Books like Southland by Nina Revoyr
Nina Revoyr’s novel follows Jackie Ishida, a law‑school senior, as she parses her grandfather’s will and discovers that four Black teenagers were murdered in the Watts Riots of 1965—an incident that never received justice. Teaming up with James Lanier, a cousin of one of the victims, Jackie investigates the disappearance, uncovering long‑held family secrets that span the Japanese internment camps of World War II, the 1930s Crenshaw District barley fields, the 1960s Watts streets, and the 1990s garment factories and nightspots of Los Angeles. The story weaves these eras together, revealing the city’s layered history and the enduring impact of race and identity on its people.
First publish date: March 2003
Genre: Mystery & Detective/Historical Mystery
Authors: Nina Revoyr
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