A woman's cry of anguish in the night cuts short any thought Jay Porter had of a relaxing evening.

"What a ride! Black Water Rising is a superlative debut; a wonderful treatise on the Texas of the 1980s - the best bad town novel in some time. Attica Locke is a stand-out in every imperative-young-writer way."

"Black Water Rising is a terrifying reminder of how recently America was a very bad place to be young, gifted and black. This is an authentic, atmospheric debut that burns with an entirely reasonable anger."

"Black Water Rising is a stylish, involving literary thriller with a strong emphasis on human politics and character. An auspicious debut from Attica Locke."

"A powerful and skilfully constructed conspiracy thriller..."