Winner of the Edgar Award for Best First Novel "An acknowledged master." —Los Angeles Times Book Review The investigation of a politically powerful industrialist; the death of a key witness; the corruption of a federal agency. These are the explosive elements facing cynical young government lawyer Christopher Paget as he embarks on a mission that will hurl him into a brutal world of murder, kidnapping, and deception. From its intriguing beginnings to its stunning climax, international best-selling author Richard North Patterson’s first novel is a taut, gripping thriller about real people forced to face their inner fears and values.