One-Shot Harry

by Gary Phillips

Race and civil rights in 1963 Los Angeles provide a powerful backdrop in Gary Phillips’s riveting mystery about an African American crime scene photographer seeking justice for a friend—perfect for fans of Walter Mosley, James Ellroy, and George Pelecanos.

LOS ANGELES, 1963: Korean War veteran Harry Ingram earns a living as a news photographer and occasional process server: chasing police radio calls and dodging baseball bats. With racial tensions running high on the eve of Martin Luther King’s Freedom Rally, Ingram risks becoming a victim at every crime scene he photographs.

When Ingram hears about a deadly automobile accident on his police scanner, he recognizes the vehicle described as belonging to his good friend and old army buddy, a white jazz trumpeter. The LAPD declares the car crash an accident, but when Ingram develops his photos, he sees signs of foul play. Ingram feels compelled to play detective, even if it means putting his own life on the line. Armed with his wits, his camera, and occasionally his Colt .45, “One-Shot” Harry plunges headfirst into the seamy underbelly of LA society, tangling with racists, leftists, gangsters, zealots, and lovers as he attempts to solve the mystery.

Master storyteller and crime fiction legend Gary Phillips has filled the pages of One-Shot Harry with fascinating historical cameos, wise-cracks, tenderness, and an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride of a plot with consequences far beyond one dead body.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Thriller, African American

274 pages, Hardcover

First published April 19, 2022

About the author

GARY PHILLIPS has been a community activist, labor organizer and delivered dog cages. He’s published various novels, comics, short stories and edited several anthologies including South Central Noir and the Anthony award-winning The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir. Violent Spring, first published in 1994 was named in 2020 one of the essential crime novels of Los Angeles. He was also a writer/co-producer on FX’s Snowfall (streaming on Hulu), about crack and the CIA in 1980s South Central where he grew up. Recent novels include One-Shot Harry and Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem. He lives with his family in the wilds of Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good historical crime novel with a lot of authentic period details. In 1963, African American Korean War veteran Harry Ingram is a news photographer and sometime writer in Los Angeles. When an army buddy dies in a car crash, Harry suspects that it wasn’t an accident. With the help of a new girlfriend he begins to investigate. The book links together Martin Luther King Jr., civic corruption, prostitution, communist sympathizers, a series of bank robberies and pervasive racism. There is a good bit of violence and a little sex. Pretty much what you would expect from gritty detective fiction.

I liked Harry and his girlfriend, but this book introduces a lot of interesting characters. The book had an extremely abrupt ending, leaving loose ends and causing a slightly unsatisfied feeling. I assume that this is the start of a new series. Since events and characters were not tidily linked up at the end of this book, maybe that will happen in the next one. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Leon Nixon. He had a lovely deep voice and did an excellent job with the narration.

I received free copies of the ebook and audio book from the publisher.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always on the lookout for an interesting new historical mystery series and Gary Phillips' One-Shot Harry certainly fits the bill. It's set a few years after the end of the Korean War and takes place laregly within L.A.'s varying Black communities: artists, the privileged, "ordinary" people. The Harry of the title is Harry Ingram, a Black Korean War veteran still dealing with shell shock. Like far too many BIPOC people in U.S. history, he deals with the daily insult of having fought for the rights and freedoms of others while being denied them at home. Harry makes a living as a freelance photographer and—to make ends meet—process server. His photographs usually wind up in Black newspapers and magazines, though there are exceptions.

When the novel takes place, L.A. is preparing for a visit from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., part of the lead-off to the March on Washington. Harry has landed a press pass for the event. Harry's also dating a woman who works as an organizer for Tom Bradley; following a Nation of Islam protest at a local store; attempting to locate the stolen journal of an L.A.-area Communist organizer hoping to write a memoir; and investigating the suspicious death of a longtime friend—as well as finding people who don't want to be found as part of his work as a process server.

The pacing in One-Shot Harry is brisk. The characters are complicated in the best of ways. And Phillips shines a light on recent history that deserves to be much better known. If you enjoy mysteries (historical or not), novels with a political slant, or 1960s L.A. and California, you'll want to read One-Shot Harry.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel for review purposes from the publisher via EdelweissPlus; the opinions are my own.

