The Lightning Rule - by Brett Ellen Block (Paperback)

From the Back Cover

They say lightning never strikes the same spot twice. Detective Martin Emmett is about to prove the exception to the rule. It is the summer of 1967 and a heat wave is bringing Newark, New Jersey's simmering racial tensions to a boiling point. Banished to desk duty, his career on the line, Emmett is offered a chance at professional redemption if he can quickly and quietly solve the murder of a black teenage boy whose mutilated body has been found in a subway tunnel. But Emmett discovers that the teen is a victim of a sadistic predator who abducts boys to use as prey in a twisted game of cat and mouse. While the riots engulf Newark, crippling the city with chaos, Emmett must track down the killer before the next hunt begins.

Review Quotes

This book is a poignant story set against the backdrop of a poor mill town struggling to stay alive. . . . Full of uncertain outcomes, this novel is provocative and worth a read. - Oklahoma City Oklahoman
"A gritty, historically rich narrative...Many cuts above the typical police procedural." - Kirkus Reviews
"Evocative...a vivid portrayal of a city where racial tensions have escalated from a steady simmer to a raging boil." - Booklist
"A haunting, evocative first novel...intoxicating, and her ability to uncover the shadowy, dangerous heart of a wartime mill town is just as impressive." - Publishers Weekly
"Polish-American homicide cop Martin Emmett...is a terrific character." Grade: B - Entertainment Weekly