Jake LaMotta was named after a champion fighter, but lately she's been feeling beaten down. The newspaper where she works as a reporter won't raise her pay. She's got a new editor to impress. She's having dizzy spells. Worst of all, Jake and her husband can't afford a house in the Los Angeles suburb of Waters End, so they're stuck with a dreary apartment and a brutal commute. If only they could buy their dream house, she's sure her problems would go away. Homeownership would validate her belief that hard work and honesty get results. Her boss with his demands for sensational stories wouldn't irk her so much. Her marriage would be happier. But there's trouble brewing in the quaint paradise of Waters End, too. Developers are locked in a bitter feud with anti-growth activists. Upscale homeowners are wary of the old farming families and migrant workers. And water wells have mysteriously run dry just over the hill - land that Waters End leaders have their eyes on. With real estate the sexiest story in town, the new editor pits Jake against her coworkers in pursuit of big headlines to boost readership. In a reckless attempt to see just how far her boss is willing to push ethical boundaries, Jake pitches an investigative story she knows is false. Caught in her own lie, she pursues the story only to become mired in the murky world of small-town politics. When her inquiries tangle her up in a true scandal, Jake is forced to choose between her dream house and fi ghting for what she believes in. The quest for truth and square footage exacts a steep price in TJ Sullivan's witty, suspense-filled debut novel.