by Pete Dexter
First published 2013
Ward James comes back to Moat County, Florida, as an investigative reporter pursuing what could be the biggest story of his career. Sheriff Thurmond Call has been found murdered on a highway, his body mutilated. The authorities quickly arrested a local man, convicted him, and sent him to death row. Now a woman claims to be the condemned man's fiancée and insists she has proof of his innocence. She approaches Ward with evidence she believes will overturn the conviction. Ward partners with this mysterious woman to dig into the case, traveling through Florida's backwoods and exploring its corrupt corners. Their investigation takes them deeper into dangerous territory as they chase leads and uncover secrets. The pursuit of truth becomes increasingly perilous, pulling Ward into a collision course with forces that will generate front page headlines and test everything he believes about justice and loyalty.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, pursuit-of-truth
Setting: Florida, Moat County
Period: 20th-century
339 pages · Kindle Edition · Atlantic Books