charlyreads 's review for:

Darktown by Thomas Mullen

4.0

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Lucious Boggs and Tommy Smith are two of eight black cops that have been recruited in the pre-civil rights era in Atlanta in the 1940's. They are met with mockery and agression by the rest of the police department, are not allowed drive squad cars and have to call their white colleagues to transport their arrested suspects. When a drunk white driver hits a lamp post late at night, their hands are tied and their white colleague Dunlow (who is known for brutalizing black citizens) doesn't even give the man a ticket but lets him go after a quick chat. The driver's passenger, a young black women, is later found dead, signs of prior physical assault apparent on her body. Police reports are altered, suspicion of professional misconduct is thrown on Boggs and Smith, and overall it seems as if someone is keen on this murder not being appropriately investigated. Boggs and Smith might find an ally in Dunlow's new partner Rake who is starting to question some of the procedures of the Atlanta police department as well but is not ready to radically overturn the societal beliefs he grow up with.

This book is full of police corruption and blatant racism. Because of these matters it is not always an easy read but most likely an accurate description of that time. The mystery was layered and overclouded by everyday issues of racial segregation that managed to successfully mask the plot twists of the story. The character portrayal was vivid and made me feel emotionally attached to some and disgusted by others.

Pick this up if you enjoy a smart mystery, great character development, and a convincing historical setting! - 4/5 stars!