To Funk and Die in L.A.

George's (Lost Treasures of R & B; The Plot Against Hip Hop) fourth crime novel finds a grieving D Hunter traveling from New York to Los Angeles for his grandfather's funeral. Daniel "Big Danny" Hunter was thought to be a respected South Central businessman murdered in a vicious drive-by, but D learns his beloved grandfather orchestrated some shady deals. Moving through Crenshaw's streets, he observes a community transforming from a thriving African American neighborhood into a diverse area increasingly populated with Mexican and Korean families and concealing plenty of suspicious characters. Ruthless Calle 18 gang members glare from the sidelines. More than a few women seem to be femmes fatales, and D worries that Big Danny's running partner Red Dawg could be a Judas. Intertwined throughout the tale is Dr. Funk, an old R & B musician now homeless and busking for small cash, who had a mysterious connection to Big Danny.Verdict 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.—Rollie Welch, Lehigh Acres, FL