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The author's book takes flight as a multilayered crime story that begins in 1970. It then veers into a saga of revenge before landing on a present-day supernatural runway. With a cast of ninety-seven characters, this is an incredibly ambitious book, as keeping up with all of the various players and personalities as a writer is a Herculean undertaking. Thankfully, all the characters are listed in a playbill of sorts at the end, providing readers with a handy reference.
Reynolds weaves a tapestry with a lot of loose threads, following the adult children of mobster Joey Foscari's victims as they discover a hidden past and must then fight for their lives to avoid the fate of their parents and grandparents. Ultimately, they realize that only by turning the tables on Foscari can they ensure their own safety.
Blood, guts, knives, guns, and crooks of various types feature prominently in this novel. A bit of sex is occasionally thrown in, and coincidences abound, as do backstories. Indeed, there are so many backstories that it sometimes seems as if every character, no matter how inconsequential, has one. With this level of detail, it becomes immediately clear that the author has spent a great deal of time thinking about how every player fits within the overall story.
The author often uses expositional dialogue to move the story forward. Through it all, the story of three families already beset by tragedy before they are torn apart by Foscari tumbles toward a denouement foreshadowed by the book's title. In short, this is a laudable effort to blend multiple characters and storylines into one cohesive narrative.