The murder of a police recruit pins a Black LAPD detective in a deadly web where race, corruption, violence, and cover-ups intersect in this relevant, razor-sharp novel of suspense.
We chat with author Aaron Philip Clark about his new novel Under Color of Law, which is the first installment in his Trevor Finnegan series, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Aaron! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a novelist and screenwriter from Los Angeles. My new novel, Under Color of Law, is the first thriller in a series featuring Detective Trevor Finnegan.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I remember writing a story in a summer camp when I was a kid, and I spent that summer adding chapters and later illustrations. I can still remember the characters and snippets of the plot.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I recall reading was Incognito Mosquito: Private Insective. I read it in third grade. It’s about a private investigator who happens to be a mosquito. The story is fun and clever and embraces many tropes often associated with private detective novels, only child-friendly versions.
A book I rave about is J.M. Coetzee’s Life & Times of Michael K. It’s a compact novel that is incredibly layered and eloquently written. One of its central themes is the power of the human spirit which also resonates in my work.
Your new novel, Under Color of Law, is out October 1st2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Timely-Gripping-Enlightening-Focused-Uncompromising.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a thrilling police procedural that not only delivers twists and turns but offers insight into some of the challenges Black police officers face from inside and outside their police departments.
Where did the inspiration for Under Color of Law come from?
I was an LAPD recruit officer in 2014. Some of the experiences I had while in the academy helped shape Under Color of Law.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
Since the novel was set in 2014, I had to return to incidents of that time. That meant revisiting the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, spending time on pro-police websites and in forums that had become hubs for anti-black rhetoric, and forums centered on police accountability. I also had to dust off my academy training materials and law books to ensure Under Color of Law presented policies and procedures accurately. Of course, I had to take some creative license, but not much.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing about Trevor and his father, Shaun Finnegan, a retired LAPD officer who participates in protests against police brutality, much to Trevor’s chagrin. Shaun, or “Pop,” as he’s commonly referred to in the book, is such an interesting character and illustrates how people can fundamentally change in dramatic ways to the point it’s as if they’re a different person.
The sequel, Blue Like Me, is currently set to release in November 2022. Can you give us a little tease of what’s to come next in the Trevor Finnegan series?
Trevor will be investigating a very difficult homicide that reunites him with his ex-partner, Sally Munoz. Trevor and Sally are both living double lives, and their worlds are beginning to cave in around them as they seek justice for their dead loved ones. Lines are crossed, and laws are broken, creating a moral conundrum for Trevor whose trying to live an “honest” life.
What’s next for you?
Likely, more Trevor Finnegan books, along with a stand-alone set in 1990s Los Angeles. The story centers on a Black civil rights activist exiled in Cape Verde, who returns to LA upon learning his daughter was found dead in a building fire.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Yes, where do I begin? I recently read Gary Phillips’ Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem, which was fun and insightful, given Matthew Henson was one of the few noted Black American explorers. People should definitely check out Rachel Howzell Hall’s These Toxic Things, which is a bonafide page-turner. I just revisited Maggie Nelson’s Jane, a beautifully written book for true crime lovers. It’s a brilliant and heartbreaking account of Maggie’s aunt Jane who was murdered in 1969. Those looking for books outside of the crime or thriller genres should check out Gar Anthony Haywood’s In Things Unseen, which I’m reading now and enjoying. As for nonfiction, I’m steeped in books about LA. City of Quartz by Mike Davis and A History of Forgetting: Los Angeles and the Erasure of Memory by Norman M. Klein have been excellent reference material for my Trevor Finnegan novels.
