Which author wrote the 'Henry Rios' series?

Michael Nava wrote the Henry Rios mystery series.

Henry Rios is an openly gay, Mexican-American criminal-defense lawyer who works in Los Angeles. Nava’s legal background gives the stories a grounded perspective on criminal procedure, clients, courtroom strategy, and the pressures surrounding marginalized communities. Rios investigates cases while navigating questions of identity, justice, and personal risk.

The series began with The Little Death in 1986, followed by books including Goldenboy, Howtown, The Hidden Law, The Death of Friends, The Burning Plain, and Rag and Bone. Nava later revisited the character in revised and new novels, including Lay Your Sleeping Head, Carved in Bone, and Lies With Man.

A common mistake is to classify Henry Rios as a conventional police detective. He is primarily a defense attorney, and that legal viewpoint is central to the series. Nava’s books have received multiple Lambda Literary Awards and are notable for placing an openly gay Latino protagonist at the heart of serious American mystery fiction.