First published 2017
Gus Murphy thought his days as a Suffolk County cop were behind him. Then his ex-priest friend Bill Kilkenny brings him a wealthy businessman named Spears who wants answers about his granddaughter's murder. The police caught the killer but cannot explain why he did it. Spears offers big money if Gus can find the motive they missed. The same day Gus takes the case, he watches someone execute a man who just met with his friend Slava. Now Gus must solve two mysteries at once. He digs into the girl's death while trying to keep Slava alive. The investigation leads him through hostile cops, street gangs, and a Russian mercenary who kills without hesitation. Both cases connect to crimes committed decades ago in Vietnam and Russia. As Gus gets closer to the truth, he puts himself and his girlfriend Magdalena in danger. The past refuses to stay buried, and Gus discovers that some doors should never be opened.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Suffolk County, Vietnam, Russia
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
544 pages · Paperback · Random House Large Print
Content warnings: violence