Publisher's Weekly Review of "SOUTHSIDE"

Following is the Publishers Weekly review of Southside.

"The debut novel from Krikorian, a Los Angeles Times crime reporter, is a grim thriller that brings a sense of bleak reality to the streets of Los Angeles.

Michael Lyons is a flamboyant 12-year L.A. Times veteran specializing in gangs and well known for his ability to humanize the most thuggish criminal. When Lyons is shot and wounded in front of his favorite bar in broad daylight, his colleagues eagerly speculate about who is responsible. An outraged husband? A disgruntled gang member? Or Lyons himself, as an elaborate publicity stunt?

After recovering, Lyons begins his own investigation, one that takes him through the gritty and melancholy streets of L.A. and through interviews with the grieving parents of murdered or incarcerated young men. Meanwhile, Lyons’s assailant targets more victims, setting the whole city on edge.

Krikorian’s language is stark, graphic, and bitterly humorous, not unlike that of George Pelecanos. Though this book could use some fine-tuning, it moves with speed and purpose."