This gripping psychological whodunit, the concluding volume of Nadelson’s post-9/11 trilogy (after 2006’s Red Hook
), presents a convincing portrait of New York City in the aftermath of the destruction of the Twin Towers. NYPD detective and Russian émigré Artie Cohen is adjusting to married life when he again becomes responsible for his troubled adolescent nephew, Billy Farone, recently released from juvie. As Billy’s parents are abroad, Artie is left to watch over him and help monitor his adjustment to the outside world. When Cohen’s boss, Sonny Lippert, gets a new lead in a very old child murder case, he attempts to drag Cohen away from Billy, with mixed success. Despite indications that Billy’s criminal tendencies may not have abated, Cohen labors to defend him to others. The power of the ending will especially resonate for readers of the earlier volumes, but even newcomers will be impressed by the author’s uncompromising vision of human frailty and the conflict between personal and professional duty. (Oct.)
