A vicious high school fight leads to a terrifying miscarriage of justice in this “superior” legal thriller by the celebrated author: “A spectacular read” (The New York Times).
 
For sixteen-year-old Ed Japhet, high school prom is a moment to shine. Performing a magic act for his classmates and teachers, Ed scares the wits out of them with feats that include the use of a trick guillotine. But while Ed’s act pleases the crowd, it upsets a young hoodlum named Stanislaus Urek who doesn’t like being made to look foolish. Catching up to Ed and his girlfriend in the parking lot, Urek beats Ed within an inch of his promising life.
 
Everyone knows Urek should be behind bars. But while Ed survives the merciless attack, the fight has only begun. Urek’s father hires a lawyer named Thomassy who knows a few tricks of his own. In a protracted legal battle, Thommasy discredits some witnesses and intimidates others until American justice looks like nothing but smoke and mirrors in this “fast-moving, incisive” thriller (Library Journal).