First published 2011
T.J. English returns to New York City during its most volatile decade, the 1960s and early 1970s. Three men navigate a city consumed by racial tension and police corruption. A crooked NYPD officer works the system for personal gain. A committed Black Panther fights for his community through militant action. An innocent young Black man becomes the target of a police frame-up, accused of crimes he never committed, including a shocking double homicide. Their stories intersect against the backdrop of urban decay and social upheaval. English weaves together these real-life narratives to expose the rot within the Big Apple during this period of generational conflict. Race and murder define the landscape as these three figures struggle with forces beyond their control. The book reveals how corruption, activism, and injustice shaped a city on the brink.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, crime, 21st-century, activism, american-history
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: injustice, intersecting-narratives, real-life-events
Setting: New York City
Period: 1960s, 1970s
496 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: racism, violence