The Infinite Blacktop

“A completely original hybrid of mystery, thriller, contemporary noir, dark comedy and postmodern meditation about what it means to be a detective.” —The New York Times

An NPR Best Book

Claire DeWitt, the self-proclaimed world’s best private detective, wakes up one dark night in an ambulance in Oakland: someone has just tried to murder her. But she’s not dead. Not yet.

More sure of herself than of the police, Claire follows the clues on a 52-hour odyssey through shimmering Las Vegas and the shabby surrounding desert to find out who wants her dead. But in order to save herself, Claire will have to revisit her own complicated past of childhood obsessions, rival detectives, lost friends, and mysteries mostly—but not always—solved.

Three intertwining stories illuminate three eras of Claire’s life. As the connections between the stories come into focus, the truth becomes clear. But Claire will never quit her search for the answer to the biggest mystery of all: how can anyone survive in a world so clearly designed to break our hearts?

“Claire DeWitt is one part Auguste Dupin, one part Jack Kerouac-type “Dharma Bum” and allover nasty woman on a mission.” —Maureen Corrigan, The Washington Post

“There’s a fascinating echo in these pages of classic LA noir detective fiction from the age of Hammett and Chandler . . . you’ll be charmed by this eccentric, enticingly artful mystery.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Bold and stunning . . . Gran takes readers on an unforgettable journey.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A hard-boiled, existential masterpiece.” —Cara Hoffman, author of Running and So Much Pretty