Ty Buchanan thought he was defending a simple DUI...

It’s Christmas time, and a six-foot-five, 280-pound drunk driver named Carl Richess is stopped on Hollywood Boulevard. He’s wearing only a G-String and a Santa hat, and insists his reindeer need to be fed.

Ty Buchanan, now defending the down and out, takes the case.

But soon this simple DUI becomes something no one saw coming—a homicide. As Ty and his assistant, Sister Mary Veritas, dig deeper, they uncover tentacles of corruption that reach into the citadels of city power. Soon the case catches the attention of the media, putting Ty and everyone else involved in the spotlight.

When Sister Mary starts getting threatening e-mails from a cyberstalker, Ty is sure it has something to do with the upcoming trial. He must track down the real killer, and soon. Because somewhere in the dark labyrinth of L.A. is someone who will do anything to keep from being found out, someone who knows how to use the greatest weapon—fear.

“Part Michael Connelly and part Raymond Chandler, Bell has an excellent ear for dialogue and makes contemporary L.A. come alive. Deftly plotted, flawlessly executed, and compulsively readable, Bell takes his place among the top authors in the field. Highly recommended.” —Sheldon Siegel, New York Times bestselling author