or the nuances of New Orleans, America's most interesting city, Michael Allen Zell presents crime fiction with verve, grit, and tenderness. The characters in The Last Shadow are people I've known from a distance. Zell's talent allows readers to have access to the hidden dreams and terrors of their lives."

---Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of THE AMERICAN DAUGHTERS

"Zell demonstrates a gallows humor and a fine ear for entertainment...like the best crime fiction, the story invests deeply in setting, and it succeeds by virtue of its author's palpable love for New Orleans and the people who live there."

---LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS on RUN BABY RUN

"What really keeps us turning pages is Zell's authorial voice, his insights into human nature, and the dark sense of humor that comes out of observing city life."

---THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE on LAW & DESIRE

THE LAST SHADOW is a New Orleans story of 3 people, 2 paths, and 1 book that guides the way. Julius Mosley must make a choice between old and new ways when Maya Gaines, his prize martial arts student, unknowingly reconnects him with crime boss Vinh Nguyen, who he knows from a past incident that changed both of their lives. New Orleans, from the Riverbend to Versailles, with City Park in the middle, is the perfect tapestry for the tale to journey upon. This marks the beginning of a new series featuring Maya Gaines.