by Garth Stein
First published 2017
William Hamilton-Sweeney has turned his back on one of America's largest family fortunes, while his sister Regan remains tied to their legacy. In 1976 New York, their lives intersect with Mercer and Keith, the men who love them, and Charlie and Samantha, suburban teenagers drawn into Manhattan's emerging punk scene. On New Year's Eve, someone shoots Samantha in Central Park. An obsessed reporter and a determined detective begin hunting for connections between all these characters and the crime. The shooting casts shadows over relationships and friendships as each person's darkest secrets surface during the investigation. When the city plunges into darkness during the blackout of July 13, 1977, every life changes forever. The search for truth reveals what each character demands from others and what they need to survive in a city torn between art and violence, love and betrayal.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, thriller, 21st-century
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: obsession, secrets, truth-seeking
Setting: Central Park, Manhattan, New York
Period: 1976, 1977
1024 pages · Hardcover · Znak
Content warnings: violence