The Concrete River

Introduction by David Corbett, Author of New York Times Notable Book, Done for a Dime After losing his aerospace job—a casualty of the “peace dividend” brought by the end of the Cold War—52-year-old Jack Liffey still fights his personal wars: with the bottle, his ex-wife, and his loneliness after losing custody of his precocious and beloved daughter, Maeve. Before he can surrender to a life of alcoholic cynicism, an unexpected vocation enters his life when a mysterious woman from Mexico hires Jack to find her missing daughter. Suddenly, Jack is dealing with a real estate developer’s goons, powerful politicians, and–perhaps most dangerous–his increasing feelings for a former nun who may be the key to the entire case. Armed with a small handgun and unwavering determination, Jack must rescue someone else’s daughter so he can redeem his own sense of purpose—and fatherhood. The Jack Liffey series takes readers deep into the many unexplored communities, enclaves and cultures of Los Angeles that sometimes co-exist, sometimes clash, but always surprise. Fans of Michael Connelly will fall deep into the fast-paced, unpredictable, and dangerous world John Shannon creates.