[Yigal Zur · Rating 3 out of 5]

it have so much promise but....a book without end it is based on a plot before Martin Luther King was murdered. it is interesting but than toward the 3rd part it start to be jumpy. not really connected from part to part. yes we know history but we like a well build story and it is not the case. sloppy.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phillips’ historical crime thriller takes place in Los Angeles, 1963 on the eve of Martin Luther King’s Freedom Rally. African American Korean war veteran Harry Ingram works as a freelance news photographer and a process server. While taking pictures of a horrific fatal car crash, he notices that the brake line does not look quite right. The victim happens to be an old Army buddy; his white jazz trumpeter friend, Ben Kinslow. Harry is compelled to investigate why someone might want to murder Ben. Between his investigation and his process server duties, Harry encounters racists, leftists, gangsters, and Nation of Islam activists.

Phillips’ story is fast-paced, and pays close attention to period detail. Of note, Harry Ingram is modeled on Harry Adams, a prominent Black photographer of the era. In addition, Phillips includes the information that Chief Wm Parker actively recruited White officers from the Jim Crow South. [I’m sure that helped race relations in Los Angeles—not.]

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

After scoring a well-deserved favorable review in the WaPo, I decided to read One-Shot Harry, a freelance photographer for the Black publications of 1963. He also has prodigious private investigator skills which he puts to good use when he looks into the murder of a friend. Events soon cascade into more trouble. There is much to enjoy about this top-notch hardboiled novel, including the vivid Los Angeles setting, sturdy African-American characters, and sharp eye for details. The cameos of historical figures add to the appeal. Dr. King makes an appearance, for instance. If you're a fan of private eye novels like me, this one hits all the right notes, and plenty more.

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year is 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. is about to hold his Freedom Rally at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles; William H. Parker is Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department; John F. Kennedy is President of the United States; Pat Brown is the Governor of California; Gas is $0.29 a gallon and ground beef is less than $0.50 a pound. It is in this world, which is as different as it is similar to ours, that Gary Phillips sets his new novel One-Shot Harry.

Harry Ingram is a freelance news photographer in Los Angeles. He also works side-jobs serving legal papers. Harry recently reconnected with an old friend, and fellow Korean War vet, Ben Kinslow. So he’s surprised when he hears the call on his police scanner describing Ben’s vehicle as being involved in a fatal accident. Harry knows, from their shared experiences in Korea, that Ben is an excellent driver and that there is no way he could have been responsible for the accident that took his life. He locates the scene and chances taking a few photographs before being told to leave by the LAPD officers on site. After looking at the photos, Harry is even more confused. Nothing about Ben’s death makes sense and leaves Harry with even more questions. Harry feels certain of only one thing: he is the one who is going to find the answers.

In One-Shot Harry, author Gary Phillips provides not only a top notch mystery/thriller, he also provides a window to the past that clearly illustrates, simultaneously, how much things have changed and how much they remain the same in the city of Los Angeles.

Phillips highlights numerous Los Angeles locations and businesses that have disappeared in the decades since the early 60s, when the novel is set. More importantly, and impressively, Phillips conjures an almost tangible sense of what living in Los Angeles would have been like. He illustrates the dichotomies of Hollywood: one part glitz and glamor with a seedy, gritty side clearly visible to anyone who can tear their eyes away from the spectacle. He also shines a light on William Parker’s LAPD, a cabal of thugs acting out a reign of terror on anyone in the city who isn’t white, all with the tacit endorsements of city officials and residents.

Writing over five decades, after the novel is set, Phillips is able to make sly commentary on some situations and developments through the speculations between his characters about their world and their future. Knowing how things will play out as history unfolds, Phillips is able to highlight concerns for people of color in Los Angeles that still exist in the present and have yet to be adequately addressed.

As stated earlier, the mystery presented is top notch and filled with compelling characters. Phillips does an excellent job of vacillating between quiet moments, allowing readers to get to know Harry and the other characters involved, and sequences of high tension, all set in the wonderfully drawn Los Angeles from half a century ago.

One-Shot Harry is a taut and thought provoking mystery filled with ambiance, thrills, and a new amateur detective readers are going to love.

