New Novel 'City Of Dark Corners' Calls Back To Phoenix's Days Of Organized Crime In 1930s

By Steve Goldstein
Published: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 - 11:41am
Updated: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 - 8:07am

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Jon Talton City of Dark Corners book
Poisoned Pen Press
Jon Talton, author of "City of Dark Corners."

Phoenix’s population and attractiveness as a tourist destination took off significantly following World War II, but it was showing hints of becoming a bustling metropolis more than a decade before that. The city was also especially attractive to up-and-comers in a lot of "business sectors" — including organized crime.

For his newest novel, "City of Dark Corners," Jon Talton leaves his recurring character David Mapstone and his usual setting of modern-day Phoenix for the 1930s version and introduces a new protagonist — former Phoenix detective turned private investigator Gene Hammons. Talton also sprinkles in appearances by real Phoenix legends like Barry Goldwater.

The Show spoke with Talton about the book, and why he decided to go back nearly a century to tell this story.

Talton will be appearing virtually at Scottsdale’s Poisoned Pen Bookstore on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

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