Newly married and living in a duplex in Minneapolis, Brad and Julie Conwed had started a life together as many couples do: on a limited budget, driving rusted old cars, living paycheck to paycheck and planning out their dreams. Their path seemed set before them. On a cold Minneapolis February evening, Brad was out walking his Golden Retriever, Razz, before bed, when he was gunned down in front of his home. Six weeks earlier, he had happened upon the brutal murder scene of a young family on his way home from work. While too late to save the mother and son, he was, however, able to rescue the young daughter. Minneapolis Detective Tom Dupin had worked his share of murder cases over the years, but he could not recall one so random, senseless and brutal. And now that his primary witness has become an assassination target, the stakes have increased incrementally. And complicating matters further is the return of his former lover, Sarah Vandeleer, as County Attorney on the case. Time is running out on Brad as he recovers from the attempt on his life. He, and his new allies find themselves in the middle of a potential racial war that could tear apart the city and threaten the lives of everyone they care about.