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City of Ice: a gripping and atmospheric crime thriller set in modern China
by Brian KlingborgIn a remote Chinese town - where the theft of a few chickens counts as a major crime - a young woman is found brutally murdered...with her heart, lungs and liver removed. Inspector Lu Fei, a weary cop who fled the city, suddenly finds himself under the intense scrutiny of the ruling party in Beijing.Determined to find her killer, Lu Fei must navigate a society where politics can be deadly, corruption is rife, and the powerful are untouchable. As evidence connects the case to a string of unsolved murders, Lu must decide what he will risk in search of justice...'City of Ice is everything a reader could want in a novel.' Jack Du Brul, New York Times bestselling author 'City of Ice delivers everything one could want in a crime novel - insight, thrills, and entertainment.' Robert K. Tanenbaum, New York Times bestselling author 'Klingborg truly understands how Chinese bureaucracies work; at the same time he's a wizard at believable characters, compelling situations, and a propulsive plot.' SJ Rozan, Edgar Award winner and best-selling author of Paper Son(P)2021 Tantor
City of Ink: A Mystery (Li Du Novels #3)
by Elsa HartOne of 2018’s Best Mysteries by Publisher’s WeeklyOne of the Best Audiobooks to Listen to in October by The Washington Post“This entry solidifies her status as a top-notch historical mystery author.” – Publisher's Weekly (starred review)“Richly detailed novel of life and crime in 18th century China.” –The Wall Street JournalFollowing the enthralling 18th century Chinese mysteries Jade Dragon Mountain and White Mirror, comes the next Li Du adventure in City of Ink.Li Du was prepared to travel anywhere in the world except for one place: home. But to unravel the mystery that surrounds his mentor’s execution, that’s exactly where he must go.Plunged into the painful memories and teeming streets of Beijing, Li Du obtains a humble clerkship that offers anonymity and access to the records he needs. He is beginning to make progress when his search for answers buried in the past is interrupted by murder in the present. The wife of a local factory owner is found dead, along with a man who appears to have been her lover, and the most likely suspect is the husband. But what Li Du’s superiors at the North Borough Office are willing to accept as a crime of passion strikes Li Du as something more calculated. As past and present intertwine, Li Du’s investigations reveal that many of Beijing’s residents — foreign and Chinese, artisan and official, scholar and soldier — have secrets they would kill to protect. When the threats begin, Li Du must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice to discover the truth in a city bent on concealing it, a city where the stroke of a brush on paper can alter the past, change the future, prolong a life, or end one.
City of Iron and Dust
by J.P. OakesFast-paced and razor-sharp dark fantasy for readers of Nicholas Eames, Anna Smith Spark and Robert Jackson Bennett "A fantastic book, full of wit and sharp humor, City of Iron and Dust careens through a modernized faerie at a breakneck pace, full of verve and unforgettable characters. Oakes spins a smart, electric, and sometimes snarky tale, showing that the beating heart of modern fantasy is alive and well." – John Hornor Jacobs, author of A Lush and Seething Hell and The Incorruptibles The Iron City is a prison, a maze, an industrial blight. It is the result of a war that saw the goblins grind the fae beneath their collective boot heels. And tonight, it is also a city that churns with life. Tonight, a young fae is trying to make his fortune one drug deal at a time; a goblin princess is searching for a path between her own dreams and others&’ expectations; her bodyguard is deciding who to kill first; an artist is hunting for his own voice; an old soldier is starting a new revolution; a young rebel is finding fresh ways to fight; and an old goblin is dreaming of reclaiming her power over them all. Tonight, all their stories are twisting together, wrapped up around a single bag of Dust—the only drug that can still fuel fae magic—and its fate and theirs will change the Iron City forever.
City of Jackals (Ghosts of Ethuran)
by Aman J. BediA WARRIOR WITH A DEBT. A GANGSTER WITH A SECRET. A CONFRONTATION WAITING TO HAPPEN.Kavi's people were once warriors who acted as the vanguard to an imperial invasion. Now, they drive steam rickshaws.But when the most dangerous gang in the city takes control of the Imperial Rickshaw Company, Kavi's people are cast out again, and Kavi is forced to work for the gang as a low-level enforcer. Her only hope lies in the annual Blade and Warlock tournament at the Vagola - the prize money from which will buy back the company and her people's future.But the shadow of the Kraelish Empire still hangs over the city, and as conspiracies unfold on the Raayan border and dark truths come to the surface, Kavi finds an insidious new desire slither its way into her heart. One that she cannot ignore. One that will leave blood flowing through the gutters of her city.Vengeance.
