Over the Shoulder offers a unique view of the American dream and what this means for Allen Choice, Korean American protagonist and reluctant investigator, shaken from the doldrums of his insulated life. Choice and his partner, Paul Baumgartner, are security specialists for Silicon Valley executives. When Paul gets killed on the job, Choice and an inexperienced Bay Area reporter, Linda Maldonado, begin looking into the puzzling circumstances of the murder. As they work together to unravel the intricate threads of lies and half-truths, they discover that his death might be linked to an older, more personal one - the mysterious death of Allen's father some twenty years earlier. With his self-described "philosophy of removement" as his frame of reference, Choice searches for the hidden, long-buried answers, only to be outmaneuvered at every juncture. Against this backdrop of violence and deception, Choice soon discovers secrets that alter his understanding of his father, of his family - secrets that lead him to a buried history of betrayal.

Over the Shoulder: A Novel of Intrigue

Literature & Fiction

Chang, Leonard

United States

Ecco Pr

Edgy and as engrossing as Leonard Chang’s acclaimed debut crime novel Over the Shoulder, Underkill finds Korean American investigator Allen Choice on a case that becomes as much a personal journey as an exploration of murder and its harrowing consequences. Two years have passed since Allen examined his late partner's death in San Francisco, which eventually exposed secrets about the death of Allen's immigrant father twenty years earlier, with the help of journalist and girlfriend Linda Maldonado. Now Allen follows Linda down to Los Angeles—and into the unfamiliar world of illegal raves and small-time drug dealers—to uncover the details of her brother's unexpected and suspicious death, hoping to repair their deteriorating relationship and aiding her as she once helped him. Underkill is a dark and riveting look at the mysteries of families and relationships, and delves deeply into Allen’s complicated interior life. With Allen Choice in this new series, Chang is skillfully creating an unforgettable and unique character in the world of noir.

Underkill: An Allen Choice Novel

Minotaur Books

In this new installment, Allen Choice, now a full partner at Baxter &amp; Choice Investigations, finds his life in upheaval by the reappearance of his ex-lover Linda. Over the objections of his current girlfriend Serena, Allen reluctantly takes on the case of finding Linda's niece, who was abducted by her father in a bitter divorce battle. Fade to Clear is Leonard Chang's most electrifying and riveting crime novel, following the critically-acclaimed successes of Underkill and Over the Shoulder. As Allen delves deeper into the investigation, unearthing links to drug smuggling and money laundering, he becomes the target of larger, deadlier forces that strike a tragic blow. In the wake of personal loss, he compels himself forward in this perilous case and at the same time makes profound decisions that will reverberate throughout his life. Once again, Chang weaves a masterful tale that is as much an edgy, fast-paced mystery as it is a deep look into the complex interior life of Allen Choice, a fallible and human character who is quickly becoming a truly memorable name in the world of noir.

Fade to Clear (Allen Choice Novels)

The Fruit 'N Food

When Thomas Pak is hired as a clerk at a Korean grocery, he isn't prepared for the searing racial tensions that threaten to destroy the neighborhood in which he lives and works. His tenuous relationship with the store owners and their young daughter is jepordized by his own conflicting affiliations of race and class, and these turbulent forces soon converge violently around him.

Black Heron Press

Dispatches from the Cold

What would you do if strange letters began appearing in your mail box? Read them? When the unnamed narrator of this novel opens misdirected letters, he enters the harsh, disturbing world of Farrel Gorden. Gorden, an assistant manager in a sporting goods store near New Hampshire, hates his new Korean- American boss, and is on the verge of losing control of his hatred. As we watch the narrator reconstruct the recent events in Gorden's life, including an affair with his boss' wife and the wrenching consequences that follow, the paths of these two disparate characters- letter reader and letter writer- converge violently as each intrudes in the life of the other. This is a story that blurs the distinction between the real and the imaginary, the violent and the mundane, and negotiates the exterior world and interior workings of a vengeful mind.

