A stunning tour de force, Tracy Daugherty’s fourth novel explores the volatility of race, class, and economics as they affect three generations of a Houston, Texas family, and traces the rise and decline of an inner city neighborhood from the point of view of a prodigal daughter, as Telisha Washington returns after many years to renew old ties and come to terms with her family’s enigmatic heritage.

“An extraordinarily accomplished novel. Like Ellison’s Invisible Man, it is steeped in the most gorgeous Blues idioms. Daugherty’s description of Houston is so sharp-eyed and multi-layered that I can see the city more clearly in this book than I ever did with my own eyes. As good as anything I’ve read in Himes or Baldwin. This novel is a work of subtle genius and abundant heart.”
—Reginald McKnight

“A valuable contribution to our American literature about race and identity and landscape. These are musings all Americans should read.”
—Susan Straight

“Axeman’s Jazz is ambitious, complicated and complex, and profound.”
—Gordon Weaver