​LAURA AITKEN

     Ghosts in the City of Angels is a novel set in present day Los Angeles, which addresses the housing crisis and tenants' rights issues. It is reminiscent of pulp fiction novels in style and form, and serves as an entertaining story with the added purpose of inspiring reflection and conversation about tenants' rights. 

     A lack of adequate protections for renters coupled with low minimum wages has led to a global housing crisis that is leaving many people without shelter and basic necessities. This book looks to address these issues in a compelling fictional story in which the reader will absorb information about their basic rights as renters and learn about the process of legally challenging a corrupt landlord. I hope this book will inspire more awareness of renters' rights and compel the reader to work towards expanding on and protecting those rights. 

     This story addresses issues of underrepresentation and wealth disparity in a pulp fiction style noir mystery story with the theme of ghosts and anonymity. Set in the heat of Los Angeles, the book must be read in the sun in order for its accompanying images to be seen. Throughout the book, invisible CMYK images screen printed among the pages will appear only when exposed to UV light, a reference to the anonymity often experienced by underrepresented communities whose needs are often overlooked as they are caught in a cycle of poverty. The images are reminiscent of photographs in an album—an essence of humanity and anonymity among the pages of the book.