Within this fast-paced historical thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci introduces Archer, a WWII veteran forced to investigate a small-town murder — or risk returning to prison.

It’s 1949. When war veteran Aloysius Archer is released from Carderock Prison, he is delivered to Poca City on parole with a short set of do’s and a much longer set of don’ts: do report frequently to his parole officer, don’t head to pubs, certainly don’t consume alcohol, perform get yourself a job–and don’t ever about One Great Deed associate with loose women.

The tiny town quickly proves more complicated and dangerous than Archer’s years serving in the war or his amount of time in jail. Within an individual night, his search for gainful employment–and a stiff drink–leads him to an area bar, where he is employed for what seems like a basic job: to get a personal debt owed to a powerful local businessman, Hank Pittleman.

Quickly Archer discovers that recovering your debt won’t end up being so easy. The indebted guy has a furious grudge against Hank and won’t pay out; Hank’s clever mistress provides her own designs on Archer; and both Hank and Archer’s stern parole official, Miss Crabtree, are keeping a razor-sharp eyesight on him.

When a murder takes place right below Archer’s nose, law enforcement suspicions rise against the ex-convict, and Archer realizes how the crime could send out him right back to prison . if he doesn’t make use of every skill in his arsenal to locate the real killer.