City of Jackals (Ghosts of Ethuran)
by Aman J. BediA WARRIOR WITH A DEBT. A GANGSTER WITH A SECRET. A CONFRONTATION WAITING TO HAPPEN.Kavi's people were once warriors who acted as the vanguard to an imperial invasion. Now, they drive steam rickshaws.But when the most dangerous gang in the city takes control of the Imperial Rickshaw Company, Kavi's people are cast out again, and Kavi is forced to work for the gang as a low-level enforcer. Her only hope lies in the annual Blade and Warlock tournament at the Vagola - the prize money from which will buy back the company and her people's future.But the shadow of the Kraelish Empire still hangs over the city, and as conspiracies unfold on the Raayan border and dark truths come to the surface, Kavi finds an insidious new desire slither its way into her heart. One that she cannot ignore. One that will leave blood flowing through the gutters of her city.Vengeance.
City of Jasmine (City of Jasmine #2)
by Deanna RaybournNew York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn delivers the story of one woman who embarks upon a journey to see the world—and ends up finding intrigue, danger and a love beyond all reason. Famed aviatrix Evangeline Starke never expected to see her husband, adventurer Gabriel Starke, ever again. They had been a golden couple, enjoying a whirlwind courtship amid the backdrop of a glittering social set in prewar London until his sudden death with the sinking of the Lusitania. Five years later, beginning to embrace life again, Evie embarks upon a flight around the world. In the midst of her triumphant tour, she is shocked to receive a mysterious—and recent—photograph of Gabriel, which brings her ambitious stunt to a screeching halt.With her eccentric aunt Dove in tow, Evie tracks the source of the photo to the ancient City of Jasmine, Damascus. There she discovers that danger lurks at every turn, and at stake is a priceless relic, an artifact so valuable that criminals will stop at nothing to acquire it. Evie sets off across the desert to unearth the truth of Gabriel&’s disappearance and retrieve a relic straight from the pages of history.Along the way, Evie must come to terms with the deception that parted her from Gabriel and the passion that will change her destiny forever…Previously Published.
City of Liars and Thieves
by Eve KarlinA crime that rocked a city. A case that stunned a nation. Based on the United States' first recorded murder trial, Eve Karlin's spellbinding debut novel re-creates early nineteenth-century New York City, where a love affair ends in a brutal murder and a conspiracy involving Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr erupts in shattering violence. It is high time to tell the truth. Time for justice. . . . How she was murdered and why she haunts me. It is not only Elma's story, it's mine. On the bustling docks of the Hudson River, Catherine Ring waits with her husband and children for the ship carrying her cousin, Elma Sands. Their Greenwich Street boardinghouse becomes a haven for Elma, who has at last escaped the stifling confines of her small hometown and the shameful circumstances of her birth. But in the summer of 1799, Manhattan remains a teeming cesspool of stagnant swamps and polluted rivers. The city is desperate for clean water as fires wreak devastation and the death toll from yellow fever surges. Political tensions are rising, too. It's an election year, and Alexander Hamilton is hungry for power. So is his rival, Aaron Burr, who has announced the formation of the Manhattan Water Company. But their private struggle becomes very public when the body of Elma Sands is found at the bottom of a city well built by Burr's company. Resolved to see justice done, Catherine becomes both witness and avenger. She soon finds, however, that the shocking truth behind this trial has nothing to do with guilt or innocence.Praise for City of Liars and Thieves "Gracefully written with exquisitely drawn, convincing characters, this is one of those rare historical novels that hit not one false note. City of Liars and Thieves offers a compelling tale of romance and intrigue, set in a fascinating era of Manhattan's tumultuous past."--Leslie Wells, bestselling author of Come Dancing "A tense, revelatory tale of a case lost to time, City of Liars and Thieves lifts the veil of a great city's dark and intricate past and brings it to life for a new generation."--Rebecca Coleman, author of The Kingdom of Childhood"City of Liars and Thieves is both a historical murder mystery and the tragic story of a vulnerable woman snared in the ambition of New York's most powerful men. Eve Karlin captivates at every step with a nuanced narrator, right-here-and-now details, and steadily mounting dread. But it's the twist ending that leaves us gasping, like the narrator, with the vertigo of disillusionment and a craving for justice."--Maia Chance, author of Snow White Red-Handed"In this absorbing tale of lust, greed, and scandal set in postcolonial New York City, Eve Karlin is as adept at conjuring the yellow-fever-ridden streets of eighteenth-century Manhattan as she is at creating characters whose motives and yearnings feel timeless. I couldn't tear myself away."--Suzanne Chazin, author of Land of Careful Shadows"Both suspenseful and emotional . . . Karlin does a great job weaving together her fictional accounts with actual historical ones."--No More Grumpy Bookseller "Precisely my sort of mystery: full of history and great writing . . . definitely not to be missed!"--Bibliophilia, Please "A well-researched, minutely plotted piece of work that will appeal to lovers of historical crime set in the New World."--Crime Fiction Lover
