From one of the most important American writers of the 20th century (Walter Mosley) comes a classic thriller in the trailblazing Harlem Detectives series, in which love and jealousy erupt into violence.

One early morning,Reverend Short is watching from his bedroom window as the A&P across the street is robbed. As he triesto see the thief get away, the opium-addicted preacher leanstoo far and falls out--but he isunscathed, thanks to an enormousbread basket outside the bakery downstairs. As the crowd gathers to see what happened, a shocking discovery is made: There is another body in the bread basket, and Valentine Haines is dead,really dead. It's up to Grave Digger Jones and Coffin EdJohnson to find out who murderedVal.