"Zug Island: A Detroit Riot Novel" tells a Huck Finn-meets-heavy-industry tale about a suburban white kid who gets a crash course in race relations. Set in 1967 against a backdrop of industrial blight and urban decay, the book follows Jake Malone and Theo Semple as they stumble in and out of rhythm on Detroit's mean streets to discover that the face of racism comes in every shade of color.

After getting kicked out of college, Jake needs to find work in Detroit's frozen rust belt. Armed with a shovel and a keen sense of self-preservation, he enters the dark reaches of Zug Island and must...