Reviews
Praise for The People's Detective
Ken Amster
Author of the Matt Stephens Mysteries
(Death By Proxy, Old Sins Cast Long Shadows)
I don’t usually take the time to review a book that I’ve read, but this one needed some attention. As a first time fiction writer, Nicholas Louis Baham III, has joined the likes of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and Walter Mosley. His knowledge as a tenured professor of Ethnic Studies and his love of his home, Oakland, bring to life this noir tale of deceit, greed and hubris.
Without giving anything away, the story revolves around the kidnapping of a woman for the slave trade, but it is also a vehicle through which the themes of redemption, corporate greed, political corruption are pursued within the background of Oakland and the East Bay.
Aurora Jenkins is a reporter investigating the disappearance of women. It leads her to focus on Oakland’s as a hub of illicit sex trafficking, and the role of organized crime. She is too close to revealing connections with Oaklands political hierarchy, and a business man and local hero. She becomes one of the disappeared.
Sony Trueheart is an ex-cop on the way down. Driven there by mistakes of the past, the death of his love, and an addiction to alcohol, he is asked to look into Aurora’s disappearance. He scours the city looking for clues, and the truth. The path to the truth is revealed to him as he travels the violent and ugly underbelly of the city. The man who is revered throughout the city shows himself to be megalomaniacal sociopath and the sycophant city fathers show themselves to be gullible patsies. In order to save Aurora, he must confront the complex power structure of Oakland itself. It is a job too big for one man but he learns that in spite of his past, there are friends more than willing to come to his aid.
The story unfolds through multiple threads running through the book. One is the story of Sonny, the other is the story of Aurora’s captivity, her captors, and the powerful men pulling their strings. Throughout it all, the world of sex trafficking is exposed but through the women Aurora meets along the way, the texts of her powerful podcasts that are sprinkled throughout the book.
For those that know Oakland, this story will make you appreciate the diversity and beauty of a long undervalued city. For those that have only heard about the city through the news it makes, it will give them a whole new perspective on the stepsister of San Francisco, on the other side of the bay.
S.L. Cook
Author of The Midas Series
(A Snow Leopard Named Midas,
An Athlete in Winter)
The most important and sometimes overlooked aspect of genre writing is the freedom it allows authors to explore complex and sometimes ambiguous issues, something especially evident when it comes to stand-out Mysteries and Thrillers. Nicholas Baham III's "The People's Detective" is the latest to make a profound statement well beyond the x's and o's of what could have been a simpler Private Eye narrative. Instead what unfolds within Baham's book is a relevant argument for these fraught times - stoic and heartbreaking all at once.
Sonny Trueheart is an aptly named former Oakland Ca. police detective, one who leaves the force to find comfort in the bottom of a bourbon bottle for reasons that are not uncommon, but no less destructive. He is lured back into the living world to find a crusading journalist who has disappeared while investigating a shadowy organization trafficking young girls and selling them into slavery, all with the help of the city's elite - corrupt politicians and greedy business leaders. The leader of this consortium of profiteers is Dr. Lucias Godbold, a black entrepreneur who makes literature's Doctor Moreau look like missionary. Godbold has a despicable plan to set himself self up as a modern day "Emperor," one that must be read to be believed. Trueheart will have to rely on his skills, judgement, and an assortment of capable friends to stop Godbold's vile mission, assuming they can also get past his ruthless number one enforcer, a man named Seven Daggers.
The story is a compelling page-turner. But I felt it was the deeper examination of Oakland and its ongoing issues with race, power, self-hatred and corruption that was the novel's authentic, beating heart. Concerns that are laid bare and examined by all the participants in Baham's intricate story.
Oakland has frequently been viewed as a little brother to San Francisco, its more famous sibling across the bay. But in "The People's Detective" we discover (and some of us re-discover,) what we've always loved about this port city - the sometimes contentious history intermingling within its many layers. The diverse inhabitants, food, architechture, and hard-to-find sataifaction the heroes encounter while facing uphill odds in their attempt to salvage a tangible solution well beyond their own existence. All while constantly questioning their own motvations throughout the journey.
I for one, look forward to the continuing adventures of Trueheart and journalist Aurora Jenkins, a teller of truths more than capable with a pen or with her hands. A pair of advocates Oakland, and the rest of this nation, desperately need - now more than ever.