The novel is a gem and so is the man who wrote it, Gary Phillips, as you will see, in this interview.

Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of observations to start: This novel is obviously to be the first in a series so don’t expect all loose ends to be tied; and it seems the author gives every person, place, and thing a backstory so there are lots little interludes with some being more interesting and relevant to the story than others. Since the time period written about are the months before MLK is assassinated, the topics are interesting and the situations ring true. I liked the two main characters very much.

Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Crime for the ARC to read and review.

[Fred Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book due to the camera on the cover being the same type my Dad used during that time period. While I found the story interesting, it seemed a bit contrived and rushed at the end. Still an interesting recreation of LA in the early '60s. (Who knew there was a Wrigley Field there as well as Chicago?) A couple of missteps, you know those niggling little things that get in the way. First he describes taking a picture out of the stop bath and hanging it up. Well first it goes into the developer, then the stop bath to "stop" the action, then in the fixer to finalize the print, then the rinse. If he pulled it from the stop bath, it would turn black as soon as it was exposed to light. He also mentions a brake line being snapped off a rotor. A rotor is an element of disk brakes, no American car I am aware of had those in the early 60's as they all had drums. Small details, but they can often get in the way. Writing and story are good enough for 4 stars so glad to meet character and author.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

African American Korean war veteran Harry Ingram is a news photographer, submitting riveting shots of accidents and other violence to the Black newspapers of 1963 Los Angeles. He's also an occasional process server who is no stranger to the violence that comes of serving papers to those not inclined to receive them.

After a friend of his, and fellow veteran, dies in a car accident. Harry quickly realizes the death was not accidental while developing photos of the scene. So he begins travelling the city, asking questions, knowing fully well that no one else will. While trying to understand what his friend was up to, Harry deals with a variety of people, including a young woman working for a City Council campaign, gangsters, activists, communist sympathizers, and politicians. All this happens while the city is preparing for a visit by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

There was a lot to like in this story, from all the historical details, as well as the realistic feel of the city. Harry is a tough, no-nonsense kind of guy, who has an easy, relaxed way about him, but is also comfortable dealing out violence when necessary.

Harry figures things out, and there is some nice commentary on the racist policies and people running the city.

I liked the noir feel of the story, and I look forward to the next book.

[Kris McCracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s plenty to admire in “One-Shot Harry”, even if it didn’t quite stick the landing for me. Gary Phillips drops us into 1963 Los Angeles with real flair. It’s a city of baloney-heavy diners, battered Buicks, and crackling tension. Racial boundaries aren’t just visible; they’re enforced with a sneer and a nightstick. Into this comes Harry Ingram, a Black Korean War veteran with a camera, a trumpet, and just enough side gigs to scrape by.

Harry is a good lead. World-weary but decent, alert to injustice and sharp with a one-liner when the mood calls. He snaps photos, tracks down dodgy witnesses, and occasionally sits in with a jazz band when the trumpet section needs a warm body. There’s a grim sort of charm to his life and Phillips captures it well. The book is fast, wry, occasionally brutal, and steeped in the cultural murk of the time.

What works best is the setting. Phillips gets the details right. There’s real texture in the furniture, food, slang and simmering prejudice. The politics are woven into the fabric of the story rather than pinned on top, and the portrayal of the Black press and early Civil Rights scene is properly compelling.

Where it falters is in the plot. We’re told Harry is driven by grief and suspicion after an old friend dies under dodgy circumstances, but the dead man never quite comes to life on the page. I kept waiting to feel the weight of that friendship, something to justify the vengeance and risk-taking, but it stayed vague. As the story unspools, the original motive starts to blur. There are good twists, plenty of energy, but by the end, I was still trying to piece together why this all mattered so much to Harry.

The action scenes stretch belief a bit, too. There’s one fight in particular that plays out like a bloke’s been flung through a cartoon saloon door and bounced back up without a scratch. I liked the side characters more than the brawling. Ingram, in particular, is a no-nonsense highlight with a top-notch bullshit detector.

The ending leaves things open, which might please some but left me faintly annoyed. It felt like we were building to something that never quite arrived. As a snapshot of a time and place, “One-Shot Harry” is worth reading. As a mystery, it’s more smoke than fire.

