Some people say "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Will Deacon says, "When life gives you lemons, throw those lemons back at life as hard as you can, and if life ends up with bumps on its head and lemon juice in its eye, it really can't complain because it's the one that gave you those stupid lemons in the first place."
Former private detective Will Deacon is jobless, aimless, and hasn't traveled more than two blocks from his Atlanta condo in nearly a year--but he's never been happier. A survivor of countless failed careers and one and a half failed marriages, Will is perfectly content to stay holed up at home with only a cat named Socrates for company. But that blissful life comes to an end when the son of an old friend commits suicide. The pampered, popular teen had no reason to kill himself, so Will is dragged out of retirement to find the answer. As he delves into the boy's hidden lifestyle, Will finds himself up against a sleek young drug dealer, two frightening hoodlums, and the head of the Southern Mafia. When the evidence points to murder instead of suicide, Will is caught in a whirlwind of shocking discoveries and dark family secrets as he tries to solve the most important case of his career.