Interview with Aaron Philip Clark, Co-Author Of 'The Accomplice'

Photo Credit: A. V. Quitain

Synopsis of "The Accomplice" by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson with Aaron Philip Clark: 
​
In The Accomplice, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and award-winning mystery writer Aaron Philip Clark introduce Nia Adams, a New York native turned Texas Ranger who’s long dreamed of wearing the badge. She understands the risks of the job—and the politics of being the first Black woman in the role—but nothing prepares her for Desmond Bell. A Vietnam veteran turned master thief, Desmond doesn’t just steal cash; he lifts the darkest secrets of the wealthy and extorts them for millions.
​
When he targets the Duchamps—the most powerful family in the country—Nia’s investigation edges dangerously close to exposing Desmond and the criminal network he serves. As the bodies begin to stack up, Nia pushes deeper into the truth, risking both her career and her life. What follows is a lethal cat-and-mouse chase between ranger and thief—and the Duchamps will stop at nothing to silence them both.


Aaron Philip Clark is a USA Today bestselling novelist, screenwriter, professor, and host of The Culture Point Podcast. His fiction—often set in Los Angeles—explores race, justice, identity, and redemption. Clark has co-authored novels with Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and civil rights attorney Ben L. Crump, establishing himself as a rising voice in neo-noir crime fiction.

Here is the Novelpro Junkie interview with Aaron Philip Clark on The Accomplice: 

---

1. List three adjectives to describe your writing partner Curtis “50 Cent”
Jackson?

​Invested. Creative. Trusting.
 
2. How was your experience co-writing “The Accomplice” with Curtis “50 Cent”
Jackson?

We had a fantastic collaborative process. We shared similar ideas
about how to structure the novel, and Curtis had already done a lot of work
during the development stage, such as shaping the plot and characters,
which gave me a strong foundation to build on.
 
3. What research did you do when writing “The Accomplice”?

I didn’t conduct extensive research, but I spent a few weeks researching the history of the
Texas Rangers, specifically the qualifications they require for employment
and the history of their agency in greater Texas.
 
4. Did you have any section in “The Accomplice” that gave you difficulty?

Not particularly. As a crime author with law enforcement experience, writing
about Nia was relatively straightforward. Since Desmond is a Vietnam veteran, he needed a bit more development time, and I drew from my own father’s Vietnam experiences to shape his character.
 
5. In one word, how would you sum up your experience with “The Accomplice”?

Dynamic.
 
6. Congrats on your book being adapted into a TV series, what scene are you looking forward to seeing on the screen?

I’m hoping we get to see Desmond’s early years, when he first enters the criminal world as a member of the thieves’ guild. As for Nia, she is essentially a modern version of the classic Sheriff character we see in traditional westerns—the type who gets sent to a lawless town to bring order or to track down bandits. That was the root of the idea, to write a modern western with a Black female lead.
 
7. What are your thoughts about Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson starring as Nia Adams in the TV adaptation of “The Accomplice”?

Taraji is a talented actress. I think she’ll embody Nia, and I’m very eager to see what she does
with the character.
 
8. Where were you when you heard the news that “The Accomplice” is being made into a TV series?

I think I was buying coffee when I started getting multiple texts and emails that Peacock was developing it.
 
9. Would you consider making a cameo?

Not likely, but who knows?  
 

Synopsis of "The Bluest Night" by Aaron Philip Clark: 
​
Families are complicated. When former LAPD detective turned private investigator Trevor Finnegan learns he has an adult half-brother, Avery Dixon, he’s thrust into action after Avery and his girlfriend, Keisha, go missing. Trevor knows missing Black individuals often fall low on law enforcement’s priority list—and his fears are realized when Keisha is found dead in Malibu and Avery becomes the prime suspect.
​
Why were Avery and Keisha in Malibu instead of meeting Trevor’s father in Palm Springs? And if Avery killed her, why is he left brutally beaten and barely remembering his own name?
Convinced his brother isn’t guilty, Trevor enlists the help of dangerous Malibu socialite Cassandra Boyle. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a sprawling, deadly conspiracy that could change him forever.

​10. What inspired you to write your latest crime thriller, “The Bluest Night”?

The story revolves around my key detective, Trevor Finnegan, whom I have been writing about since 2021. This story is loosely inspired by the 2009 disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson, whose body was found in Malibu after leaving the local Sheriff’s Station. I was really struck by how we still don’t know what caused her death, as it was never officially classified as a homicide. I began to consider how homogeneous communities, especially those that are under-policed, can serve as safe havens for criminals like serial killers. In this case, Trevor’s brother, Avery, and his girlfriend become victims of such people who hide their actions from neighbors and target individuals they see as worthless and won’t be missed.
 
11. Did you have other titles in mind besides “The Bluest Night”? What were they?

I considered “Midnight Blues,” but The Bluest Night got to the heart of the book and aligned best with the setting. In Malibu, just before the sun sets, the sky turns beautiful shades of orange and pink, then there’s this hazy blue right before it becomes pitch black. At night, it actually feels dangerous and primal as the wildlife comes out. I thought that idea was fitting for the story; the juxtaposition of day and night, and the blue hue of the sunset, marked the transition between light and dark, as if a transformation were happening.
 
12. Did you know how “The Bluest Night” story would end or did it come to you while
writing the story?

Yes, I had outlined an ending, but it was more of a blueprint. I knew Trevor would come very close to meeting his demise, but he’d narrowly escape.
 
13. Do you recall the first story you ever wrote?

I can’t recall the first story, but I can recall the first comic I ever attempted to create. The character I created was a ninja who had merged his consciousness with that of an ancient dragon. When he needed help fighting battles, the dragon would emerge from a medallion he wore around his neck. I was really into martial arts, and at that time, most of the cartoons I watched focused on ninjas, like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so I believe that was probably the influence.
 
14. Which writers inspired you to become an author?

Walter Mosley, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Zora Neal
Hurston, Jean-Patrick Manchette, Ernest Hemingway, and Fyodor Dostoevsky, and more, but too many to name.
 
15. If you have your own talk show, who would your first three guests be?

Denzel Washington, Ruha Benjamin, and Nasir “Nas” Jones.
 

16. Last question, if you have the power to bring back an author from the dead, for one day, to meet with, who would that be?

Rudolph Fisher, who wrote The Conjure Man Dies. He was one of the earliest Black crime novelists.