Harry, new to Homicide Special, catches a fresh case when Dr. Stanley Kent takes two in the head on the Overlook above Mulholland Drive. It's not long before the glove box of the victim's car is popped opened to reveal that Dr. Kent has IDs and access key cards to virtually every hospital in the Los Angeles County area. Harry knows something worse than murder has just gone down on the Overlook, but he has no idea how bad it is until Rachel shows up at his crime scene.

Rachel reveals that Dr. Kent is on a government watch list as an individual who has direct access to radioactive materials. The Feds are worried that a terrorist group coerced Dr. Kent into supplying them with material in exchange for his wife's life. The government's worst fears are realized when a theft is discovered at a women's cancer clinic in the San Fernando Valley. A large quantity of Cesium was removed from the clinic by Dr. Kent only hours before his murder.

Harry's worst fear is realized when every government and local agency around wants to take over his case. A case he still considers a murder investigation, but has everyone else scrambling in different directions trying to track down the Cesium before it can be used against the public.

Harry, a cop after a killer or killers, sees the big picture clearly. Despite what the Feds think, Harry works his investigation in his own way. He's out to solve a murder and his gut instinct takes him places the FBI won't even consider. The lives of millions hang in the balance while an alphabet soup of agencies work an investigation that could end with a terrifying attack on a major U.S. city.

No one needs to sing Michael Connelly's praises. The guy is as solid as his lead detective. Connelly plots the story perfectly and brings it home with all the self- confidence and easy storytelling of a master.

Book Summary