In a short period of time, Ivy Pochoda has earned a reputation as a writer of gritty, street-savvy novels frequently populated by complicated female characters. Her latest effort, SING HER DOWN, does not veer from this blueprint. It combines narratives set inside an Arizona women’s prison with the seedy streets of Los Angeles during the height of COVID.

As a direct result of the pandemic, the prison elects to release a handful of inmates before their sentences are up. Among them are Florence “Florida” Baum and Diosmary “Dios” Sandoval. To say that these young women had a dangerous, violent and complex relationship behind bars would be a gross understatement.

"It is all presented in the gritty, raw writing style that Ivy Pochoda has made her own, and you can bet there will be no fairy tale ending. SING HER DOWN is a classic, noir-like story with characters who breathe right off the pages."

SING HER DOWN is told from the perspectives of a number of different individuals, which allow readers to see all sides of these fully drawn women. The first is Kace, a fellow inmate of Florida and Dios, who opens the story with a chilling description of what we can expect from our lead characters: “These women --- their mistake was in thinking they burned with their own unique rage. Something deeper, darker than what the rest of us feel. Let me tell you --- inside we all rage the same. It’s how we let it out that differs.”

We then hear of a mystical mural in downtown L.A. featuring two women. What makes it so special is that most people who look at it swear they see the characters moving towards each other. It is no surprise to learn that the mural is based on Florida and Dios. Florida was imprisoned for being involved in someone’s death, while Dios was more hands-on in her own murderous act that saw her incarcerated. When Florida gets the official word that she is being released, she is told that she first must quarantine for two weeks at a nearby motel before she is on her own. She inquires about serving her time in her native state of California --- a request that she is told should be made to her parole officer. That answer does not satisfy Florida.

Florida pays cash to a person operating a private bus line that travels from Arizona to L.A. with only four stops. She jumps at the chance, knowing that she will be violating her parole and once again becoming an outlaw. Much to her surprise and horror, Dios is aboard the same bus. To make it even more interesting, they instantly recognize one of the male passengers as a guard at the prison they just left.

In an effort to escape this uncomfortable situation, Florida exits the bus early, leaving Dios behind. After getting off in California, she learns that the prison guard’s throat was cut on the bus. The police investigation immediately zeroes in on Florida and Dios as the perpetrators of the crime. All Florida wants to do is get back to the home where she grew up with her wealthy parents and the sleek sports car that she hopes is still there. Instead, she finds a ghost town of a city that has been ravaged like so many others from the pandemic. Florida is now one of the outcast citizens living on the street with nowhere to quarantine, which makes her a much easier target for law enforcement.

What happens from here is a surreal adventure on the streets of L.A. that Florida will share for a bit with Dios, who finds her yet again. The ensuing narrative details their escapades and throws in a police detective who is hot on their trail. It is all presented in the gritty, raw writing style that Ivy Pochoda has made her own, and you can bet there will be no fairy tale ending. SING HER DOWN is a classic, noir-like story with characters who breathe right off the pages.