In the Not Quite Dark

**“This prizewinning author’s gorgeous, empathetic collection is composed of stories (mostly) in and about L.A. that juxtapose the haves and the have-nots.” —**Marie Claire
 
Following her award-winning collection Break Any Woman Down, Dana Johnson returns with a collection of bold stories set mostly in downtown Los Angeles that examine large issues—love, class, race—and how they influence and define our most intimate moments. In “The Liberace Museum,” a mixed-race couple leave the South toward the destination of Vegas, crossing miles of road and history to the promised land of consumption; in “Rogues,” a young man on break from college lands in his brothers Inland Empire neighborhood during a rash of unexplained robberies; in “She Deserves Everything She Gets,” a woman listens to the strict advice given to her spoiled niece about going away to college, reflecting on her own experience and the night she lost her best friend; and in the collection’s title story, a man setting down roots in downtown L.A. is haunted by the specter of both gentrification and a young female tourist, whose body was found in the water tower of a neighboring building.
 
With deep insight into character, intimate relationships, and the modern search for personal freedom, *In the Not Quite Dark *is powerful work that feels both urgent and timeless.
 
“An unforgettable collection. [Johnson] is both a storyteller and an exacting observer of the beautiful ugly truths of Los Angeles, class, race, being alive.” —Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author
 
“Unquestionably excellent stories . . . *In the Not Quite Dark *has a variety of voices and stylistic tones yet holds together tightly as a collection.” —Los Angeles Times