Howtown [Paperback]

Michael Nava (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2003

Henry has relocated to Los Angeles, where he now lives with Josh, who has been diagnosed HIV-positive. The mystery involves Henry’s defense of a child molester accused of murdering a child pornographer. It is in Howtown that the series becomes deeply entrenched in the cultural and social conflicts of Los Angeles, and the relationship between Henry and Josh faces wrenching developments.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Gay Los Angeles lawyer Henry Rios has misgivings about defending a known child molester accused of killing a porn peddler, even though the case against him is circumstantial at best. But research into the dead man's past sheds a frightening light on the murky circumstances of the murder -- bringing Rios face-to-face with a cold-blooded killer . . . --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Michael Nava is the author of seven Henry Rios novels, five of which (Goldenboy, Howtown, The Hidden Law, The Death of Friends, and Rag and Bone) have been Lambda Literary Award winners. He is an attorney in private practice in San Francisco.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Alyson Books; 1 edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555837794
• ISBN-13: 978-1555837792
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #981,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Nava is a lawyer and novelist. His Henry Rios novels, published between 1988 and 2000, followed the life and cases of a gay criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles during the tumultous period of the AIDS epidemic and the movement for gay rights. In 2000, he was awarded the Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement in LGBT literature. Previously he was awarded six Lambda literary prizes. He is at work on an historical novel set before and during the Mexican Revolution.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great mystery writing, September 13, 2006

By 

J Martin Jellinek (Memphis, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Howtown (Paperback)

Every once in a while I like to pick up a mystery novel for a change of pace. I remembered the author, Michael Nava, from an anthology I read a few years back about gay writers' childhood experiences and how they shaped the adult writers. I remembered Mr. Nava's recollections as being very well written and inspiring. This is why I picked up How Town.

I was not at all disappointed by this book. Mr. Nava is very articulate about place and time. His portrait of the multiple worlds within the nation of California, from the glitz of LA to the trendiness of SF to the decrepitness of Nueces, is very true to life. But even better is his description of the multiple worlds within one small city, Los Robles. In addition, the characters are very well portrayed. I really did care about Henry Rios and worried about the same issues that confronted him. I even felt compassion for Paul, the child molester, although his actions can not be excused.

This book is well worth reading. Along with being well written, the book reads quickly. You won't want it to end.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Story From Our Best Mystery Writer, September 17, 2002

By 

H. F. Corbin "Foster Corbin" (ATLANTA, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How Town (Mass Market Paperback)

Michael Nava is simply the best mystery writer I've ever read. His characters arise above stock characters to become people we care about, and his stories reach an emotional depth that many writers who consider them "serious" writers should envy. All the elements for failure are in this novel: incest, child pornography, child molestation, AIDS, national origin discrimination, the stigma of being gay, bigotted police officers. And yet from these diverse topics that would become cliches for a lesser talent, Mr. Nava produces a fine, believable story that rings true both psychogically and from a legal standpoint.

As always, Mr. Nava doesn't waste words. A detective who drinks too much is described as "Gimlet-eyed." Enough said. And Mr. Nava's observations are too true: in the words of our old friend, Henry Rios, the gay Hispanic lawyer in this series of mysteries: "Society is a conspiracy and everyone who's different is its target."

I read that this writer has written his last Henry Rios novel. Let's hope he is working on more good fiction.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great weekend read, August 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How Town (Mass Market Paperback)

Just finished How Town. I enjoyed it and recommend it. The only criticism of the book is that I never felt satisfied about two things: 1) Why on earth did he take this case? At every turn the defendant, defendants wife, sister, police, DA,etc were on his back. Nava should have better articulated what was motivating Rios to take this case because I never got why he felt obliged to. Giving Rios a stronger motivation would have at least left me feeling content with the characterization. 2)I think Nava could have challenged the 'pedophilia is a harmless sexual orientation' rationalization shown by the defendant a little more than he did. In particular, with his dramatic ending there was a golden opportunity for a showdown with Mr. Windsor saying - look at what pedophilia has done to all these lives. It ain't pretty.