# The Last King of California - Paperback

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by **Jordan Harper** (Author)

**This tragic, _Hamlet_\-esque noir tells the stirring and brutal coming of age story of young Luke Crosswhite, who after years apart from his criminal family returns to their flock deep in the California desert. Perfect for readers of S.A. Cosby and Don Winslow.**

Luke's father is serving time for a brutal murder that Luke himself witnessed; now, his uncle vies for power and rival biker gangs encroach on the family's various criminal enterprises. A sensitive boy grown hard man, Luke navigates the vicious pressures of "home," and the loyalties to his old friend, Cassie, who has hatched a scheme with her boyfriend Pretty Baby to escape the control of the gang, the Combine. Hanging over these desperate, lonesome parties is the gang's motto, tattooed indelibly across the heart: _Blood is Love_.

_The Last King of California_ is a story of the West unlike any you will read.

**"When I say _The Last King of California_ subverts the stereotypical American Outlaw Mythos, it's the highest praise I can give it. No one is thinking deeper about what crime fiction is than Jordan Harper." --S. A. Cosby**

"Burns bright and fast" --Peter Swanson

"Darkly irresistible" --Megan Abbott

"Urgent and beautiful" --Lauren Beukes​

### Author Biography

**Jordan Harper's "darkly irresistible" novel, a tragic, _Hamlet_\-esque noir for readers of S.A. Cosby and Don Winslow, now available for the first time in the United States. (Megan Abbott)**

This stirring and brutal bildungsroman tells the story of young Luke Crosswhite, who after years apart from his criminal family returns to their flock deep in the California desert. Luke's father is serving time for a brutal murder that Luke himself witnessed; now, his uncle vies for power and rival biker gangs encroach on the family's various criminal enterprises. A sensitive boy grown hard man, Luke navigates the vicious pressures of "home," and the loyalties to his old friend, Cassie, who has hatched a scheme with her boyfriend Pretty Baby to escape the control of the gang, the Combine. Hanging over these desperate, lonesome parties is the gang's motto, tattooed indelibly across the heart: _Blood is Love._

_The Last King of California_ is a story of the West unlike any you will read.

"When I say _The Last King of California_ subverts the stereotypical American Outlaw Mythos, it's the highest praise I can give it. No one is thinking deeper about what crime fiction is than Jordan Harper."-- **S. A. Cosby**  
"Burns bright and fast"-- **Peter Swanson**  
"Darkly irresistible" -- **Megan Abbott**  
"Urgent and beautiful" -- **Lauren Beukes**

**Number of Pages:** 304

**Dimensions:** 0.9 x 8.2 x 5.4 IN

**Publication Date:** November 19, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 25.99 GBP
- **Vendor:** BooksCloud
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books, Crime, Fiction, Price Written on Book, Suspense, Thrillers

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 25.99 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- The Last King of California

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> Source: [Somiibooks](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-last-king-of-california-paperback)
> Updated: 2026-08-22