Ten California crime novels that aren't set in Los Angeles or San Francisco

Johnny Shaw’s novels have been set in the California settings of Indio, Calexico, Thermal, Holtville, Blythe, El Centro, Plaster City, and Campo. His most recent novel, The Southland, is hypocritically set in Los Angeles.

At CrimeReads, Shaw tagged ten favorite California crime novels that aren't set in Los Angeles or San Francisco. One title on the list:

FAT CITY by Leonard Gardner (1969)

The least crimey of the crime novels on this list, but damn if it isn’t one of my favorite books. The city of Stockton is as much of a character as any person in this book. Arguably one of the best boxing novels ever written, the story follows two fighters: one at the beginning of his journey, the other toward the end. It’s the heart of working class fiction, from the onion fields to the boxing ring and should be on every reader’s shelf. The John Huston adaptation of the book might also be the best boxing movie ever made.

Read about the other entries on the list.

Fat City is among Beth Raymer's six favorite books and Markus Zusak's top ten boxing books.

Gerald Haslam nominated Fat City as the Great California Novel.

--Marshal Zeringue