Not On Fire, Only Dying

It is the fiery pinnacle of autumn in New York's Hudson Valley when Lola, a troubled recluse, reports her newborn kidnapped from outside a seedy bar. But no one's seen Lola with a baby, or even heard of him before now. Everyone assumes the boy is one of her delusions. Only Marko—a chivalrous, drug-dealing ex-con of Romani descent—is devoted to Lola. But even he questions her story, given her fragile sanity and reckless self-medication. With help from Mary, the owner of a local salvage business, Marko hunts for answers. From the Hudson Valley to New York City's East Village, he follows a dark path to the truth, navigating doubt, vengeance, and love.

Gritty and compassionate, Not on Fire, Only Dying is Susan's Rukeyser's first novel.