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This is a story of two detectives, Meehan and Esposito, one wounded and introspective, the other ambitious, life-loving and unscrupulous. A fierce and unlikely friendship develops between them, with hints of competition complicating the deepening bond. Their cases are a reflection of them, as Meehan is drawn into a series of little mysteries, funny, cruel and haunting, strange as fairy tales. They are petty crimes–when they are crimes at all–but they draw him into contemplation of the largest questions of life: suffering, despair, forgiveness. Esposito becomes embroiled in a savage gang war. His personal courage and Machiavellian maneuvers seem to provoke as much bloodshed as they prevent, and he thrives in the contest, despite the carnage. Esposito’s third-rail vitality jump-starts Meehan’s life–with a new woman, not least– but also places him in grave danger. When Esposito engineers a scheme to save Meehan that goes past his ordinary rule-bending to outright conspiracy, Meehan pulls back. The partners compete and the cases collide, with brutality meeting brutality, betrayal following betrayal (red-on-red is a military term that refers to enemy-on-enemy combat), and the story culminates in a mad act of revenge–that mercifully goes awry and teaches Meehan the need for forgiveness and Esposito the need for humility.