John Harvey's Resnick series has achieved major success over the last decade. Last Rites is his final Resnick novel. Charlie Resnick isn't having an easy ride. A black man is stabbed in a local brawl, yet no one else was hurt, or even saw the knife. One of the brawlers is then shot by two black youths. With the victims involved in different drug circles, Resnick worries the dealers are targeting each other's men in a private war. Meanwhile, the violence is accelerating. In addition, Resnick isn't told a violent killer is being taken to his mother's funeral - until the killer absconds, that is. Charlie put Preston away 12 years ago - now he must do it again. Unfortunately, this time there are no clues to Preston's whereabouts. Charlie's team has its suspicions about both cases, but finding out the true facts is more difficult than ever.