A brilliant novel from one of America's finest literary crime writers...

A brilliant novel from one of America's finest literary crime writers...

On a hot summer afternoon in Washington DC 1972, three white teenagers, stoned and fearless, drive a stolen car into a rough, black neighbourhood. Taunting local black kids through the car window, they speed off to what they think is safety.

They find themselves trapped in a dead-end street whilst an angry mob gathers. In the ensuing chaos, two of the white boys manage to escape, but Billy - the third friend - is shot dead.

Thirty-five years later, one of these men reaches out to another, opening a door that could lead to salvation. However, another survivor of that day is now out of prison, and is looking for reparation in any form he can find it . . .

"Pelecanos maps the social landscape of DC with a compassionate complexity, scouring the badlands of the city and the psyche for the causes of criminality and the bonds that bind communities." - GUARDIAN

"A stunning, gripping read" - MAIL ON SUNDAY

"Pelecanos is in the top rank of American crime scribes, and this is him at his very best." - SUNDAY MERCURY

"A fine novel with rich dialogue and characters." - HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER