A hybrid of crime and literary novel that explores issues of honor and family history, OVER THE SHOULDER offers a unique view of the American protagonist and reluctant investigator, shaken from the doldrums of his insulated life.

Choice and his partner, Paul Baumgartner, are security specialists for Silicon Valley executives. When Paul gets killed on the job, Choice and an inexperienced Bay Area reporter, Linda Maldonado, begin looking into the puzzling circumstances of the murder. As they work together to unravel the intricate threads of lies and half-truths, they discover that his death might be linked to an older, more personal one -- the mysterious death of Allen's father some twenty years earlier.

With his self-described "philosophy of removement" as his frame of reference, Choice searches for the hidden, long-buried answers, only to be outmaneuvered at every juncture. Against this backdrop of violence and deception, Choice soon discovers secrets that alter his understanding of his father, of his family -- secrets that lead him to a buried history of betrayal.

A new direction for noir fiction, OVER THE SHOULDER is an examination of the past and the present, of long-simmering familiar tensions and the subtle conflicts of race and class; it is a story about the awakening of memories and an understanding of the self.

"Leonard Chang's new novel is a riveting noir thriller, with something more to offer: a well-informed look at the culture of Korean assimilation on the West Coast. OVER THE SHOULDER is a strong and serious work, a s well as being excellent entertainment."
- Madison Smartt Bell, author of MASTER OF THE CROSSROADS

“Leonard Chang rockets us along through the engrossing adventures of Allen Choice…. OVER THE SHOULDER is obsessively readable and intellectually satisfying, and Chang's highest achievement to this point.”
– Thomas Keneally, author of SCHINDLER'S LIST

"A truly impressive achievement. OVER THE SHOULDER is a rich and engrossing novel, a thriller with the head and the heart of a fine work of literature."
– Gary Krist, author of CHAOS THEORY AND BAD CHEMISTRY

"Sitting here these past years like Whitman's noiseless, patient spider, I've watched a number of new writers...make their way out onto the web. Now I welcome Leonard Chang, another fine one. Dig in heels, spurs, and silk and hang on, readers: winds are blowing, the web's thrumming, it's a hell of a ride."
– James Sallis, author of BLUEBOTTLE