Asylum City: A Novel

In this edgy thriller from the #1 international bestselling author of Lineup, which was described by New York Times bestselling author Joseph Finder as "a marvel of tight plotting, spare prose, and relentless pacing," a young police officer's investigation of a murder plunges her into the dark underworld of Tel Aviv.When young social activist Michal Poleg is found dead in her Tel Aviv apartment, her body showing signs of severe violence, officer Anat Nachmias is given the lead on her first murder investigation. Eager to find answers, the talented and sensitive cop looks to the victim's past for clues, focusing on the last days before her death. Could one of the asylum seekers Michal worked with be behind this crime?Then a young African man confesses to the murder, and Anat's commanders say the case is closed. But the cop isn't convinced. She believes that Michal, a tiny girl with a gift for irritating people, got involved in something far too big and dangerous for her to handle.Joined by Michal's clumsy yet charming boss, Anat is pulled deep into a perplexing shadow world where war victims and criminals, angels and demons, idealists and cynics, aid organizations and criminal syndicates intersect. But the truth may be more than Anat can handle, bringing her face to face with an evil she's never before experienced.Review“Another triumph.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review)) “A taut, engaging…murder mystery.…Well-plotted.…A treat for mystery fans who enjoy variety in their whodunit settings-or who simply savor a good yarn.” (Kirkus Reviews) “Shoham’s second book, following the excellent Lineup…profits from the strong sense of foreboding that runs throughout the tale.” (Booklist) “[A] carefully crafted tale of deceit and betrayal.” (Library Journal) From the Back CoverIn bestselling author Liad Shoham's edgy contemporary thriller, a troubled city is relieved when an obvious suspect confesses to a brutal murder—but why doesn't the young police officer in charge of the case believe him?Poised between the shores of Africa and the developed coastline of continental Europe, Tel Aviv is home to a large refugee population. Many immigrants walk its streets, desperately yearning for a new life. To assist them, Michal Poleg, an ardent young activist, volunteers with the city's Office of Migrant Aid. But as badly as these immigrants would like to stay, there are more than a few locals who want them to leave. And when Michal is found dead in her apartment, her involvement with the controversial asylum seekers seems an obvious starting point in the search for answers. Officer Anat Nachmias has never been asked to lead an investigation until she is assigned to Michal's case. Determined not to let her superiors—or Michal—down, she resolves to leave no avenue unexplored. But the deeper Anat delves into Michal's activism, the more she is convinced that the working theory is wrong, especially when she can't believe a word of the young African man who soon confesses to the crime. What she does believe is that Michal, a petite, opinionated woman, got herself involved in something much bigger, and far more dangerous, than she could handle.Joined by Michal's clumsy but charming boss, Itai, Anat descends into a shadowy, amoral underworld where war victims and criminals, angels and demons, idealists and cynics, aid organizations and criminal syndicates intersect—and the ruthless prey on the weak. What she discovers will shock the city and set in motion events that will have dramatic, far-reaching consequences.