Set in South Boston during the 1974 desegregation busing crisis, the story follows Mary Pat Fennessy, a hardened resident of the Commonwealth housing projects. Her life collapses when her teenage daughter, Jules, vanishes on the same night a young Black man is found dead under suspicious circumstances. As Mary Pat searches for Jules, she challenges the unspoken rules of the Irish Mob and the tight-knit neighborhood she once defended. Her investigation reveals how local criminal organizations enforce racial boundaries and communal silence through violence.
Crime fiction readers who value historical accuracy and social realism will find this a blunt examination of systemic racism and poverty. It is for those who prefer stories where the protagonist lacks moral purity but possesses a relentless drive for truth. The reader walks away with a clear understanding of the tension between tribal loyalty and personal loss. It provides a stark look at how localized hatred and organized crime shaped urban American identity during a period of civil unrest.
- Published
- 2023
- Language
- EN
