“A compelling moral fable in the shape of a gritty, twist-filled thriller.”—Wall Street Journal

John Shannon is a petty thief on the run. A three-time loser framed for murder, he knows that he’s facing life in prison—or death by lethal injection. Then, a bizarre text message draws him to a meeting in the dark of night. A foreigner who calls himself the Identity Man offers Shannon an incredible chance to start again: a new face, a new home, a new beginning. In a ruined city trying to rebuild, he gets work as a carpenter, and falls in love. It seems too good to be true—and it is. It turns out this city is crawling with crooked politicians, gangsters, and dirty cops—all of whom seem to want Shannon dead.

Moving through the shambles of a town, he’s got to ferret out the secret of his new life—and fast—if he wants to be left with any life at all.

“A gripping thriller.”—Entertainment Weekly

“A work of intense realism pervaded by sorrow, mercy, hope—and ultimately, transcendence.”—Washington Times