Alex consumes heroin to escape his abusive father. Jim hides from guilt after the death of the friend he didn't save. Chelsi's brother killed a local boy, and ostracism pushes her towards a rival gang, prostitution and loneliness. Danny is a hustler but needs protection from the drug gang that supplies him. Paul Linggood raises challenging questions about how to survive, not only a hard childhood but a society that has become increasingly violent. Every character is detailed with gut-wrenching realism that pierces the heart of the reader. Gripping from beginning to end, this is a powerful novel written by an author who knows how to grab his audience.