Santa Fe, New Mexico Oct 30, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - Darkness and glitter collide in John Jason Phillips debut novel, The Last Days of the Barbary Coast: Volume One of the Ultrasheen Mysteries. Set in San Franciscos Castro District in the early 1980s, the book introduces readers to a community alive with drag shows, danger, and desireyet shaken by the terrifying presence of the RedHair Killer.
At the center of the story is Casey Johnson, a cab driver whose nights behind the wheel pull him into a world of secrets, survival, and unexpected responsibility. When his path crosses with UltraSheen, the citys radiant drag queen star, Casey finds himself caught in the orbit of a community both dazzling and vulnerable. Together, they face a chilling reality: someone is hunting their friends, and the danger is closing in.
Phillips doesnt shy away from the grittiness of the era. The novel captures the highs and lows of San Francisco nightlife, from cocaine-fueled parties to back-alley threats, all against the backdrop of political unrest and the first rumblings of a mysterious new disease. Still, woven through the fear is resiliencea community determined to celebrate joy, love, and chosen family in the face of peril.
The RedHair Killer is fiction, says Phillips, but the emotions and atmosphere are rooted in truth. The early 1980s were a time of both liberation and vulnerability for queer communities, and I wanted to honor that reality while giving readers a suspenseful, unforgettable story.
Early readers describe the book as a haunting noir that lingers long after the last page and a gripping, heartfelt portrait of a city on the edge. Both a chilling mystery and a cultural time capsule, The Last Days of the Barbary Coast offers readers a vivid journey into a world that was as dangerous as it was dazzling.
Phillips debut marks the beginning of the Ultrasheen Mysteries series, a blend of noir suspense, LGBTQ+ history, and unforgettable characters.
The Last Days of the Barbary Coast is now available in paperback through major booksellers and online retailers.
Book Link: https://a.co/d/9MuCNs0
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