An Evening with DC Frost and Kate Gale

A Punishing Breed, first in a series of mystery novels, features Latino Detective DJ Arias who pursues a murder investigation at a small private liberal arts college nestled in the heart of Los Angeles. The detective and his partner, Bobby Talbot, discover buried secrets and past misdeeds that overshadow an institution promising social justice, transparency and equity. DJ Arias fights against his own troubled history with the college, his partner, and a failed marriage. Along the way, he finds a modicum of salvation with a murdered man’s dog he names Evidence.

Under a Neon Sun by Kate Gale
Unable to afford rent, Mia—a community college student—lives out of her car, cleaning houses of the well-to-do in the LA area to meet her shoestring budget. Then Covid hits and everything changes.
For people living in houses and apartments, with stay-at-home jobs, the pandemic was inconvenient. For Mia and her fellow housekeeper friends—all living in their cars—the pandemic destroys the source of their frugal income.
Fortunately, gutsy, funny Mia is a determined survivor. After weeks of cutting her limited spending even further, missing meals along the way, her wealthy employers become desperate for her services again. This time, she’s determined not to let them take advantage of her as they have in the past. Her newfound confidence gives her new hope, until she discovers a dead body in a room she was assigned to clean. Sally Rooney meets Elizabeth Strout in this gripping page turner debut novel.