Out of the ordinary

Joe Ide continues sensational streak with latest in “IQ” series

by Jeffrey Mannix

It all starts with the writer. Pretty obvious, I know, but how often does a reader consider the writer aside from what they write and what their name is?

Sure, we know Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald and a few more in the mystery genre known for their grandiose storytelling, like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dame Agatha Christie.

But anyone willing and skilled enough to sit behind a keyboard every day for a year to cobble together a story that finds its way to a publisher is an interesting story in itself. And that brings us to author Joe Ide (Eday), who is from East Los Angeles, where the police or the bad guys are a tossup of who’s more threatening, and chainlink fencing has long ago taken the place of shrubbery. Ide is Japanese American from a low-tier working family living in a jungle.

As the portrait goes, Ide was an ordinary kid who turned into an ordinary man with unremarkable ambition and undiscovered talent. He managed to attend college and obtain a master’s degree in education. He taught grade school long enough to realize he didn’t like kids. He quit and went back to the ’hood to think it over. Various other jobs came and went, including writing a few screenplays. More than a dozen screenplays were rejected, but one hit just before he was about to quit. He remained a writer of scripts for six or seven years until he got sick of that, too. He took a couple years off and ultimately, decided to give a novel a go.

In 2016, he caused literary mayhem at Mullholland Books with his first novel, “IQ.”

The press gushed before the novel was released, likening Ide to Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy and other L.A. noir writers, and prizes poured in. The book was better than good; it was a fresh variation of a private investigator theme and deserved all the hurrah it received. Mullholland must have quickly made a deal with Joe Ide for a series to follow.

“IQ” is the handle for Isaiah Quintabe, a Black, 25-year-old unlicensed, underground private detective in the projects of East Long Beach. He’s smart, he cares for his community, for folks who are holding on by their fingertips, and he knows how quickly someone in the ‘hood can have their life hoodlum, he sees trouble as clearly as IQ sees redemption. They’re a classic partnership and a plot setup ideal for Ide to spin his street jive.

Now that I’ve gone through all that and given some background on Joe Ide and Isaac Quintabe, I’m here to sell you on Ide’s newest IQ adventure being released next Tues., May 9, titled “Fixit.” surviving. He’s the guerrilla P.I. who helps find justice when the police won’t or can’t. He gets paid in food or car repairs, or nothing. Everybody cherishes IQ, except, of course, the police and the punks preying on the poor and disenfranchised.

Four more IQ books have been published since the first (“Righteous,” “Wrecked,” “Hi Five” and “Smoke”), and the latest title finds Isaiah out of the business and in hiding with well-earned PTSD. An ex-con, Skip Hanson, is looking to rip his face off for exposing Skip’s murder-for-hire enterprise. He lost everything and spent enough time in stir to want nothing more than IQ dead. Skip has a $25,000 bounty on Isaiah’s head and every street gang in L.A. looking for him. Skip has also kidnapped IQ’s girlfriend, Grace. And that starts the sleuth to eclipse all others.

When Isaiah gets a call from Skip and hears Grace pleading in the background, the cloud around IQ’s mind vanishes, and he’s on the road with Dodson to find Grace. There’s no sense describing any more of “Fixit” to you. And hopefully, you have a pretty good idea of how the IQ novels have gone viral. Ide is a kind of everyman who showed the publishing and reading worlds how good and how different a procedural can be if you have tried everything else and have nothing else to lose.

IQ has a sidekick, Juanell Dodson. Juanell is a brawler by nature but is devoted to IQ. He greases the skids when necessary, puts on pressure when needed, plays it loose when there’s no other way. And being a nearly reformed

Joe Ide was 68 years old when he wrote “IQ,” his first novel, and that alone is enough enticement to read his work. His scripting is flawless. His narrative is the work of an ordinary guy who surprised even himself with how unordinary he can be when he puts words to the stories he has watched all his life.

Call Maria’s Bookshop, and ask them to hold a copy of “Fixit” for you. And when you pick it up, ask for your 15% Murder Ink discount. You’ll like this book, lend it and reread it. ■ for “Stuff to Do” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item,

Thursday04 iAM Music Fest Kick Off Party, 7 p.m., The iNDIGO Room, 1315 Main Ave.

High Country Hustle plays, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard Ave.

Bingo Night, 5 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Thursday Night Sitting Group, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Author Event & Book Signing: Anne Hillerman, 6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Jeff Solon Jazz Duo play, every Thursday, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Pete Giuliani plays, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio.

The High Hawks play, doors at 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Durango High School Troupe 1096 presents “Little Shop of Horrors,” 7 p.m., Durango High School. Tickets at: troupe1096.weebly.com

Friday05 iAM Music Fest, 4:30-8:45 p.m., 2nd Ave. between 7th & 8th streets. Late night after party at Animas City Theatre.

Gary Walker plays, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Jean-Pierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave.

Open Meditation, 12 noon, Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

First Friday Art Crawl, 4-7 p.m., ArtRoom Collective at Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

First Friday Featured Artist: Miki Harder & “Snapshot” by AJ Lopez opening reception, 4-8 p.m., Stuido & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.

“Stories We Wear: Recognizing and Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives,” opening reception, 5 p.m., Ignacio Public Library, 470 Goddard Ave.

Horizon plays, 5 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Thee Fearless Peasants play, 5-8 p.m., Durango Craft Spirits, 1120 Main Ave.

Stillhouse Junkies play, 5:30-8 p.m., benefit for Pine River Arts. More info at pineriverarts.org

Delaney Davis plays, 6 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Chuck Hank plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Ru Paul’s Drag Race Watch Party, 6 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Merely Players present “Bright Star,” 7 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center.

Durango High School Troupe 1096 presents “Little Shop of Horrors,” 7 p.m., Durango High School. Tickets at: troupe1096.weebly.com

Open Poetry, 7 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave.

Drag Show, 8:30 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Saturday06

Homebuyer Education Class, 8:30 a.m., FLC’s Center of Southwest Studies.

Dandelion Festival, 1-9 p.m., Rotary Park, 1565 E. 2nd Ave.

Ohana Kuleana Open House, 1-3 p.m., 2425 W. 3rd Ave.

iAM Music Fest, 3-8:45 p.m., 2nd Ave. between 7th & 8th streets. Late night after party at Animas City Theatre.

Blu Phunk Collective plays, 4 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Blues Party, 6 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Community Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.

Merely Players present “Bright Star,” 7 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center.

Durango High School Troupe 1096 presents “Little Shop of Horrors,” 7 p.m., Durango High School. Tickets at: troupe1096.weebly.com

Silent Disco w/DJ Spark Madden, 9-11:30 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Sunday07

Durango Flea Market, 8 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Veteran Benefit Breakfast, 9 a.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.

Drag Brunch & Brews, 11 a.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Feed the People! free mutual aid meal & winter gear drive for homeless community members, every Sunday, 2 p.m., Buckley Park.

Merely Players present “Bright Star,” 2 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center.

Steff and the Articles play, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Sunday Funday, 6 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Monday08

Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Meditation & Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Comedy Showcase, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tuesday09

Great Decisions: “China and the U.S.,” 11:45 a.m., Durango Public Library.

Community Yoga, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.