It's Not a Pretty Sight

Aaron Gunner #4

by Gar Anthony Haywood

Sticking his nose into other people's business is what Los Angeles private investigator Aaron Gunner does best, but one of the few times he refused to do so a pretty lady ended up dead. Gunner turned Grace Mokes away because he didn't feel comfortable saving her from the one-sided boxing match that was her marriage to his old friend Jolly, and when Jolly killed her less than a week later, Gunner knew he had made a mistake. A mistake he was determined never to make again.
Naturally then, when Gunner's old love Nina Pearson is found dead in the kitchen of her South-Central L.A. home, allegedly murdered by an abusive husband of her own, Gunner can't help making it his business to track her killer down. No one really wants his help - not the police, not Nina's friends, not even Nina's grieving mother, Mimi - but Gunner finds the dead woman's husband anyway, only to be convinced he's found, and seriously wounded, an innocent man. Nina Person's real murderer is still at large and Gunner alone can prove it.

Genres: Mystery

230 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 1996

About the author

aka Ray Shannon.

Gar Anthony Harwood also writes as Ray Shannon. He has won the Shamus and Anthony Award for his mystery fiction. He writes stand-alone novels and short-stories as well as series. He has also written for the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times, written scripts for television drama series (e.g. New York Undercover and the District) and Movies of the Week for ABC. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of Gar Anthony Haywood's fiction for over 20 years. I read a few of his P.I. Aaron Gunner novels back then and decided to read another one now. I'm happy to report his sturdy, compassionate, and well-plotted private eye novels hold up quite nicely. He spins a good mystery, too. Think of Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins. At any rate, I plan to read some more titles in the series.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author deserves more acclaim. It’s like reading a protege of Mosley’s Easy Rawlins. Such pathos. Gunner gets involved on a no fee basis investigating the death of a woman whom he almost married eleven years ago. Same old story of the police rushing to judgment and the violent and abusive husband being the principal suspect. Even after being attacked by the husband and shooting him Gunner is the sole person convinced he didn’t do it. And Gunner also has to worry about losing his license over shooting the husband. Lots of shoe leather as Gunner probes a battered woman’s shelter for clues. A great read with the reality of the situation being fate and a mistake.

[Sandy Tessier · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Arron Gunner mystery . An African American detective investigates the death of his former girlfriend.

[Kenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong characters and a plot that gets a stronger focus as the pages turn make this a good read. Characters feel real and make up for a wandering plot at the start. Lots about women who are abused and the men who abuse them. Recommended.

[Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the weaker books in this series. Good character, somewhat of a lackluster story but still good enough to be while away a couple of evening hours before drifting off to sleep.

[Murvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An action thriller on the level of Easy Rawlins.