chili cheese fries at midnight. A rollicking interview with the author wherein he discusses ghetto literature, politics, noir and the proletariat, and the unknown future of books, is also included.