2018 SHAMUS AWARD FINALIST

Murderer or independent woman?

Murder at a construction site draws Ohio private investigator Maggie Sullivan into a case that makes cops mistrust her and friends doubt her. The suspect, Rachel Minsky, is Maggie's closest friend – and all signs point to Rachel's guilt.

Rachel ignores the rules society imposes on women. That independence, in 1942, as well as her success in business, has made her enemies. Yet the dead man also had an unsavory secret or two, starting with his missing mistress. Who was the murderer's real target? And what is Rachel hiding from the only person who can save her?

The city Maggie scours for clues to the real killer has been altered by America's recent entry into World War II. Shortages of men and material have created new motives for murder. Unsupervised children roam the streets at night while their mothers work in defense plants. Strangers outnumber familiar faces at Maggie's favorite pub.

As the case and Maggie's relationship with policeman Mick Connelly heat up, Maggie finds herself caught in currents that threaten to drown her.