A deadly house fire leads a cynical Newark reporter to a disturbing mystery in this sequel to the Shamus and Nero Award–winning Faces of the Gone.

"Enjoyable. . . . Once again, Parks, a former Washington Post reporter, deftly brings the personalities and dynamics of a modern-day city newsroom to life." —Publishers Weekly

Carter Ross, investigative reporter for the Newark Eagle-Examiner, is reporting on the latest tragedy to befall Newark, New Jersey, a fast-moving house fire that kills two boys. With the help of the paper's newest intern, a bubbly blonde known as "Sweet Thang," Carter finds the victims' mother, Akilah Harris, who spins a tale of woe about a mortgage rate reset that forced her to work two jobs and leave her boys home alone. Carter turns the story into a front page feature, but soon discovers Akilah isn't what she seems. When Newark councilman Windy Byers is reported missing, Carter must plunge into the murky world of urban house flipping and Jersey-style political corruption, aided by his usual mix of humor and street smarts.

"The novel reads like a bit of investigative journalism: told in reporter's prose, with dollops of humor, suspense, and violence. Like his creator, Ross is aware of the pain in the things he writes about. He's also aware that that makes for darned good reporting." —Booklist