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"God damn, I thought I was seeing a ghost!" Cutty left his spot behind the raised barber chair to greet me with a bear hug at the front doorof Crowing Glory. I returned his embrace, surprised at how easily I relinquished the anonymity of the road."Well, look at you. God damn, boy, god damn, you look good. Damn near a grown man. Taller....""I don't know tout that." I tried to deflect the eyes trained on me from all comers of the shop. It was rare for Cutty to leave his station,rarer still for him to issue a compliment to a customer. My presence had peaked the curiosity of everyone waiting for a haircut.A few people nodded at me in regonition. A few more looked away at the sight of me....-- from Chapter OneIt's been two years and Maceo Redfield has returned home to Oakland. He hasn't spoken to any of his family and friends during that time.But Maceo isn't the only one who has returned home to Oakland. Cotton is a pro basketball player and one of Maceo's childhood friends.He gets in a fight with his coach during a game and is ejected and eventually bounced from the NBA. He and his wife return to Oaklandand throw a welcome back party of sorts. This brings all the players from THE DYING GROUND back standing together at the party.During the party, a woman is raped and Cotton is accused. The woman disappears. Maceo investigates and in doing so unearths some ofCotton's family secrets."Many mysteries featuring African American characters and set in the world of the black underclass fail to rise above the level of cheapstereotypes. But Nichelle D. Tramble establishes a new benchmark for such stories with THE DYING GROUND ... .Tramble combines anote-perfect ear for the music of street slang with a cold acceptance of the violence that is, sadly, so much a part of some people's everydaylives. - San Francisco Chronicle