A hot summer in L.A and the heat is building in the Rancho Tajuata Housing Projects. Racial tension and gang violence spiral out of control when three members of a Latino family, including a little girl, are killed by a firebombing – the suspected killers are said to be black. The pressure is on to solve the case quickly and Ivan Monk is called in to track down the murderers, but in doing so he delves into the tangled history of the Watts riots, revealing layers of corruption and racism. Monk finds himself at odds with the police, disillusioned with his mentor and under indictment for murder. Now Monk must race before time runs out and a bad night falls on the projects…this time for good.