Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks

When four bodies are found in a rundown section of Newark, reporter Carter Ross heads to the scene thinking that it might lead to a good story. Soon, he realizes that the four victims were from different parts of the city and that the reason for their deaths being spouted by the cops is wrong. With help from intern Tommy Hernandez, possible love interest Tina Thompson, and people he meets while working on the case, Carter races, with a journalist's zeal, to discover the killer's identity. The reader knows, however, that a man named the Director is behind the murders and has no problem killing again. Faces of the Gone is a debut novel that immerses the reader into the grit of contemporary urban America through the eyes of an extremely likable white reporter who can be both funny and serious. The book reminded me of Justin Peacock's A Cure for Night.