First published 1999
Private investigator John Marshall Tanner finds himself far from his usual San Francisco beat when a young woman turns up dead. The murder drags him into California's agricultural underworld, where migrant workers face dangers that extend far beyond backbreaking labor in the fields. Tanner discovers that the victim's death connects to a web of exploitation and violence that thrives in the shadows of America's food production system. As he digs deeper into the case, the detective must navigate between powerful agricultural interests and vulnerable workers who have little protection from those who would harm them. The investigation puts Tanner himself in the crosshairs of people who will kill to protect their secrets. This case forces him to confront not just personal danger but the harsh realities of how California's farms really operate.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, personal-danger
Setting: California, San Francisco
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
Audio Cassette · Blackstone Pub
Content warnings: violence