Novelist Shannon Burke earned stunning reviews for his debut book Safelightand now he returns with the same minimalist intensity in this arresting followup. <st... » 

Novelist Shannon Burke earned stunning reviews for his debut book Safelightand now he returns with the same minimalist intensity in this arresting followup. Black Flies is the story of paramedic Ollie Cross and his first year onthe job in mid90s New York. In the midst of the crack wars unemployment andneighborhoods burning to the ground as delinquent landlords cash in Ollietransforms into a callous EMS. On a job with a premature baby who is possiblybrain damaged and HIV positive Ollie and his partner allow the infant to dieand claim it was stillborn. When they are found out his partner is removedfrom active service and eventually commits suicide. Ollie must accept what hesdone and try to make up for it if hes to pull through and become a competentparamedic. «