First published 2020
Acting sheriff Buddy Steel returns to Freedom to find his father's home violated by gang members in a brutal invasion. The attack appears random, but Steel suspects deeper connections lurk beneath the surface. He partners with Quinn Anthony, an LAPD specialist who understands gang enforcement from years on the street. Together they discover the invasion was orchestrated by young criminals who use technology as their weapon of choice. These millennials operate with surprising sophistication, backed by powerful cartel bosses who provide money and protection. Steel must navigate the clash between old-school policing and modern criminal methods. The investigation pulls him between his duty as a lawman and his anger as a son whose family has been violated.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation
Setting: Freedom, LAPD
Period: modern
320 pages · Paperback · Poisoned Pen Press
Content warnings: violence