First published 2015
A real estate magnate lies dead on the pavement beneath his Manhattan apartment building. Someone pushed him to take his final plunge. Detective Nikki Heat arrives at the scene as New York swelters in a brutal heat wave. The victim's beautiful wife, a woman with a murky past, barely survives an attack soon after her husband's death. Heat discovers the dead man was a gambler and ladies' man who had accumulated plenty of enemies. A second murder pulls the investigation deeper into the shadowy worlds of property deals, illegal betting, and dirty money. These are circles where secrets stay buried and silence rules. Heat must navigate this dangerous terrain while dealing with an intrusive journalist who shadows her every move. The reporter proves both annoying and oddly charming as Heat methodically uncovers the victim's hidden life. Each revelation brings her closer to understanding why someone wanted the flamboyant real estate player dead.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, enemies-to-lovers
Setting: Manhattan, New York
Period: 21st-century
355 pages · Mass Market Paperback · City