Dr. Kwei Jones Quartey - Award-winning author of the Darko Dawson and Emma Djan Investigations Series
This novel moves like a freight train through a tunnel, and you know you'll be out of breath on the other side. Trueheart is quite nuanced -something going on beneath all that bravado. He might seem flippant, but that just covers up a fragility he wants to protect. In reality, he really is a true heart, and his cause is real."
Dr. Nolan Higdon -University of California, Santa Cruz
The People's Detective is a gripping detective novel that brings the streets of Oakland alive with a raw intensity. Dr. Baham masterfully weaves a tale about the relentless pursuit for justice. With every page, readers are drawn deeper into the harrowing world of sex trafficking, white supremacy, and the indomitable spirit of the victims who seek redemption. This book is not just a thrilling read, but a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the fight for justice in the face of overwhelming odds.
Damien Hunter - author of The Madrinega Missiles
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 missing and trafficked women of color in Oakland, California and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The People’s Detective reads as though taken from today’s headlines, because it was. With the meticulous detail only a trained academic scholar turned novelist could bring to bear, Nicholas Louis Baham III has woven a gripping noir thriller of contemporary sexual slavery and political corruption set against the rich cultural tapestry and history of the City of Oakland. His hero, Sonny Trueheart, steeped in the tradition of Black American crime fiction, is a flawed and damaged ex-cop, and an alcoholic with an inability to control the violence in his heart. Detective Trueheart is also a man with a strong 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.
​Reader Reviews
A Riveting, Thought-Provoking Mystery That Had Me Hooked!
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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A page- turner! You won’t want to put down The People’s Detective!
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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A riveting book for the people
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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Oakland California Diaspora a Great Read
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. 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...
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!
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Paul Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars
What an EXCELLENT BOOK!!!!
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I just finished The People's Detective. Wow! What an excellent book!!! Also, a soundtrack?? Amazing and such great music. Fiction can be such a great vehicle to dive into all sorts of issues and this story does that so so well. The surface level story is compelling enough on its own but then we delve into human-trafficking, slavery, white supremacy, political corruption, patriarchy, sex work, capitalism and racism and I think I am missing other important topics. All of this set in such a wonderful city as Oakland, California. What an absolute gift and I am so glad to have read this.
AMAZING read! Relevant and necessary
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I love that you made a playlist for the book. That is really dope
I love the complexity of Aurora's character, and the nod to Nia Wilson before she won that knife fight on bart. That healed something in me...
Most of all I love how you bring all the senses and cultural details into your imagery.
Eric
5.0 out of 5 stars
All "People" need to read "The People's Detective!!!
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I just finished The People’s Detective by Dr. Baham, and this book was phenomenal. It took me a little time to get through, but once I was in, I was fully locked in. The storytelling is layered, intentional, and incredibly immersive.
One of the most compelling aspects of the book is Sonny Trueheart’s journey. Watching him confront and wrestle with his own demons in order to do what he ultimately had to do for the people made the story feel deeply human and real. His internal struggle added emotional weight to every decision he made, and it was impossible not to root for him from the very beginning — even while thinking, “put the liquor down!”
Malik Akoto quickly became my favorite character, and my favorite chapters in the book revolve around him. Chapters 30, Acrophobia, and 31, Game of Death, were absolute standouts. Malik fighting his way out of the building in Frisco scaling down the side of a building and then escaping on a fixed-gear bike with no brakes was wild! When I saw that Malik Akoto is getting his own book, I was genuinely excited — I need that installment immediately!
The Black women characters deserve special praise. Aurora Jenkins and Ms. Nzingha were written with strength, depth, and presence. They weren’t just supporting characters — they moved the story forward, grounded it, and elevated it in meaningful ways.
Oakland itself felt like a supporting cast member throughout the novel. Seeing familiar locations I grew up around woven into the story made the experience that much more enthralling and personal. The way Black history, Black culture, social justice, spirituality, and holistic health were layered into the narrative felt organic and deeply rooted, never forced.
Overall, The People’s Detective is engaging, thoughtful, and beautifully written. I’m very much looking forward to the next installments and continuing to follow these characters. Highly recommend!
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Facebook and Instagram - realsonnytrueheart
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