First published 1998
A Miami setting provides the backdrop for this crime novel from Pulitzer Prize-winning police reporter Edna Buchanan. Drawing on her decades covering homicides and street crime for the Miami Herald, Buchanan crafts a story that moves through the city's neighborhoods and criminal underworld. The protagonist navigates Miami's complex social landscape where danger lurks beneath the surface glamour. Personal stakes rise as the central character becomes entangled in events that threaten everything they value. Buchanan's intimate knowledge of police procedure and criminal behavior shapes every scene. The story explores how violence ripples through communities and changes ordinary people forever. Miami itself becomes a character, with its mix of cultures, corruption, and opportunity creating the perfect storm for crime. The emotional weight comes from watching characters struggle to maintain their humanity while confronting the worst impulses of others.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, personal-stakes
Setting: Miami
Period: Contemporary
320 pages · Paperback · J'Ai Lu
Content warnings: violence