Hard Times

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An extraordinary crime novel from a rising star, that follows the ripple effects of a tragic shooting throughout a Chicago community from the view of the teachers, police officers, and students impacted "A deeply satisfying story with as much, heart, grit and history as the city that it's set in." —Xochitl Gonzalez, New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming Buddy Mack has been caught in the middle of two worlds at war. As an English teacher at a South Side, Chicago, high school lauded for its football team, but at risk in every other way, he tries to instill a love of literature. While all of his students face challenges, he's especially concerned with a trio of boys who test him to no end but are full of promise and heart: Zeke, the football star; Truth, the sweet-talking charmer; and Dontell, Buddy's most promising student. At home, his wife, Chrissy, a successful corporate lawyer, is ready to upgrade to a