By a shimmering lake in western Maine, a body lies sprawled in a deserted cabin. The dead man was an elite D.A. from Boston whose beat was the city's toughest neighborhood: Mission Flats. For local police chief Ben Truman, investigating the murder will mean leaving his quiet home and joining a vengeful manhunt in a world of hard streets and harder bargains. The cops have zeroed in on a suspect, a ruthless predator targeted for prosecution by the murdered D.A. But Ben distrusts the Boston police--especially when he uncovers a secret history of murder and retribution stretching back twenty years. As past and present collide, as tribal loyalties threaten to lynch an innocent man--or let a guilty one go free--one thing remains certain: The most powerful revelations are yet to come.

Includes an excerpt of Defending Jacob

"A crackling debut that answers the question: Who will be the next Grisham?"--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"An inventive, gripping suspense debut . . . Landay deals out pertinent details with the finesse of a poker player. . . . A rich, harrowing and delightful read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"[Landay's] tale is reminiscent of his fellow Beantown writer Dennis Lehane, which is a true compliment."--Rocky Mountain News

"Waiting for a new Landay novel is like waiting for a guy from Cremona to build a violin: anxious but worth it."--Lee Child

Winner of the CWA John Creasey Memorial Dagger Award for Best First Crime Novel