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The focus is on families in this tale of revenge, retribution, and redemption in 1965 Chicago. It's not the typical mafia families one thinks of when considering Windy City crime novels. Rather, it examines black families caught in a crossfire. One is led by a police detective dedicated to getting to the bottom of a cold case before it freezes over. The other is represented by a parolee committed to making things right with his wife and son.
The police officer, Matthew, helps secure parole for Bobby Mo, so the latter can help him by becoming a confidential informant. Matthew wants him to infiltrate a Chicago gang that could have information leading to a former city cop's death. However, the best-laid plans begin to unravel when one gang leader has Bobby Mo's son kidnapped right off the city streets. Suddenly, aside from getting his son back, revenge on the slime that kidnapped his boy becomes Bobby's number one goal. Will it foul up his work for the cops and himself, or can the police be part of the solution?
Author Hobson is not content to simply pen a typical crime yarn. Besides the intricate plot she weaves, she also takes time to explore familial matters between Matthew, his girl Gloria, and both their parents. Simultaneously, she examines the difficulties Bobby Mo goes through trying to reconstruct a life with his wife and son that his prison term rent asunder. This look into their intimate lives adds meaningful flesh and blood to the primary plot as the narrative progresses to a suspenseful climax.