Twenty-five years after his high school graduation, David Halpert returns to a place that most people flee. But David is making his own escape—from his divorce and the death of his son. In Detroit, David learns about the double shooting of his high school girlfriend Natalie and her black half-brother. As David becomes involved with Natalie’s sister, he will discover that both he and his hometown have reasons to hope. The racially polarized and economically troubled city of Detroit may not seem like a natural place for rebirth. But as David tries to make sense of the mystery behind Natalie’s death and puts back the pieces of his own life, he is forced to answer a simple question: If you want to go home again, what do you do if home is Detroit?

Lasser is a Detroit native and has worked for National Steel Corp. and Lehman Brothers. He is the author of three novels, including “Battle Creek,” and lives in Aspen, Colo., and Los Angeles, Calif.