City of Lies
by Victoria ThompsonAn exciting new series featuring woman-on-the-run Elizabeth Miles—from the beloved national bestselling author of the Gaslight Mysteries. Every woman plays a part—but some are more dangerous than others… Like most women, Elizabeth Miles assumes many roles; unlike most, hers have made her a woman on the run. Living on the edge of society, Elizabeth uses her guile to relieve so-called respectable men of their ill-gotten gains. But brutal and greedy entrepreneur Oscar Thornton is out for blood. He’s lost a great deal of money and is not going to forgive a woman for outwitting him. With his thugs hot on her trail, Elizabeth seizes the moment to blend in with a group of women who have an agenda of their own. She never expects to like or understand these privileged women, but she soon comes to respect their intentions, forming an unlikely bond with the wealthy matriarch of the group whose son, Gideon, is the rarest of species—an honest man in a dishonest world. Elizabeth knows she’s playing a risky game, and her deception could be revealed at any moment, possibly even by sharp-eyed Gideon. Nor has she been forgotten by Thornton, who’s biding his time, waiting to strike. Elizabeth must draw on her wits and every last ounce of courage she possesses to keep her new life from being cut short by this vicious shadow from her past.
City of Lies: A Thriller
by R.J. ElloryA struggling writer is drawn into his estranged father’s life in the New York underworld in this thriller by the author of A Quiet Belief in Angels.Miami Herald reporter John Harper is about to go on assignment when he received word that his father has been shot—the father who disappeared when John was two years old. Returning home to New York brings memories of childhood, many of them painful, yet nothing could prepare John for the truth. Confronted with his father's notorious identity, John finds himself seduced by an underworld lifestyle of power, treachery, and menace. As he desperately tries to uncover the facts of his own past, he is faced with one lie after another. And with each new discovery he becomes more and more entangled in a dark and shocking conspiracy.
City of Light
by Lauren BelferIt is 1901 and Buffalo, New York, stands at the center of the nation's attention as a place of immense wealth and sophistication. The massive hydroelectric power development at nearby Niagara Falls and the grand Pan-American Exposition promise to bring the Great Lakes "city of light" even more repute.Against this rich historical backdrop lives Louisa Barrett, the attractive, articulate headmistress of the Macaulay School for Girls. Protected by its powerful all-male board, "Miss Barrett" is treated as an equal by the men who control the life of the city. Lulled by her unique relationship with these titans of business, Louisa feels secure in her position, until a mysterious death at the power plant triggers a sequence of events that forces her to return to a past she has struggled to conceal, and to question everything and everyone she holds dear.Both observer and participant, Louisa Barrett guides the reader through the culture and conflicts of a time and place where immigrant factory workers and nature conservationists protest violently against industrialists, where presidents broker politics, where wealthy "Negroes" fight for recognition and equality, and where women struggle to thrive in a system that allows them little freedom.Wrought with remarkable depth and intelligence, City of Light remains a work completely of its own era, and of ours as well. A stirring literary accomplishment, Lauren Belfer's first novel marks the debut of a fresh voice for the new millennium and heralds a major publishing event.From the Paperback edition.
City of Light: The city rocks while heads will roll (Dave Warner crime)
by Dave WarnerSnowy Lane, preoccupied with a ham sandwich and the odds of making the football team on Saturday, takes the terrible phone call that signals the beginning of a series of events which are to reverberate in his life and shake the city to its foundations ... ‘Gruesome' has taken another victim and the whole population is riveted by the emergence of the dark side of the City of Light.
