A Brooklyn lawyerโs murder places his Iraq War veteran son and two detectives on a collision course in this crime novel by an Edgar Awardโwinning author.
Nathaniel Dresden never really got along with his father, an infamous civil rights lawyer who defended criminals and spearheaded protest movements. As an act of rebellion, Natty joined the US Army and served in Iraq, coming back with a chest full of commendations and a head full of disturbing memories.
But when his father is found murdered near the peaceful confines of Brooklynโs Prospect Park, Natty is forced to deal with the troubled legacy of their unresolved relationship. He also must fend off the growing suspicions of NYPD Detective Lourdes Robles, a brash cop with something to prove, who thinks Natty might bear some responsibility for his fatherโs death. Though truth be told, the list of peopleโcops and criminalsโwho wanted David Dresden out of the way is long. The search for answers leads Natty and Lourdes into an urban labyrinth where they must confront each otherโand the brutal truths that could destroy them both . . .
New York Times bestseller and Edgar Awardโwinner Peter Blaunerโs Proving Ground is a sweeping crime novel, an intricate story about the quest for redemption, and a vibrant portrait of contemporary New York City, all told in Blaunerโs singular voice.
Praise for Proving Ground
โAn old-school page-turner. Taut narration, spot-on dialogue, and sharply etched action sequences make this one a must-read. I couldnโt put the sucker down.โ โStephen King
โWith Proving Ground, Peter Blauner continues to prove why heโs one of the most consistently bracing and interesting voices in American crime literature. A beautifully written and relentlessly exciting thriller.โ โDennis Lehane
โ[A] complex, character-rich tale. . . . A top-notch crime novel that avoids easy resolutions and is all the better for its unanswered questions.โ โKirkus Reviews (starred review)
โ[Blauner] has a bone-deep feel for New Yorkโs neighborhoods, a talent for making his characters fully alive, and the gift of turning descriptions into moments of found poetry on nearly every page.โ โReviewing the Evidence