by Ross Thomas
First published 1974
Deek Lewis wanted to write history and expose corruption. Instead he finds himself tracking down whoever set fire to a young woman. The world around Lewis operates on schemes and old grudges. Everyone he meets carries their own agenda. Some nurse decades-old resentments. Others run elaborate cons that blur the line between victim and perpetrator. Lewis must navigate this maze of competing interests and hidden motives. Each person he questions reveals another layer of deception. The investigation pulls him deeper into a web where nothing appears as it first seems. Trust becomes a luxury Lewis cannot afford. The burned woman represents more than just a crime to solve. She becomes the center of a puzzle that forces Lewis to confront how far people will go to settle scores. His search for truth becomes a test of whether justice can exist in a world built on angles and scams.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator, web-of-lies
223 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pocket