dystopian-economy

The chapter introduces Lieutenant Edward W. Bear, a weary Denver homicide detective in a dystopian 1987 where economic hardship and government austerity measures have led to widespread closures and social decay. Bear investigates a violent shooting of a university physics professor, uncovering clues amid a backdrop of societal decline, personal malaise, and rising authoritarian enforcement. The narrative sets a tone of tension between individual struggle and systemic collapse, highlighting the erosion of public services and the grim realities of law enforcement.