A solid effort, full of potential. I liked the ride; I just wish the destination had made more sense.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Gary Philips best, but still worth reading. I would be surprised if this book doesn't mark the beginning of a new series.

It bothered him his motives weren't pure, but more so that he hadn't recognised this himself. He could look in the mirror and see a familiar face, yet those he knew saw his true self.
"Shit" he muttered,...

4*

[Rika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I put this on my list to read since Michael Connelly recommended it in Twitter (he said it was "riveting") so I was pretty excited. I did not enjoy it at all. It is well-written in that it does a really great job making you feel like you're in the 1960's and it does feel immersive in that way, but that's pretty much all it did. The plot was very loose, the first 60% or so just aimlessly rambled about, the way he talked about the characters was confusing and I had trouble keeping them straight, and in the end, none of the plots resolved, none of them even made much sense in how they were set up, it's like he invoked the big bad "Soviets" to explain all. It was as if the goal of the book was to have cameos of real events instead of being a fiction book. If you are more interested in teaching about history then write a non-fiction history book. Don't write a novel where there is little "novel" aspect to it. I dreaded reading this book.

[Angela DePrima · Rating 2 out of 5]

The real mystery is where is the plot?

[Hpnyknits · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tried too hard.
Rich characters, but too many historical characters that have nothing to do with the story. I was disappointed, because the period and background are very interesting.

[Marci Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was well written and laid out and I liked the narrator but for some reason, I couldn't really get into it. I did, not enjoy, but appreciate, I guess is the word, the real-life experiences of the flagrant, disgusting, and pervasive racism of the times. I feel that those truths need to be told by those that have experienced them often, loudly, and honestly, so that those of us that have had the privilege to grow up w/out being a victim of it truly get a sense and feeling of how it harmed those affected.

#OneShotHarry #NetGalley

[Tmac32]

It was alright. If you want to read some LA Noir then you're better of with either James Ellroy or Walter Mosley.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn’t do anything for me, unfortunately. Had to read it for a book club.

[Fred Rayworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Shot Harry was mostly a decent read, if not a bit depressing.

There was a plot, and mystery, but it was also buried in the very vivid depiction of the prejudice and bigotry that people of color had to live with back in the sixties, even in a supposedly progressive city like Ellay (Los Angeles). That constant describing of the struggles made it hard to concentrate on the fact there was also a story in there.

The writing was mostly outstanding, with solid third-person past-tense style. My only issue with that was that while the chapters varied in length, a good bunch of them were clocking in at around forty pages or so. This made it hard to read during commercials, or even when a bit sleepy, especially with the scant few scene breaks.

At the same time, the story flowed so it was still a decent read.

In the end, I’m still a little vague on the plot resolution. The reason Harry got into this particular adventure was almost obscured by other plot points, which I’ll admit, were still enjoyable and great twists.

As a character, I liked Harry and his girl and a few of the other colorful characters scattered throughout this tale.

While I mostly enjoyed it, it left me depressed a bit just thinking of those times from that viewpoint. It’s something that needs to be detailed for history, just having it almost overwhelm the plot I’m not so sure about.

This is still a recommended read. This guy can write and if you want to know what it was like back then for people of color, I’d highly recommend this one.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first Gary Phillips novel I have read. It definitely won't be the last. I really enjoyed the pieces of history that were woven into the narrative of this book. They provided a great backdrop for the investigation that Harry takes up. The accuracy was appreciated and at times I felt as if the story could be nonfiction. Harry is a Korean War vet who is now working as a photographer and process server. Harry ends up photographing the deadly wreck of an old Army friend. The details of this image are the beginning of the mystery. Harry works to uncover what happened to his friend from years ago. The racial tensions of the time are present in the writing. Harry must be conscious of what being a Black man in LA in the 1960s means and in turn how the police will treat him.

The narrative is well paced and kept my attention. Through the writing we meet interesting people both fictional and real. Having Harry be a photographer and that helping drive the narrative was a clever approach. His work definitely helped keep the story moving. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a crime mystery novel. 4/5.

