The Cracked Earth - Paperback

"Southern California has always been fertile ground for crime writers and one of the very best of them has to be John Shannon." -Denver Post

Jack Liffey's reputation for finding missing kids has led to an offer from a lawyer to solve another disappearance, that of Hollywood icon Lori Bright's rebellious teenage daughter. Jack accepts the job with the promise of a hefty paycheck, determined to catch up on child support and renew visitation rights with his daughter, Maeve. After all, how hard can it be to find a wayward rich kid with no street smarts?

The arrival of a ransom note changes everything and Jack is pushed into the world of violent skinheads, Jamaican gangsters, and, perhaps worst of all, movie studio executives. His increasing attraction to the iconic actress does not improve matters, serving to remind him that you can't trust anything in Los Angeles, even the stability of the ground beneath your feet. As Josh Getlin wrote in the Los Angeles Times for his review of The Cracked Earth: "Shannon may be one of the best L.A. mystery writers you've never heard of."

The Jack Liffey series takes readers deep into the many unexplored communities, enclaves and cultures of Los Angeles that sometimes co-exist, sometimes clash, but always surprise. Fans of Michael Connelly will fall deep into the fast-paced, unpredictable, and dangerous world John Shannon creates.