City of Lost Girls
by Declan HughesDublin PI Ed Loy tackles a case that takes him back to Los Angeles -- his home of twenty years -- and a past he'd rather forget in this gripping new novel in the Edgar Award-nominated and Shamus Award-winning series. Ed Loy has laid his ghosts to rest. He's been back in his hometown of Dublin for several years, his work is wearing but steady, and he's in his first loving relationship since the death of his daughter caused the ruin of his marriage six years ago. But when two girls go missing from a Dublin film set, Loy knows his past has caught up with him. Loy's longtime friend, film director Jack Donovan, is shooting his next movie, an Irish historical epic. Donovan and his three right-hand men -- together, the Gang of Four -- have made numerous movies together spanning several decades, but the new film is primed to be their masterpiece. Production grinds to a halt, though, when not one but two female cast members fail to show up to work. Chances are they're party girls sleeping off a late night, but the circumstances feel familiar to Loy. A little too familiar. Twenty years ago, three girls disappeared from a movie Donovan was shooting in Malibu and their bodies were never found. Today, Loy has a sinking feeling in his heart: Those girls are gone. Knowing that one of the film crew -- maybe even Jack Donovan himself -- is responsible for the girls' disappearances, Loy races to uncover the truth before a third girl goes missing. And in order to find answers, he must return to L.A. and delve deep into his past. But while he's so far from home, a cunning killer seizes the chance to strike at what's closest to Ed Loy's heart.
City of Lost Girls
by Declan HughesIn LA there's a killer on the loose. He kills young and rootless girls and he always kills in threes. Back in Dublin, Ed Loy, happy in a new relationship, is reunited with Jack Donovan, a film director friend from LA with a turbulent personal history. When the third young female extra fails to show for work on Jack's movie, Loy begins to suspect Jack. And when the previous victims of the 'Three-in-One Killer' are discovered in LA at locations Jack used for his movies, Loy's suspicion hardens. Loy flies to LA to liaise with the LAPD on their investigation. He must find something in his and Jack's shared past that can point to the killer, and hope against hope that whatever he finds will point away from his old friend.And then, when he finally unearths the truth, it looks like it may be too late. Back in Dublin, the 'Three-in-One Killer' has broken his pattern, broken cover and struck at Ed Loy where he is most vulnerable. Time is not on Loy's side as he mounts a desperate fight to outwit a ruthless psychopath and save the last of the lost girls.
City of Magic and Monsters (City of Villains)
by Estelle LaureIn this conclusion to the City of Villains trilogy—blending flavors of Once Upon a Time, Gotham, and Serena Valentino's Villains series—teen detective Mary Elizabeth embraces her villainous side . . . and the Disney Villains&’ surprising origin stories are revealed.The Villains have taken over Monarch City, and Mary Elizabeth Heart has finally joined them. When different factions begin vying for the control of magic, Mary must question where her loyalties lie—and what everyone&’s motives really are.As the Villains band together to wage one last epic battle against the corrupt forces who made them villains in the first place, the very fabric of the world starts to unravel. It soon becomes clear that Mary can&’t hide from her demons, and that her real destiny as a fairy tale villain is only just beginning.
City of Magic: (Midnight Magic #3)
by AviFrom Newbery Medalist Avi comes a richly imagined, action-packed companion to his bestselling medieval mysteries Midnight Magic and Murder at Midnight* "The novel's pace is quick, and. . . the ending completely satisfying." - Booklist, starred review "Another smart and compelling novel from one of our best children's writers." - Tim McCarthy, Boswell Book CompanyWhen King Claudio sends Mangus the Magician and his faithful servant, Fabrizio, to Venice to steal a manuscript that explains a magical method of making money, they must succeed in their mission or risk death. The manuscript is key to obtaining great profits for the king-and a secure future for Mangus and Fabrizio.But Venice in 1492 is a dangerous place, full of foggy canals, cunning informers, and harsh punishments for those who steal its secrets. Before long, Mangus is snatched away into prison, and it's up to Fabrizio and his secretive new friend, Bianca, to navigate the city, find the manuscript before their enemies do, and keep Mangus alive!
