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The People's Detective (Sonny Trueheart Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

When investigative journalist and Black Lives Matter activist Aurora Jenkins gets too close to the truth about sex trafficking and the unsolved disappearances of young Black, Latina, Asian American, and Indigenous women from the streets of Oakland, California, a powerful alliance of organized crime, corrupt police, and elites seek to suppress her story. Sonny Trueheart, a former Oakland Police Department homicide detective and whistleblower, burdened by alcoholism and the ghosts of his past, is called to investigate Aurora’s disappearance and the facts behind her story. Together with his former martial arts teacher, a Bahamian human rights advocate, and an old friend with a propensity for gratuitous sex and violence, Sonny uncovers a vast criminal conspiracy. Armed with little more than his intuition, a snubnose revolver, and a willingness to break the law in order to bring justice, Sonny Trueheart emerges as a symbol of revolutionary awakening in the Black communities of Oakland, California.

The People’s Detective brings to light the under-reported stories of sex trafficking in the Bay Area and adds a distinctly Oakland aesthetic, martial arts mayhem, and the thrill of a bank heist to the ethos of the noir detective genre. It is the first installment in the Sonny Trueheart Mystery detective series.


Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D886W1ZG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bootstrap Publications (September 12, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 12, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2187 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1959220152
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

About the author

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Nicholas Louis Baham III
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Nicholas Louis Baham III is a Professor of Ethnic Studies at California State University East Bay where he teaches African American Studies and Genders & Sexualities in Communities of Color. Dr. Baham is the author of The Coltrane Church: Apostles of Sound, Agents of Social Justice (McFarland) and The Podcaster's Dilemma: Decolonizing Podcasters in the Era of Surveillance Capitalism (Wiley) among other academic books.

In 2024, Dr. Baham became the Newest Writer of Oakland, CA Noir Mystery and Detective Fiction with the publication of The People's Detective (Bootstrap Publications). Dr. Baham says, "My passion for writing has allowed me to impact people's lives in meaningful ways. I believe that the written word can be a powerful tool for change and activism. My academic writings reflect my deep commitment to equity, justice, and social change. My fictional works allow me to tell stories that explore themes of race, power, and identity. As a writer, I strive to engage my readers and provoke meaningful conversations that can lead to positive change." Born and raised in San Francisco, CA, Dr. Baham has resided in Oakland, California since 1996.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
8 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2024
    I just finished The People’s Detective, A Sonny Truehart Mystery by Nicholas Baham, and wow—what a ride! This novel is everything I didn’t know I needed from a mystery: it’s fast-paced, full of action, but also incredibly deep. Sonny Trueheart is such a memorable character, a former cop who’s been through the wringer, carrying his own demons, yet he’s pulled into the gritty world of Oakland’s underbelly to uncover a human trafficking ring.

    What surprised me was how much heart this book has. Baham takes on real issues like gentrification, police corruption, and the exploitation of vulnerable communities without holding back. You can feel the author’s love for Oakland in the way he describes it—a place full of history, beauty, and resilience. The plot kept me on edge, and I found myself rooting for Sonny every step of the way as he searches for both justice and his own redemption.

    If you love mysteries that make you think and characters who feel like real people, this is absolutely worth picking up. I didn’t just read this book—I experienced it, and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. Highly recommended!
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
    The back cover of the novel reads, "The People's Detective brings to light an under-reported story in the Bay Area and adds a distinctly Oakland aesthetic, martial arts mayhem, and the thrill off a bank heist to the ethos of the noir detective genre." Nick Baham takes us on a wild ride that is both very thrilling and incredibly informative. He notes, "History is merely a thing of the past for most Americans. Oaklanders are different. Oaklanders ride with ghosts, memories, and legends" [page 292]. Indeed! Those who do not live in Oakland will also gain a more nuanced understanding of aspects of society that those in power want to keep in the shadows. We deeply root for Sonny to set things right. I can hardly wait for the next book in the Sonny Trueheart series. Also, hopefully someone will make The People's Detective into a movie!
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2024
    The novel's compelling opening immediately grabs the reader's attention. Baham's captivating portrayal of Sonny and Aurora creates an unputdownable reading experience.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2024
    The People’s Detective combines real life occurrences with fiction. I felt like I learned so much but was entertained as well. I looked forward to picking up where I left off each night and was drawn back into the gritty, but familiar streets of Oakland.
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2024
    Superb…a masterful tale of a gritty, urban reality that has all too often gone ignored by today’s news media, the hidden epidemic of sex trafficking of women of color in the San Francisco Bay Area. While a work of fiction, The People’s Detective reads as though taken from today’s headlines, because it was. With the meticulous diligence only a trained academic scholar could bring to bear, Nick Baham has thoroughly researched news archives and original source materials, altered names for privacy concerns, and woven a gripping detective story of contemporary sex slavery and corruption against the rich texture and history of the City of Oakland. His African-American anti-hero Sonny Trueheart is a flawed and damaged ex-cop, an alcoholic who has replied to disappointment and heartbreak by crawling inside a bottle, but a man who nonetheless has a moral compass, allowing him once confronted with a crisis to find the strength to rise above his own demons to battle a pervasive evil and claim redemption for himself while helping the helpless, the victims of sex trafficking whom polite society has forgotten.
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2024
    It is uncommon to encounter a book that portrays Oakland in such a favorable light as seen in The People's Detective, by Nicholas Louis Baham III. The narrative encompasses notable locations, including the BART station in West Oakland and the Oakland Police Department on 7th Street. Finally, the writer gives a worthy personality to a fallen city. Readers are poised to experience a fresh perspective on Oakland, as two star characters set out to rectify the wrongs in a segmented part of Oakland, California. Aurora, a skilled martial artist and bodybuilder, is poised to address the injustices in Oakland, California. The author enriches each chapter with songs, enhancing the atmosphere of a city that many perceive as limbo. The journey includes visits to the Harley Davidson dealership on Hegenberger Road and the Black Archon Center, culminating in the takedown of the Black Archon. Two diligent individuals uncover the concealed history of the Oakland Klan and aid in the rescue of several missing women. They eliminate Dr. Lucius Goldbold and his accomplice by bringing Sonny Trueheart out of retirement, a man rumored to possess the ability to fly and is described as being drunk. This book excels in introducing my two favorite characters, Aurora and Sonny Trueheart, who have truly established themselves as the people's detective. It's a great, informative read that draws one into problems and solutions. I highly recommend this book to all - Author, Carol Denise Mitchell
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