Jay Porter, a struggling black lawyer and former civil rights worker, starting in 1981 Houston, Texas:
Black
Water Rising (2009) [review] 2010 Edgar Award for Best First Novel Finalist 2010 Barry Award for Best First Novel
Pleasantville (2015) Finalist 2015 Gold Dagger Award
Darren Mathews, a black Texas Ranger, with family and alcohol problems, in rural east Texas, in the Highway 59 series:
Bluebird, Bluebird (2017) [review] 2018 Anthony Award for Best Novel
2018 Steel Dagger Award
2018 Edgar Award for Best Mystery Finalist 2018 Gold Dagger Award Finalist 2018 Macavity Award for Best Mystery