City of Margins: A Novel
by William BoyleA vivid new cast of characters collide in gritty 1990s Brooklyn, in this latest from acclaimed neo-noir author William Boyle. In City of Margins, the lives of several lost souls intersect in Southern Brooklyn in the early 1990s. There’s Donnie Parascandolo, a disgraced ex-cop with blood on his hands; Ava Bifulco, a widow whose daily work grind is her whole life; Nick, Ava’s son, a grubby high school teacher who dreams of a shortcut to success; Mikey Baldini, a college dropout who’s returned to the old neighborhood, purposeless and drifting; Donna Rotante, Donnie’s ex-wife, still reeling from the suicide of their teenage son; Mikey’s mother, Rosemarie, also a widow, who hopes Mikey won’t fall into the trap of strong arm work; and Antonina Divino, a high school girl with designs on breaking free from Brooklyn. Uniting them are the dead: Mikey’s old man, killed over a gambling debt, and Donnie and Donna’s poor son, Gabe. These characters cross paths in unexpected ways, guided by coincidence and the pull of blood. There are new things to be found in the rubble of their lives, too. The promise of something different beyond the barriers that have been set out for them. This is a story of revenge and retribution, of facing down the ghosts of the past, of untold desires, of yearning and forgiveness and synchronicity, of the great distance of lives lived in dangerous proximity to each other. City of Margins is a Technicolor noir melodrama pieced together in broken glass.
City of Masks: A Somershill Manor Novel (Oswald De Lacy Ser. #3)
by S. D. SykesYoung Lord Somershill flees England for the wonders of Venice, where he becomes involved in a bizarre murder investigation that plunges him into the depths of this secretive medieval city. It’s 1358, and young Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is delayed in Venice as he awaits a pilgrim ship to the Holy Land. While the city is besieged by the King of Hungary, Oswald stays at the house of an English merchant, and soon comes under the spell of this decadent and dazzling island state that sits on the edge of Europe—where East meets West. But Oswald has secrets. He is running away from something in England—a shadow that still haunts him, no matter how much he consoles himself with the delights of Venice. When he finds a dead man at the carnival, he is dragged into a murder investigation that draws him deep into the intrigues of this paranoid, mysterious city. From the dungeons of the Doge’s Palace to the convent-brothel of Santa Lucia, Oswald must search for a murderer in this bewildering maze of alleys and canals. When he comes up against the feared Signori di Notte, the secret police, Oswald learns that he is not the only one with something to hide. Everyone is watching (or trailing) someone else; and nobody in Venice is who they appear to be. Masks, it seems, are not only for the carnival.
City of Masks: Oswald de Lacy Book 3
by S D SykesA brilliantly dark and compelling novel set in Venice from 'the medieval CJ Sansom' (Jeffery Deaver)1358. Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is in Venice, awaiting a pilgrim galley to the Holy Land. While the city is under siege from the Hungarians, Oswald lodges with an English merchant, and soon comes under the dangerous spell of the decadent and dazzling island state that sits on the hinge of Europe, where East meets West.Oswald is trying to flee the chilling shadow of something in his past, but when he finds a dead man on the night of the carnival, he is dragged into a murder investigation that takes him deep into the intrigues of this mysterious, paranoid city.Coming up against the feared Signori di Notte, the secret police, Oswald learns that he is not the only one with something to hide. Everybody is watching somebody else, and nobody in Venice is what he or she seems. The masks are not just for the carnival.
City of Masks: Oswald de Lacy Book 3 (Oswald de Lacy #3)
by S D SykesA brilliantly dark and compelling novel set in Venice from 'the medieval CJ Sansom' (Jeffery Deaver)1358. Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is in Venice, awaiting a pilgrim galley to the Holy Land. While the city is under siege from the Hungarians, Oswald lodges with an English merchant, and soon comes under the dangerous spell of the decadent and dazzling island state that sits on the hinge of Europe, where East meets West.Oswald is trying to flee the chilling shadow of something in his past, but when he finds a dead man on the night of the carnival, he is dragged into a murder investigation that takes him deep into the intrigues of this mysterious, paranoid city.Coming up against the feared Signori di Notte, the secret police, Oswald learns that he is not the only one with something to hide. Everybody is watching somebody else, and nobody in Venice is what he or she seems. The masks are not just for the carnival.
