Though fiction is often thought of strictly as entertainment, there are moments where it can teach, particularly when said fiction looks at a rather dark period of American history. The reasoning behind using historical facts as the backdrop of fictional stories is often to show how such events happen, but those events take on a greater urgency when readers see similar events playing out on our newsfeeds, which makes Death to Pachuco, a graphic novel noir written by Henry Barajas and illustrated by Rachel Merrill, an example of how history, as the old saying goes, often repeats.
The book takes readers to Los Angeles, circa 1943, following the murder of Carlos Urbanos. With the police arresting the wrong person and racial tensions escalating, private detective Ricardo “Ricky” Telles realizes the clock is ticking. Mexican-American youths (pachucos) and Navy servicemen are on a collision course that will lead to the Zoot Suit Riots, when American servicemen assaulted Mexican-Americans in the streets with brutal efficiency. Knowing that “it’s not a good time to be Mexican” (a direct quote from the book and from historical accounts), Ricky, a two-fisted, fast-talking gumshoe in the same mold as Sam Spade or Mike Hammer, has only his wits, his fists, and his charm to survive in a Los Angeles that’s ready to explode.
In Ricky Telles’ personal history and habits, writer Barajas shows that he understands the appeal and genre conventions of noir detectives. This history includes being abandoned as a child while habits like his casual use of heroin reveal Ricky to be a broken man still trying to do the right thing. Fans of detective stories like those from Raymond Chandler might recognize and subsequently enjoy Ricky and the LA he lives in. Ricky also lives in a world where Spanish and English are used interchangeably and without translations the readers must often engage in the dialogue and story by looking for context clues. Beyond the book’s immersion into the Hispanic community, historians will notice how Barajas has turned this graphic novel into a history lesson about one of the darker periods of American history. He incorporates quotes from those who lived through the Riots along with published material about the Sleepy Lagoon murder case, a catalyst for the Riots where several young Mexican-American men were convicted of murder on scant evidence. This book is not only an example of solid noir storytelling, but it’s an example of how to integrate lived history with fiction.
This book never becomes a dry textbook because Barajas’s writing and Merrill’s illustrations capture this period in history as well as noir conventions. Merrill’s illustrations draw readers into a 1940’s Los Angeles brimming with design influences from neighboring Mexico. Bright colors pop against night skies and shadowy interiors in the same way female silhouettes wrapped in colorful dresses pop from the page. Thanks to Merrill’s handiwork, jaws are suitably chiseled (or, in Ricky’s case, boyish), women’s lips are red and inviting, and bad guys’ sneers are menacing in authentic noir style.
This graphic novel would be a welcome addition into any adult collection that not only values noir but also history, especially a reflection that refuses to sugarcoat its history. Its subject matter might also invite librarians looking for stories that reflect the current political and social climate to add this to their collection.
Death to Pachuco
By Henry Barajas
Art by Rachel Merrill
Image, 2026
ISBN: 9781534335226
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+)
Creator Representation: Latinx,
