In the Shamus-nominated Paint it Black (2002), Louis is off to Sereno Key in southwest Florida. By its sequel, Dead of Winter (2001), Louis was headed north to Michigan, seeking refuge from the nastiness at Black Pool, where he joined another small police force in the seemingly peaceful resort town of Loon Lake, only to discover a psychopath serial killer who left playing cards beside the corpse of each of his victims.

In Dark of the Moon, Louis had to deal with the racism of his fellow police officers and citizens, while trying to uncover the mystery of the recently- discovered corpse of a young black man lynched 20 years earlier. And Louis does eventually become a private eye of sorts later in the series. It seems Louis has evolved and changed, from book to book and, if a Shamus nomination (or two) (or three) is any indication of quality, the writing has also improved tremendously. In other words, a cop - not a private eye.īut maybe I did myself a disservice by not following the series more closely, after being so disappointed with first book. The Louis Kincaid I knew was a transplanted Detroit cop who journeyed back home to Black Pool, Mississippi to tend to his dying mother and ending up joining the small, all-white police force (Louis’ mother was black, his dad was white) in his debut, the racially-charged but overblown and deriviative Dark of the Moon (1999).

Parrish’s 1980’s series character, LOUIS KINCAID, for a Shamus. Joint pseudonym of Kristy and Kelly MonteeĪt first I was wondering why on earth the PWA nominated Paint It Black, featuring P.J.

An Unquiet Grave by P.J. Parrish