Chango's Beads and Two-tone Shoes

by William Kennedy

Daniel Quinn returns to Albany in 1968, a journalist caught between two worlds. The city pulses with racial tension and political corruption while Quinn pursues stories that matter. He reconnects with old friends and enemies from his past, including figures tied to organized crime and civil rights activism. Quinn finds himself drawn into dangerous territory as he investigates connections between local power brokers and street-level violence. His romantic entanglements complicate his professional duties. The Cuban music scene provides a soundtrack to Quinn's navigation through Albany's changing landscape. Personal loyalty conflicts with journalistic integrity as Quinn uncovers truths that threaten people he cares about. The story explores how individual choices ripple through communities already strained by social upheaval.

Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, journalism, political-thriller

Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, found-family

Setting: Albany, Cuba

Period: 1968

Paperback · Simon & Schuster UK

Content warnings: violence

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