The Last King of California - by Jordan Harper (Paperback)

About the Book

"This stirring and brutal bildungsroman tells the story of young Luke Crosswhite, who after years apart from his criminal family returns to their flock deep in the California desert. Luke's father is serving time for a brutal murder that Luke himself witnessed; now, his uncle vies for power and rival biker gangs encroach on the family's various criminal enterprises. A sensitive boy grown hard man, Luke navigates the vicious pressures of "home," and the loyalties to his old friend, Cassie, who has hatched a scheme with her boyfriend Pretty Baby to escape the control of the gang, the Combine. Hanging over these desperate, lonesome parties is the gang's motto, tattooed indelibly across the heart: Blood is Love."--

Book Synopsis

Jordan Harper's "darkly irresistible" novel, a tragic, Hamlet-esque noir for readers of S.A. Cosby and Don Winslow, now available for the first time in the United States. (Megan Abbott)

This stirring and brutal bildungsroman tells the story of young Luke Crosswhite, who after years apart from his criminal family returns to their flock deep in the California desert. Luke's father is serving time for a brutal murder that Luke himself witnessed; now, his uncle vies for power and rival biker gangs encroach on the family's various criminal enterprises. A sensitive boy grown hard man, Luke navigates the vicious pressures of "home," and the loyalties to his old friend, Cassie, who has hatched a scheme with her boyfriend Pretty Baby to escape the control of the gang, the Combine. Hanging over these desperate, lonesome parties is the gang's motto, tattooed indelibly across the heart: Blood is Love.

The Last King of California is a story of the West unlike any you will read.

"When I say The Last King of California subverts the stereotypical American Outlaw Mythos, it's the highest praise I can give it. No one is thinking deeper about what crime fiction is than Jordan Harper."-- S. A. Cosby
"Burns bright and fast"-- Peter Swanson
"Darkly irresistible" -- Megan Abbott
"Urgent and beautiful" -- Lauren Beukes

Review Quotes

"The Last King of California comes in swinging and doesn't cease its furious onslaught until its brilliant conclusion. Jordan Harper continues to distinguish himself as a force to be reckoned with in the crime fiction genre. Luke had a normal life stolen from him, yet he opts to walk into the abyss so he can be a part of something. While acclimating to his new life, Callie wants to extricate herself from the underworld. The decisions they make to cement their futures carry grave consequences for both. Harper aptly portrays the chaotic nature of organized crime and how familial bonds can be easily cast aside when loyalty is questioned. Luke and Callie are intriguing in their narratives, and Harper imbues them with equal parts depth and complexity. This inspired and memorable novel will garner acclaim far and wide."--BookReporter

"Novelist and TV writer Jordan Harper's books She Rides Shotgun and Everybody Knows are marvels of modern crime and neo-noir, engrossing and visceral reads with unforgettably realized characters fighting their way out of grimly bleak circumstances. His latest, The Last King of California, isn't exactly new, but this is the first time the 2022 novel is available in the U.S. It follows Luke Crosswhite, who returns to a world of motorcycle gangs, crime, and punishing loyalty after his father starts a prison sentence for a murder Luke witnessed. Sons of Anarchy fans, eat it up."
--NY Mag/Vulture

"Harper makes the story's familiar elements feel exceptionally fresh, drawing each of his characters with remarkable nuance and pulling the percussive prose of Raymond Chandler into the 21st century. Harper's hot streak remains intact."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"'Blistering, brutal, with a big beating (black) heart, The Last King of California confirms Harper as one of the finest writers of noir today, with what's easily a best-of-the-year book."--James. D. F. Hannah, Shamus-winning author of the Henry Malone novels

"'Easily one of the best things I'll read this year. Visceral and violent. An exploration o family and loyalty. Reads like poetry. Bravo."--Chris McDonald

"[A] gripping and emotional journey . . . Authors paint pictures with words, and like the Mona Lisa or Van Gogh's Sunflowers, some of their books are instant masterpieces sure to inspire readers and elicit envy from fellow wordsmiths. The Last King of California is simply that good. Jordan Harper wields words like weapons . . . It is like poetry on the page."--BoloBooks Top Read of 2022

"Fast-paced and gritty"--Amy Engel

"Truly astounding"--Robin Wasserman