Judge Miriam Walker was murdered and the case is cold. It's just one of several high-profile cases Sheriff O'Hara's Cook County department has botched recently, and with elections coming up, he's worried about his job. O'Hara knows if one of these cases can be solved, his re-election bid is in the bag.

Veteran cop Frank Leal recently lost his partner and his short fuse gets him suspended and reassigned to a team of three officers working on the Miriam Walker case. It looks hopeless as they revisit all the evidence and police reports. But new eyes and new ideas find flaws in the original investigation and pieces slowly start falling into place despite a concerted effort to throw them off the trail. When the case busts wide open, the Cook County sheriff's department takes a massive hit that leaves Frank reeling.

Black has woven an intricately detailed story of murder, betrayal and corruption that doesn't stop until the last page. This is an energetic, fast-paced read that I highly recommend. (Caution: adult themes and language.)