City of Masks: Oswald de Lacy Book 3 (Oswald de Lacy #3)
by S D SykesA brilliantly dark and compelling historical crime novel set in Venice from 'the medieval CJ Sansom' (Jeffery Deaver)1358. Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is in Venice, awaiting a pilgrim galley to the Holy Land. While the city is under siege from the Hungarians, Oswald lodges with an English merchant, and soon comes under the dangerous spell of the decadent and dazzling island state that sits on the hinge of Europe, where East meets West.Oswald is trying to flee the chilling shadow of something in his past, but when he finds a dead man on the night of the carnival, he is dragged into a murder investigation that takes him deep into the intrigues of this mysterious, paranoid city.Coming up against the feared Signori di Notte, the secret police, Oswald learns that he is not the only one with something to hide. Everybody is watching somebody else, and nobody in Venice is what he or she seems. The masks are not just for the carnival.(P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
City of Miracles: A Novel (The Divine Cities #3)
by Robert Jackson BennettRevenge. It’s something Sigrud je Harkvaldsson is very, very good at. Maybe the only thing. So when he learns that his oldest friend and ally, former Prime Minister Shara Komayd, has been assassinated, he knows exactly what to do—and that no mortal force can stop him from meting out the suffering Shara’s killers deserve. Yet as Sigrud pursues his quarry with his customary terrifying efficiency, he begins to fear that this battle is an unwinnable one. Because discovering the truth behind Shara’s death will require him to take up arms in a secret, decades-long war, face down an angry young god, and unravel the last mysteries of Bulikov, the city of miracles itself. And—perhaps most daunting of all—finally face the truth about his own cursed existence.From the Trade Paperback edition.
City of Mirrors
by Melodie Johnson-Howe"City of Mirrors is deftly written and smart. On top of that, it is entertaining as hell."?Michael ConnellyRunning out of money, Diana Poole is forced to go back to the only work she knows: acting. Her much-loved husband and movie-star mother have died, and now Diana is over thirty-five. In Hollywood that means she might as well be dead. Still, a few key people remember her talent, and she lands a role in a new movie. But an actress should never get her hopes up, especially when she discovers the female lead&’s murdered body. Raised in her mother&’s shadow, Diana knows people in &“the business&”will go to dangerous lengths to protect their images. When her own life and career are threatened, Diana decides to fight back and find the killer. But unmasking the surprising murderer isn&’t that easy, especially when she uncovers what&’s real?and unreal?in her own life.
City of Mirrors: A Diana Poole Thriller
by Melodie Johnson Howe"City of Mirrors is deftly written and smart. On top of that, it is entertaining as hell." --Michael Connelly Running out of money, Diana Poole is forced to go back to the only work she knows: acting. Her much-loved husband and movie-star mother have died, and now Diana is over thirty-five. In Hollywood that means she might as well be dead. Still, a few key people remember her talent, and she lands a role in a new movie. But an actress should never get her hopes up, especially when she discovers the female lead's murdered body. Raised in her mother's shadow, Diana knows people in "the business" will go to dangerous lengths to protect their images. When her own life and career are threatened, Diana decides to fight back and find the killer. But unmasking the surprising murderer isn't that easy, especially when she uncovers what's real--and unreal--in her own life.
City of Orange
by David YoonA man wakes up in an unknown landscape, injured and alone.He used to live in a place called California, but how did he wind up here with a head wound and a bottle of pills in his pocket? He navigates his surroundings, one rough shape at a time. Here lies a pipe, there a reed that could be carved into a weapon, beyond a city he once lived in. He could swear his daughter&’s name began with a J, but what was it, exactly? Then he encounters an old man, a crow, and a boy—and realizes that nothing is what he thought it was, neither the present nor the past. He can&’t even recall the features of his own face, and wonders: who am I? Harrowing and haunting but also humorous in the face of the unfathomable, David Yoon&’s City of Orange is a novel about reassembling the things that make us who we are, and finding the way home again.
City of Orphans
by Avi Greg RuthAs a newsboy on the streets of 1893 New York, thirteen-year-old Maks Geless has a hard enough time evading the grasp of the Plug Ugly gang, whose sinister boss wants to control all the newsies on the Lower East Side. But now Maks is burdened with a new challenge: proving the innocence of his sister, Emma--in just four days. While Emma's confined to the city jail for allegedly stealing a watch at the glamorous new Waldorf Hotel, Maks teams up with Willa, a strange but loyal girl who lives alone in an alley, and Bartleby Donck, an eccentric lawyer (among other employments), to do some urgently needed detective work. The vividly described sights and sounds of tenement New York--and Avi's trademark plot twists and turns--thrust the reader alongside Maks as he confronts a world teeming with wealth and crime and struggles against powerful forces that threaten new immigrants and the fabric of family love.forces threatening new immigrants and the fabric of family love.