Retired Toronto detective Charlie McKelvey runs from a cancer diagnosis and the violent memories of the big city and retreats to his hometown. A small declining mining centre, Ste. Bernadette offers McKelvey a chance to resolve old family issues, including his father’s involvement in a deadly wildcat strike in the late 1950s.When the local police force enlists his help in tracing an upswing in youth violence and vandalism, McKelvey stumbles into the hornet’s nest of a crystal meth industry. The timing couldn’t be worse for the town to expose its drug problem to the world: the mayor is hoping a new transmission line will be built through the town, bringing power line jobs and construction dollars; the police chief is trying to closing a deal to truck Detroit’s garbage to a local site as well as vying for the mayor’s job; and a sleazy businessman is attempting to buy up the town’s land to open a casino and...

Toronto at the close of 1999. It is a time of change, but Detective Charlie McKelvey's life is stuck on pause since the murder of his runaway son, Gavin. As his wife focuses on healing, McKelvey is burdened with guilt for his role in kicking the teen out of the family home--and his inability to move the case to resolution. Obsessed with the stalled murder investigation, McKelvey's behavior becomes increasingly unhinged. He is convinced the person responsible for the murder is an ex-convict sent to Toronto to establish a chapter of a biker gang, The Blades. The question is, does McKelvey have the right man, or is he blinded by his grief? When unexpected illness forces McKelvey's early retirement--and his wife heads to the west coast to live with a relative--the conditions are finally ripe for McKelvey to focus entirely on his plans for revenge. This novel explores the daily and random decisions we make and their consequences as it stares into the heart of grief and sees the...

Some bullets take years to find their mark... Former Toronto Detective Charlie McKelvey is puttering through the first year of his forced retirement. His tedious life is torn wide open when a friend enlists his help in locating a recent Bosnian immigrant who has simply disappeared without a trace. Her teacher and recent lover, Tim Fielding, suspects foul play. At first hesitant, McKelvey is quickly drawn into the case as the bodies and clues pile up. When the body of an unidentified woman turns up in Fielding's apartment--and Fielding is nowhere to be found--McKelvey finds himself a prime suspect in an increasingly obscure murder investigation.