In a city overwhelmed with murder and mayhem, the last homicide before a Category 5 hurricane wipes out New Orleans is quickly forgotten and remains unsolved. Until now. Calling to mind Chinatown's Jake Gittes or Chandler's Philip Marlowe comes a new kind of private detective--a mixed-martial arts coach and bare-knuckled former cop who investigates a curious missing persons/murder case. The cold trail quickly heats up, propelling him into a battle of wits and brawn with the deadliest killers operating in the apocalyptic, post-hurricane ruins of New Orleans. With no forensic evidence, a destroyed crime scene, and no corpse, Cliff St. James, who's practically homeless and on the verge of bankruptcy, tenaciously navigates the gritty aftermath of a city that's barely functioning. The more layers of deceit he peels away surrounding the case, the grander is the conspiracy that comes into focus, placing him squarely in the cross-hairs of those who specialize in remaining unknown.