A Ritual of Innocence is a riveting international thriller replete with sharp satire, painting a vibrant tableau that spans New York’s crime-laden underbelly, the shadowed corridors of global business, and the power-infused playgrounds of Aspen and Newport. Cliff Schorer wields description and emotion like a scalpel, cutting through the self-importance of those who believe they operate above the law. From gritty streets to Kremlin walls, CIA headquarters, and the inner sanctums of the ultra-wealthy, the novel captures the tangled motivations shaping today’s political and global landscape.

When the beautiful and controversial young wife of Exbar Petroleum’s CEO is assassinated in their Upper East Side penthouse, the case falls to hard-nosed NYPD homicide detective Walter Mally, a man whose beliefs center on the emotional dimensions of murder. What appears to be a professional hit quickly escalates into a web of corporate ambition, old CIA grudges, and personal betrayals — all orchestrated by powerful figures confident in their immunity.

Along the way, Mally and his partner encounter Alton Bentley, a brilliant yet deadly blue-blood operative; Parish Barnes, a hardened assassin whose assignments are treated as transactions devoid of moral significance; and a Newport dowager capable of outmaneuvering federal agents while discussing artisanal cheeses. The collision of raw ambition, class absurdities, and moral ambiguity exposes both the humor and the brutality of power in modern America.

“This isn’t just another murder story,” says Schorer. “It’s about how people — cops, killers, tycoons, and everyone in between — try to reclaim something human in a world that often strips humanity away. The title reflects those rare moments when someone chooses decency over survival, love over power. I wanted to explore what that ritual actually costs.”

Blending the authenticity of NYPD procedural thrillers with espionage tension and a sharp current of social satire, A Ritual of Innocence moves at breakneck speed while leaving room for emotional resonance. From a Persian cat lapping blood at a crime scene to late-night confessions between battle-worn partners, the novel lingers in the reader’s mind long after the final page.

About the Author

Cliff Schorer lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with his wife, Marianne, whose insight, humor, and encouragement helped shape every draft of the novel. A serial entrepreneur, professor at Columbia Business School, and seasoned world traveler, Schorer has gathered intelligence for the FBI while working in Russia during the collapse of the Soviet Union, experiences that inform the novel’s intricate global scope. A Ritual of Innocence is his first novel. In addition, a contribution from every book sold will be made to combat world hunger.