Point of View

The novel is written in third person from the limited perspective of LAPD Detective Renee Ballard. The limited perspective means the reader knows only what Ballard knows. This is typical for a mystery novel, allowing the author to reveal details only as Ballard works through the process of solving the two crimes that are currently part of her caseload. Ballard is still assigned to her normal work on the night shift, meaning she is also working on some other cases. For example, she is called to submit a preliminary finding when a homeless man is found dead in a shack under an overpass. Ballard quickly declares it to be an overdose, meaning she does not spend much time on that scene. Though some readers may expect to discover a clue that leads back to Ballard's main two cases, that is not the case in this...