SHADOWS OF JUSTICE
When a determined reporter and his homicide detective sister link the disappearance of a missing Black woman to the highly publicized case of a vanished suburban housewife, they uncover a terrifying criminal conspiracy in this gripping crime thriller.
“Brian Copeland and Topher Davis are back with a vengeance. Shadows of Justice is rich with everything that made Outraged a compelling debut: page-turning action, characters we care about, vivid sense of place, and a mind-bending whodunit—all seasoned with welcome shots of mordant humor.”
—New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman
“Welcome back Topher Davis and Brian Copeland. After inhaling Copeland’s, Outrage I couldn’t wait to follow Topher Davis on his next investigation. Copeland’s mastery of clipped pointed dialogue, dry humor, evocative setting and plot twists makes Shadow of Justice a book I couldn’t put down. More Topher Davis please!”
—New York Times bestselling author Cara Black
When Kristen Promes leaves her family’s annual 4th of July barbecue in an upscale Bay Area suburb to pick up her daughter’s playmate, she is never seen again. The discovery of her abandoned vehicle along the short route sparks a media frenzy, thrusting the mysterious disappearance of the affluent suburbanite into national headlines.
San Francisco investigative reporter, Topher Davis, and his dedicated team dive into the high-profile case. Amidst the relentless coverage, Josephine “Josie” Walker–from East Oakland–seeks out Topher, revealing that her daughter, Danica, has been missing much longer than Kristen, and without any attention from authorities or the media. Desperate for help, Josie pleads with Topher to cover her daughter’s story.
Enlisting the help of his sister, San Francisco PD Homicide Detective Lynn Sloan, Topher attempts to retrace Danica Walker’s final footsteps. As they unravel the layers of her life, they unearth connections between the two cases. Will Topher and Lynn expose the perpetrator before another life is claimed, or are they now mere pawns in a more perilous and deadly game?
OUTRAGED
A TV investigative reporter and his sister, a San Francisco PD homicide detective, look into the slayings of Bay Area cops who have shot unarmed African Americans yet faced no repercussions in this debut crime thriller.
“Brian Copeland’s thrilling debut novel is a revelation from an excitingly fresh voice ‘of color’ in the arena of crime fiction . . . He manages to take a ‘ripped from the headlines’ topic, the shooting of unarmed African Americans by police, and turn it into an exciting and entertaining blend of action, mystery, and social commentary.”
—New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman
When San Francisco Police Officer Mickey Driscoll is gunned down in the driveway of his suburban Bay Area home in broad daylight, the suspects are numerous. Was the murder committed by someone close to him? An arrestee seeking revenge? Or was it one of the many rioters, activists, and militant groups harassing his family since he accidentally shot and killed an unarmed African American honor student?
TV investigative reporter Topher Davis, the only Black journalist on that beat, has exactly three weeks to do one final story before his position is eliminated due to corporate budget cuts. Enlisting the aid of his sister, SFPD Homicide Detective Lynn Sloan, he decides to investigate what the families of Blacks killed by police—and the families of the cops themselves—go through when tragic events like this occur. Instead, they find themselves involved in an ever-expanding mystery as more officers who’ve committed the same offense turn up dead. Weaving their way through a world of grieving mothers and widows, African American militias, dirty cops, and drug dealers, they search for the truth that threatens to leave one . . . or both . . . siblings dead.
The Waiting Period
It was 2008 and after a soul-crushing series of calamities (my wife had left, the grandmother who raised me died suddenly, I had a devastating car crash followed by spinal cord surgery and a long recovery), I found myself in such a severe state of depression that I decided to purchase a gun to end my life. During the mandatory 10-day waiting period between purchase and being able to take possession of the firearm, I was able to come out the other side.
Based on my award-winning one man show of the same name, The Waiting Period uses comedy and pathos to explore my battle with suicidal depression and the most effective way to approach the subject with a loved one or close friend.
I want to share this message because The Waiting Period has literally saved lives. Suicidal people have changed their minds and sought help after seeing the show. Through my story, family members have recognized the signs of suicidal depression and ideation in their loved ones and were able to intervene before tragedy struck. I hope to reach a much larger audience with this book and have the same positive effect.
The Jewelry Box: A Memoir of Christmas
Based on the smash one-man show!
A holiday memoir about hope, faith and Christmas miracles. It’s December of 1970 in East Oakland and six-year-old Brian Copeland wants to make his mother smile with a brand new jewelry box for Christmas. How can he possibly raise the needed $11.97 by Christmas Eve?
Follow the hilarious, poignant journey of a determined child as he discovers the true meaning of the season.
“Destined to be a holiday classic!”
—SF Examiner
Not A Genuine Black Man: Or, How I Claimed My Piece of Ground in the Lily-White Suburbs
In 1972, when Brian Copeland was eight, his family moved from Oakland to San Leandro, California, hoping for a better life. At the time, San Leandro was 99.4 percent white, known nationwide as a racist enclave. This reputation was confirmed almost immediately: Brian got his first look at the inside of a cop car, for being a black kid walking to the park with a baseball bat.
Brian grew up to be a successful comedian and radio talk show host, but racism reemerged as an issue—only in reverse—when he received an anonymous letter: “As an African American, I am disgusted every time I hear your voice because YOU are not a genuine Black man!” That letter inspired Copeland to revisit his difficult childhood, resulting in a hit one-man show—which has now inspired a book. In this funny, surprising, and ultimately moving memoir, Copeland shows exactly how our surroundings make us who we are.
“Copeland’s comedic talent is evident throughout the book… Honest and engaging, this memoir is a valuable book for anyone trying to straddle racial lines, for anyone who has ever felt out of place.”
—Publishers Weekly
Brian’s memoir was honored as an official selection for Silicon Valley Reads.
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