"This fast-paced novella blends a pitch-perfect noir voice with all the excitement and grit of an action movie, but at its core, it is ultimately a tale of community, identity, and connection. Izzy Wasserstein is a true and tender storyteller with a head for twisty plots and a heart for complex love."
--Emma Törzs, author of Ink Blood Sister Scribe

"A queer anarchist commune in near-future Kansas City is threatened by corporate espionage in this fun and well-paced neo-noir cyberpunk adventure from Wasserstein (All the Hometowns You Can't Stay Away From). Theodora "Dora" Madsen lives in "self-imposed exile" from the commune she once called home, but when her ex-girlfriend, Kay, is found dead of an apparent overdose, Dora, suspicious, is compelled to investigate. Now an outsider to the tight-knit community, her investigations raise echoes of the conflict that led to her departure, and call into question the very principles on which the commune was founded. Can Dora discover the truth without tearing apart the community that sheltered her when she needed it most--and before someone else gets hurt? Wasserstein makes clever use of genre tropes, including clones, snappy noir-style dialogue, and the damaged, insomniac detective archetype. With a complex and enjoyably flawed trans protagonist and a portrayal of queer life that goes deeper than casual representation, this marks Wasserstein as a voice to watch out for in LGBTQ science fiction."
--Publishers Weekly

"Wasserstein's debut novella does not give easy answers, but instead urges us to remember: the moment we lose sight of love--for our communities and for ourselves--is the moment we risk harming everything we hold dear."
--Naseem Jamnia, author of the Crawford, Locus, and World Fantasy nominated novella The Bruising of Qilwa

"A work of astonishing heart. It bridges isolation and belonging, hate and forgiveness, riveting tension and emotional nuance, to fearlessly explore the chasm between who we are and who we were expected to be."
--Elly Bangs, author of Unity

"This wise novella asks compelling questions about anarchism, community, self-determination, and consent, while allowing its trans and queer characters the full range of their flawed, messy humanity. Just like all of Izzy Wasserstein's work, this story is complex, well-written, heartfelt; I am so glad to have encountered it.
--Natalia Theodoridou, World Fantasy Award winner and Nebula finalist

"Read it, get immersed in the investigation, then find yourself thinking for a long while afterward! From anarchist decision making to the difficulties of self-definition to clone sex, this small book has it all."
--Bogi Takács, editor of Transcendent 2

"With an anarchist's eye for flipping all the old tropes, Wasserstein makes her propulsive, stylish cyberpunk murder mystery sing on every page."
--Karen Osborne, author of Architects of Memory

"An absorbing near future science fiction novella that explores themes of identity and family with a keen eye for character and a central mystery that unfolds in unexpected ways. Izzy Wasserstein is a gifted writer, and this is a wonderful debut."
--Josh Rountree, author of The Legend of Charlie Fish

Praise for Izzy Wasserstein

"Inventive, fascinating, and deeply moving . . . I want to listen to Izzy Wasserstein tell stories all day and all night."
--Annalee Newitz, author of The Terraformers

"Across every genre and tone, Izzy Wasserstein imbues her stories with a unique power: to reach through the page and into your chest, where they hold your heart as if it's the last of its kind."
--Elly Bangs, author of Unity

"Izzy Wasserstein's stories wrestle with ideas of home, grief, and apocalyptic violence with a stunning urgency and clarity of vision."
--Nino Cipri, author of Finna and Defekt

"Wasserstein's stories offer a finely-honed sense of place, precise and evocative writing, and a beautiful, sometimes chilling, exploration of what it means to be complicated and human."
--Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun

"Wasserstein writes brilliantly about loss, revolution, change, and community. . . . She has a memorable literary voice, and her stories of alienation and survival will haunt and sustain me for years to come."
--R. B. Lemberg, author of The Four Profound Weaves