Streetwhys - by Christopher Chambers (Paperback)

About the Book

"[U]nderground detective Dickie Cornish faces a vindictive murder rap from his past if he doesn't agree to help prove that the fentanyl ravaging the streets of DC is bankrolled by shadowy donors of a certain former president. Broke and desperate, Cornish soon finds himself on a collision course with shady public defenders and corrupt police officers, forcing him to use his street connections to flip their plan. Or die."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Deliciously gritty, an unflinching look at American crime and modern politics." --Eli Cranor, Author, You Don't Know Tough, Ozark Dogs, and Broiler; winner, Edgar Award for Best First Novel

Washington, DC's notorious detective, former street denizen Dickie Cornish, faces off with bloodthirsty cops and the justice department in the latest thrilling release by award-winning noir author Christopher Chambers.

In StreetWhys, underground detective Dickie Cornish faces a vindictive murder rap from his past if he doesn't agree to help prove that the fentanyl ravaging the streets of DC is bankrolled by shadowy donors of a certain former president. Broke and desperate, Cornish soon finds himself on a collision course with shady public defenders and corrupt police officers, forcing him to use his street connections to flip their plan. Or die.

Chambers's Dickie Cornish series has met with widespread critical acclaim. Publishers Weekly dubbed the series debut, Scavenger, "[A] no-holds-barred crime novel...a 21st-century twist on traditional hardboiled noir." The Strand Magazine selected Standalone, the second book in the series, as one of the "Top 25 Mystery Novels of the Year," adding "It's apparent that the modern heir to Chandler, Woolrich, and Cain is Christopher Chambers, enough said." And renowned crime author George Pelecanos raves that the series "really nails Washington, DC in the current environment."

Chambers is an award winning author of mystery, noir, pulp, and graphic novels. He sits on the board of the Bouchercon World Mystery Writers Convention and is a judge for Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Awards. He lives in Washington, DC.

Review Quotes

"Drawn in the Washington DC most readers never experience, Chambers illustrates the incestuous connection between crime and politics. Well crafted human characters with all their flaws and strengths are on display here." --Authors On The Air Global Radio Network

"Dickie Cornish, underground detective, is one of the most original protagonists in crime fiction. The cases he becomes involved in resonate with sharp-edged topicality, making the reading of Streetwhys urgent and compelling." --Gary Phillips, author of the Harry Ingram novels

"Christopher Chambers is the real deal. Streetwhys, his latest installment in the Dickie Cornish mystery series, is deliciously gritty, an unflinching look at American crime and modern politics." --Eli Cranor, Author, You Don't Know Tough, Ozark Dogs, and Broiler; winner, Edgar Award for Best First Novel

"There's no other PI like Dickie Cornish, and that's a shame. This dirty world could use more of his wise-assery, clear-sightedness, and just plain balls. There's no other writer like Christopher Chambers, either, who also has all these assets. Chambers sends Cornish on a wild ride from the gutters to the marble halls of power; wild it might be, but it's also, unsurprisingly, a straight shot. Don't miss this book." --SJ Rozan, best-selling author of The Murder Of Mr. Ma

"Streetwhys is more noir than any noir has any right to be. Dizzying. Raw. Chambers' words pop off the page like hot rounds from a Saturday Night Special. Buckle up, buttercup." -Tracy Clark, Anthony, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky and Lefty Award-winning author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery and Det. Harriet Foster series

"Once again, Chambers brings to life the dark festering underbelly of DC, shining a light on what's unseen. In colorful, sharp prose, Streetwhys asks the tough what-if questions, and explores the dark roads we're forced to take. Unsparing and brutal, this is a read that will hook you." --I. S. Berry, author, The Peacock and The Sparrow; Edgar, Barry, IWT Award winer; New Yorker, Dilomatic Courier, and NPR Best Book of the Year

"In the tradition of Hammett and Pelecanos, Chambers's Dickie Cornish series brings a fiercely innovative approach to the lonely, dauntless detective paradigm." --Anjili Babbar, Lecturer of Humanities, Boston University; Agatha Award winner; Macavity and Anthony Award nominee

"You've never met a gumshoe quite like Dickie Cornish. In Streetwhys, Christopher Chambers invests his recently unhoused ex-junkie hero with a singular voice and an unmatched knowledge of the corruption-laded back alleys and dead-ends of our nation's capital, expertly guiding us on a politically-charged journey into darkness." -Scott Von Doviak, Edgar and Anthony Award-nominated author, Lowdown Road

High Praise for Previous Books in the Dickie Cornish Series

For Scavenger

"Dickie Cornish's world is far from most readers' lived experience, and it is his compelling voice and the dialogue of a vast cast of memorable street characters that helps immerse the intrepid armchair traveler in a world that's mostly invisible but just around the corner and down the alley from DC's halls of power." --Reviewing the Evidence

"Novels written from the perspective of homeless substance users don't come along every day. When they do, it's a good idea to pay attention...Like Hammett with San Francisco or Chandler with Los Angeles, Chambers' mystery is as much about Washington as it is about the amoral monsters who prey on ordinary people and the lone gumshoe who takes them on." --Washington City Paper

"Christopher Chambers brings to life not only an unforgettable character but also the gritty DC streets he inhabits. ... A deeply realistic noir mystery with a social conscience." --Hill Rag Magazine

For Standalone

"In his melding of classic detective fiction with modern day street level scandal Chambers crafts a truly unique and compelling sequel to his best selling book Scavenger and in the process creates a truly unique brand of storytelling." --Jesse Ventura's Die First Then Quit

"For those who like their crime served up raw, gritty and grimy . . . Comparisons to George Pelecanos, S.A. Cosby and Andrew Vachss and TV shows like The Wire abound." --Thrilling Detective

"Chambers makes the smell and harrowing vibe of the mean streets of the nation's capital come alive. Readers searching for a grittier version of Joe Ide's Isaiah Quintabe will find him in Cornish." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Critically-acclaimed, award-winning author Christopher Chambers is the creator of the Dickie Cornish detective series, including Scavenger, Standalone, and Streetwhys, as well as the Angela Bivens thriller series, including Sympathy for the Devil and A Prayer for Deliverance. His short fiction has appeared in numerous award-winning anthologies. He's been nominated for a PEN/Malamud and is an accomplished pulp and graphic novel collaborative author. He sits on the Bouchercon World Mystery Writers Convention Board and is a judge for the Mystery Writers of America Edgars Awards. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and German Shepherd, Max.