With striking prose and inspired by real wrongful conviction cases, this layered takedown of the criminal justice system follows one womanβs quest for answers as the fate of an innocent man hangs in the balance, perfect for fans of S. A. Cosby.
Denver, 1992. Claudette Cooper and Moses King have been failed by the justice system. Claudette was sexually assaulted and brutally attackedβblinded by the perpetrator, sheβs not able to identify him until she has a dream about the attack where she sees the face of Moses King. When Claudette testifies that sheβs identified her attacker from her dream, Moses is wrongfully convicted and sent to prison for the crime.
Lawyer Liza Brown has seen firsthand the failings and shortcomings of the justice systemβher father also suffered the injustice of a wrongful conviction. As sheβs working at a nonprofit to free those who have been wrongfully imprisoned, Moses reaches out to her. Liza sees the obvious cracks in the evidence against Moses, and when he confesses that he knew her father, sheβs determined to help. Recruiting her old friend Eli Stone to assist, Liza sets out to prove Mosesβs innocence. But Eli is dealing with demons of his own: corrupt cops are targeting Black residents of Denver, and when his nephew is beaten by the police, Eli doubles down on his efforts to expose them.
Frustrated, Liza turns to Mosesβs accuser, Claudette, for help. But Claudette is hiding a dark secret, and as tensions in Denver rise, the city erupts in protests and riots. This rich, impactful novel paints a portrait not only of injustice and desperationβbut of hope.