Los Angeles, 2013:

Adam Minor and Richie Walsh work at Namaste Mart, a hippie grocery store in West Hollywood frequented by celebrities, cult members, and every variety of absurd character L.A. has to offer.

They're best friends, but couldn't be more different. Brooding and analytical, Adam dreams of one day becoming a famous novelist. Richie is an unpredictable navy veteran with a weakness for booze, women, and fighting who's just begun his stand-up comedy career.

Adam and Richie also have a special talent: They're good at finding people. On top of their gig as Hollywood grocery clerks, they supplement their income as unlicensed private detectives on the streets of L.A.

Namaste Mart Confidential is essentially a glimpse of all things L.A., from Hollywood Private eyes, to the Armenian Power,  to Latino Gangsters, to The church of LDS, and to the garish and trashy Hollywood elite. What sets this one apart from the oversaturated private detective genre is more than just its two protagonists: the arcane and analytical Adam (the brains) and Richie, smug and two-fisted (all heart). Together, they’re a pair of grocery store clerks who moonlight as PIs. And that slant on the private eye story is what makes all the difference.

The book is a fun ride with colorful characters, twisting throughout the towns and cities of greater Los Angeles, and even dipping down into Mexico. The writing is terse yet rich with atmosphere. Miller’s writing could best be described as: Unlike most up-and-coming crime writers. From the heart without obsessing over adverbs or pronouns.

Published in 2024 - 246 pages