A rage in Harlem - Chester B. Himes

To be square in Harlem is to risk your life. And Jackson is so square that he can't see through the lovely Imabelle, even when she introduces him to a man who knows the secret of turning $10 notes into $100s. Jackson ends up losing his life savings to the con-man, stealing from his boss and blowing this 'borrowed' sum at the crap table.
So begins Chester Himes' first foray into crime fiction, the novel that was to win him massive acclaim in France where it was published in 1958. It has since been translated into over a dozen languages as well as being turned into a major feature film. A Rage in Harlem also introduces readers to Coffin Ed Johnson and Gravedigger Jones, Harlem's toughest pair of cops and Himes' most memorable fictional creations. Renowned for their meanness and always armed with their legendary nickel-plated Colts, they patrol the streets of Harlem and attempt to keep some semblance of law and order.