This work is a compilation of a number of notable stories, written with sensitivity that traces the current profile on American society from a criminal perspective. Beyond the geographical area in which these stories were collected, the book discusses human beings in general and their lives in big cities as well as the crimes that occur there. Contributors include Lawrence Block, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, Joyce Carol Oates, Jonathan Safrain Foer, Don Winslow, and more.

Johnny Temple is the editorial director of Akashic Books, an independent publisher that specializes in urban fiction and nonpolitical speeches. He has received the Ellen Queen Award and the Jay & Deen Kogan award, given for excellence in narrative.