When Thomas Pak is hired as a clerk at a Korean grocery, he isn't prepared for the searing racial tensions that threaten to destroy the neighborhood in which he lives and works. His tenuous relationship with the store owners and their young daughter is jeopardized by his own conflicting affiliations of race and class, and these turbulent forces soon converge violently around in the form of a race riot. Thomas Keneally (Schindler's List) wrote of this book: Leonard Chang's vigorous tale is a drama of society's perpetual struggle for renewal and reconciliation. It is an elegant story of the zone of conflict between African and Asian Americans and, in the central character, the poignancy and contradictions of tribalism and fraternity are vividly proved. Library Journal: Chang's gift for unsentimental storytelling is indisputable. The Pacific Reader: The Fruit 'N Food is a thoroughly enjoyable, wonderfully written, socially relevant piece of contemporary fiction. Chang writes with simple elegance that immediately draws the reader in.

[i]Crossings[/i] takes an unflinching look at the lives of Korean immigrants, legal and illegal, in the San Francisco Bay Area. This novel centers on Sam, a widower, who finds himself in debt to a local gangster and Unha, an illegal immigrant working at a nightclub. Intertwined with their lives are the lives of other characters-family members, other immigrants, gangsters. Together they form a portrait of a community struggling to better itself. When Unha rebels against the stringent demands placed on her, she is kidnapped and and trafficked into prostitution and Sam is determined to save her.An ensemble novel, [i]Crossings[/i] is a mosaic of stories about the American dream.

Crossings

Following in the tradition of the best selling Black Pulp, from Today's Best Authors and up and coming writers comes Asian Pulp from Pro Se Productions! A collection of stories featuring characters of Asian origin or descent in stories that run the gamut of genre fiction! Asian Pulp includes works from Don Lee, Naomi Hirahara, Kimberly Richardson, Percival Constantine, William F. Wu, Gary Phillips, Calvin McMillin, Mark Finn, Dale Furutani, Steph Cha, Henry Chang, Sean Taylor, Gigi Pandian, Louise Herring-Jones, Alan J. Porter, and David C. Smith. The anthology opens with an introduction from Leonard Chang, novelist and writer and co-producer of the TV crime drama Justified. Mysteries, westerns, stories of crime and noir, and more, all with Asian characters in the lead! Between these covers are 17 tales of action, adventure, and thrills featuring heroes and heroines of a different shade that will appeal to audiences everywhere! Asian Pulp! From Pro Se Productions!

Asian Pulp

PHILLIPS, GARY

HIRAHARA, Naomi

Finn, Mark

Lee, Don

Richardson, Kimberly

Constantine, Percival

Wu, William F.

McMillin, Calvin

Furutani, Dale

Short Stories & Anthologies

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Lenny Chang, the young protagonist of this autobiographical novel, is transplanted from New York City to a suburb on Long Island, and navigates his fractured family in this new, hostile environment. His alcoholic father, a Navy veteran struggling with his unhappy life, dominates and terrorizes his mother who valiantly tries to keep their family intact. Lenny's older brother drifts away from the turmoil while his younger sister attaches herself to Lenny for safety. As Lenny adjusts to this chaotic world in which the family spirals more and more out of control, he withdraws into himself and his martial arts movies, searching for some kind of solace. However, it isn't until Lenny befriends the local marijuana grower and dealer, Sal, that he begins to see a world beyond his own. This unusual friendship sets Lenny on a path toward independence, and becomes the bedrock on which this young boy moves into adulthood, finding the tools for self-reliance and fortitude that will sustain him throughout his life.

Triplines

Humor & Satire

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Chang, Leonard. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Chang, Leonard

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Chang, Leonard. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Over the Shoulder: A Novel of Intrigue

Underkill: An Allen Choice Novel

Fade to Clear (Allen Choice Novels)

The Fruit 'N Food

Dispatches from the Cold

The Fruit 'N Food

Crossings

Dispatches from the Cold

Asian Pulp

Triplines