First published 2015
S. Jammu arrives in St. Louis from Bombay, India, to take over as the city's new police chief. The Missouri river city has been slowly declining, but Jammu brings energy and charisma to her new role. Her appointment seems like a fresh start for the struggling metropolis. Soon after she takes office, however, the city's most powerful residents find themselves caught up in a sprawling political conspiracy that reaches into every corner of their lives. What began as hope for renewal transforms into something far more sinister. The familiar rhythms of American urban life give way to paranoia and manipulation. Citizens who once felt secure in their positions discover that nothing operates as it appears. Franzen takes readers deep into a world where civic duty masks hidden agendas and public service conceals private schemes. The story reveals how quickly ordinary people can become pawns in larger games they never knew existed. St. Louis becomes a stage for examining what happens when the American dream collides with forces that threaten to tear apart the social fabric.
Genres: american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, political-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: St. Louis, Bombay, Missouri
Period: 21st-century
MP3 CD · Brilliance Audio