Isaiah Quintabe's first love, Grace, has been kidnapped by his sworn enemy, the professional hitman Skip Hanson. Skip is savage and psychotic, determined to punish Isaiah for sending him to prison and destroying his life. Isaiah and his sometimes partner, ex-hustler Juanell Dodson, together again, must track scant clues through L.A.'s perilous landscape as Grace's predicament grows more uncertain. A complication arises in the form of Winnie Hando, a homicide detective with something to prove. Stubborn and effective, Winnie sees Isaiah's efforts as an obstruction to the investigation and a possible embarrassment: an unlicensed PI can't be seen doing the department's job better than the department. Winnie tries to stop Isaiah while pursuing the case herself, each hindering the other's progress. As the desperate hunt winds on, Isaiah fears that even if he can bring Grace home alive, things between them will never be the same.

Portrait

Joe Ide grew up in South Central Los Angeles and currently lives in Santa Monica, California. His IQ series has won the Anthony, Shamus and Macavity Awards, and been nominated for the Edgar, Barry, CWA New Blood Dagger and Strand Book Critics Awards. The IQ books are currently in development as an original TV series.