"In a red brick house on a tree-lined street [in 1999 Washington], DC homicide detective Alex Blum stares at the bullet-pocked body of Chris Doyle. As he roots around for evidence, he finds an old Polaroid: the decedent, arm in arm with Arthur Holland, Blum's informant from years ago when he worked at the Narcotics branch. But Arthur has been missing for days. Blum's only source: Arthur's girl, Celeste--beautiful, seductive, and tragic--whom he can't get out of his head. Blum is drawn to her and feels compelled to save her from Arthur's underworld. As the investigation ticks on and dead bodies domino, Blum, unearths clues with damning implications for Celeste"--