NewYear'sEve,nineteen-sixty-nineandSouthernCalifornia'snormallyplacid climateexperiencedabitterwintercoldsnap.Itwascertainlynottheweatherfor murder. Thestrangeunfamiliarweaponconstitutestheperfectcrime.Bodiesstackedup fasterthanchipsinawinninghandofhigh-stakespoker.Theonlythingpilingup faster was the ever growing list of suspects. IncompetentSanDiegoPoliceDetectiveJakeSmithandhispartnerputincharge oftheinvestigation.Smithlifespiralingoutofcontrol,personallyand professionally. Thelong-timeloveaffairwithADAJillianRossscreamstoahalt.Hisobnoxious attitudenotbenefittingeitherareasofhistenuousexistence.AndSmithshouldnot have run when he became a prime suspect. Can he prove his innocence. Will Jake Smith end up thesquadroomheroor drummed out miscreant?