Boston's Back Bay, a wealthy and fashionable district, is a distinct character in the book and its stateliness functions as a strong counterpoint to the psychic and criminal elements in the story. Cecelia Tishy is the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of English at Vanderbilt University, where she has won the university's prize for excellence in teaching. She is the author of several nonfiction books and articles, as well as the Kate Banning mystery series.Twenty-four-year-old Gizzy Fowler, a trans woman of color, was found dead in a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee earlier this week. This is the 10th known murder of a trans woman of color in the United States during 2014.

According to local media reports, Fowler's body was found in a driveway of an empty home in Bordeaux, Tennessee. Neighbors told police that they had heard gunshots. Multiple outlets misgendered Fowler, publishing her old name, her criminal history and old photos.

"There is an undeniable epidemic of fatal violence against transgender and gender non-confirming women, specifically transgender women of color in the United States -- these ten lives cut short cannot be ignored" said Osman Ahmed, The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) Research and Education Coordinator at the New York City