A timely and penetrating mystery about the intersection of policing, racism, and the community - set in a city at its boiling point - from an author who's been in the trenches and seen it all.

A senseless act of violence.

During a vigil calling for police reform, students from Spelman College, a historically black women's institution, are assaulted by rifle fire from a passing vehicle. On her way to interview witnesses, Detective Sarah "Salt" Alt confronts the fleeing vehicle of the suspects, but they get away.

A city in turmoil.

While other detectives take the lead on the Spelman murders, Salt is tasked to investigate the case of a recently discovered decomposed body. When she combs through the missing-persons reports, it becomes clear the victim is a girl Salt took into custody two years before, and Salt feels a grave responsibility to learn the truth about how the girl died. But before she can pursue any leads, Salt is called onto emergency riot detail - in the wake of the assault on the Spelman students, Atlanta has reached the boiling point. In a city burdened by history and a community erupting in pain and anger, Salt must delve into the past for answers.

A gripping and astute story about what it means to serve and protect, Old Bones solidifies Trudy Nan Boyce as an evocative, authoritative voice in crime fiction.