San Francisco, known to residents as simply The City, is one of the most beautiful and colorful cities in the world. So why is someone trying to burn it down? The question drives newspaper columnist Ed Rosenberg to delve into the unseemly world of city politics, kinky sex, and family secrets.

The morning after a huge arson blaze terrorizes San Francisco's Mission District, Rosenberg finds his friend and colleague Ryan Duffy dead — naked, bound and gagged for S&M, with his head bashed in. The police investigate, but the case quickly hits a dead end. But Rosenberg won't give up, even if it means putting himself in harm's way.

'A Killing in Real Estate' is a gripping, intricately plotted mystery that makes San Francisco come alive. The action is fast, the characters memorable, and the writing as compelling as a house on fire.