Broken Places

Description

After a fatal shooting on a rooftop, a traumatized Cassandra Raines quits the Chicago P.D. with one less black female homicide detective. But when she stumbles across the dead body of a respected member of the community, it’s up to her to prove a murderer is on the loose in this first installment of the Chicago Mystery series by Chicago journalist Tracy Clark.

Cops can make mistakes, even when they’re not rookies. If anyone knows that it’s Cass Raines, who took a bullet two years ago after an incompetent colleague screwed up a tense confrontation with an armed suspect. Deeply traumatized by the incident, Cass resigned from the Chicago PD, leaving one less female African-American on the force. Now she’s the head of a one-woman private investigation agency, taking on just enough work to pay the bills. She spends the rest of her time keeping an eye on the tenants in her little Hyde Park apartment building, biking along the lakefront, and playing chess with the only father figure she’s ever known, Father Ray Heaton.

When Father Ray asks Cass to look into a recent spate of vandalism at his church, she readily agrees to handle the case. But only hours later she’s horrified to discover his murdered body in the church confessional, a dead gangbanger sprawled out nearby. She knew Pop, as she called him, had ticked off plenty of people, from slumlords to drug dealers and even some parishioners and politicians, with his uncompromising defense of the downtrodden. But a late-night random theft doesn’t seem like much of a motive at a cash-strapped parish like Saint Brendan’s.

The lead detective assigned to the case is all too ready to dismiss it as an interrupted burglary gone awry, just another statistic in a violent city. But Cass’s instincts tell her otherwise, and badge or no badge, she intends to see justice done . . .Praise for Tracy Clark’s Chicago Mystery Series:
 
“Lapel-grabbing and provocative…Clark writes with purpose, her sense of social justice never venturing into dogma but remaining fully rooted in Raines’s actions and personality.” —The New York Times Book Review on Runner

“Clark has a unique voice in the P.I. genre, one that us articulate, daring, and ultimately hopeful.” —The Washington Post on Runner

“A potent mix of empathy and rage fuels Sue Grafton Award–winner Clark’s exceptional fourth Chicago mystery. The action builds to an exciting showdown. Those who like their crime novels with a social conscience will be amply rewarded.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review for Runner
 
“A gripping relationship-based procedural that drags you in and spits you out wan but satisfied.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW for What You Don’t See

“A fast-paced read that’ll take you from intrigued to engrossed in no time flat…It’s a breathtaking read as part of a series that doesn’t pull punches when it comes to race relations in America, but it’s perfect as a stand-alone novel too. If you’re tired of reading mystery books about old white guys, Cass, a Black woman, is a welcome departure.” —Reader’s Digest, Best Mystery Books for Runner

“Unforgettable…Distinctive, vividly written characters lift this promising debut. Readers will be eager for the sequel.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW for Broken Places

“Clark’s compelling, suspenseful, and action-packed debut introduces a dogged, tough African American woman investigator who is complex and courageous and surrounded by a family of fascinating misfits. Fans of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone or Sara Paretsky’s V.I Warshawski will welcome Cass Raines to their ranks” —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW for Broken Places

“Allows us to watch Cass still struggle with the fallout of being shot on the job years ago while also telling a fun, well-plotted story about her protecting an Oprah-like local celebrity who isn’t what she seems.” —Goodreads, Best of the Year for What You Don’t See

“Hard-charging…There’s a nice working-class vibe to Borrowed Time, and the author has a definite flair for characterization. She serves up an entertaining, vivid reminder of what we love about the shamus game in the first place: the street-level gaze, the sardonic running commentary, gobs of local color, characters nailed in a pithy wisecrack or two, and a grand tour of society (warts and all) from dives like Deek’s up to the rarefied stomping grounds of “our betters.” And a determined hero tough enough to get the job done…Clark rolls this baby all the way home to a satisfying, action-packed conclusion.” —Mystery Scene on Borrowed Time

“Strange goings-on escalate into dangerous ones, and Clark takes readers on a suspenseful, often wild ride as Cass pushes for truth and justice. Fans of Sue Grafton and Sarah Paretsky will delight in the snappy first-person narration and wry wit—and fans of mysteries in general will be happy to discover a writer who deftly combines clever crime-solving, stress-inducing action sequences, nail-biting suspense and lots of love for Chicago.” —Bookpage on Borrowed Time

“Tracy Clark is good at showcasing the reality of a private investigator’s life—weaving the props and places (seedy diner, the cop shop, the Windy City in all its diversity)—seamlessly into the plot.” —CriminalElement.com on Borrowed Time

“What Clark does so brilliantly is fully understanding the hardboiled sub-genre…the plot is packed with action and violence, but the characters are quirky and witty and wonderful. Borrowed Time hits every right note.” —BookRiotTracy Clark is the two-time Sue Grafton Memorial Award-winning author of the highly acclaimed Chicago Mystery Series and the Detective Harriet Foster Novels. All four of her Chicago Mysteries were both Anthony Award and Lefty Award finalists. Broken Places was a Shamus Award finalist, a CrimeReads Best New PI Book of 2018, a Midwest Connections Pick, a Library Journal Best Books of the Year, and was shortlisted for the American Library Association’s RUSA Reading List. Clark also was a Mary Higgins Clark Award finalist for Borrowed Time, a two-time Shamus Award finalist for Broken Places and What You Don’t See, and an Agatha Award finalist for What You Don’t See. She won the Sue Grafton Memorial Award from Mystery Writers of America twice for Borrowed Time and Runner. In addition to her Cass Raines novels, Tracy’s short story “For Services Rendered,” appears in the anthology Shades of Black: Crime and Mystery Stories by African‑American Authors. A native of Chicago, she works as an editor in the newspaper industry and roots for the Cubs, Sox, Bulls, Bears, and Blackhawks equally. She’s a proud member of Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime, and she sits on the boards of Bouchercon National and the Midwest Mystery Conference. Visit her online at TracyClarkBooks.com.US

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