Thanks to #NetGalley, #SohoPublishing, and #RecordedBooks for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version. Perfect for an eight hour drive. It’s another Easy Rawlins style character set in 1963 Los Angeles. Harry Ingram is a photojournalist for black newspapers as well as a process server. He served in the Korean War in combat and has PTSD issues. Just performing his daily duties is eye opening with all the discrimination and disrespect he endures interfacing with cops and racists. It’s quite a window into history with Dr MLK’s visit to the city approaching and Harry investigating the death of a white Army buddy who died in an automobile accident. Harry is convinced it was no accident and can be traced to a wealthy group trying to keep Negroes in their place. The first black mayor of Los Angeles makes an appearance running for city council fresh out of LAPD. There’s an interesting encounter with him and the Nation of Islam. I hope the author has another book with this character. A good melding of mystery and history that fascinated.

[Deb Van Iderstine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope there will be a sequel...

I finished this book wanting to know what would come next. As in life, it did not wrap up all the loose ends, and certain details were left to the reader's imagination. Harry Ingram and Anita Claire are characters I would like to see more of. They are complicated and I'm perfect, realists who still have ideals they're willing to risk their lives for.

The setting in 1963 Los Angeles was rich with detail, providing a delicate balancing of period authenticity and foreshadowing of the decades ahead. It combines elements of film noir and hardboiled detective fiction without quite seeming to fit neatly into those generic boxes, probably because those genres have traditionally featured white protagonists. This was also my introduction to Gary Phillips, and I definitely will be checking out more of his work.

[Star Gater · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story, which I love. I like the One-Shot reference title (no spoiling. The story is set while MLK is alive and seeking no violence. With respect to history, the US had a positive role model, and the author uses smart characters during this period to tell his story. I was all-in.

The story provoked every emotion in me. This is a smart mystery during a historical period not used as the backdrop. Kudos to the author.

I do believe this will be a series. If so, I hope narrator Leon Nixon is not forgotten.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for accepting my request to read and review One-Shot Harry.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great novel, introducing African American Korean War Veteran Harry Ingram. Harry is a news photographer in 1963 Los Angeles.
When a war buddy dies unexpectedly, Harry suspects foul play and begins to investigates.
Great characters and a good look at the 1960s.
This story has a lot of plot points. But be prepared, not all of them are resolved. So I'm guessing this will be a new series. I love that. But I don't like all the dangling plot points....
And I have one minor gripe. Harry and a friend are talking about growing up. The comic book Fantastic Four is mentioned. That comic didn't come around until the 60s. So they wouldn't have known of it growing up....

[David C Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good start to a series about Harry Ingram, Black freelance news and crime photographer in early 60s LA. A lot going on in this one as Ingram looks into the death of a friend, including white power brokers and the hoodlums they hire, the backwash of the Red Scare, police racism, PTSD from Korea, and Dr King is coming to town. A nice texture to the narrative.

Also: we had a 1962 Plymouth Belvedere too: one of the crappiest American cars ever made.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

New to this author, I found his setting really authentic in creating a historical backdrop for this murder mystery (Los Angeles, circa 1963). Learned a few interesting tidbits about the atmosphere in the city during that era. Quite a diverse cast of characters, with some recognizable figures from history featured, although I felt some of the peripheral characters were not really developed enough to tell them apart! It might make a good black and white noir feature film. Toward the conclusion, description of some actions were a bit too graphic (imo). This author might be considering more books with the main cast of characters.

[Martha Swiercz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an adequately good thriller-type historical mystery, but I wouldn't call it the best out there. I think this has the potential to be the start of a new series of books concerning Harry Ingram's many ventures as a news photographer, witnessing various events that could heavily shape 1960s LA.

Simply put, it's a solid book for any mystery fan. It wasn't the best or worst of its kind, but it was still good nonetheless

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It does a fantastic job of evoking a place in time, and Harry Ingram is a great character. Looking forward to the next one!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gary Phillips's language is rich and textured from the time period. Reading like a classic film noir, it is interesting to observe the resources on which our hero relied.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical mystery set in Los Angeles. The city is preparing for a visit from MLK. I'm not sure I understand the resolution but I was delighted by the Angeleno history

[Allie · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF…I usually like historical mysteries but the plot doesn’t seem clear yet and I’m too impatient to see how it nets out!