Hard Riding is a detective novel set in Toronto that explores an accident on the city streets. A young mother, riding her bicycle home from work, is struck and killed by a car driven by a man who appears to be a respectable businessman.

As Mariner, a detective with the Toronto Police Department, probes deeper into the case he finds that Charles Abbott, the driver of the car, is out of control. Witnesses say he was driving erratically at the time of the accident.

But Abbott comes from a family of wealth and substance. Is this just an accident, or did Abbott intend to harm the cyclist? Is he guilty of a serious crime, or did he just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

And what of the broader political issues? Are cyclists simply a nuisance? Should city streets be reserved for cars, trucks and buses, or does everyone have the right to use them, and use them safely?

One witness, Spider, a street kid fighting his own demons of crime, prison and heroin addiction, is willing to tell what happened in the accident, but will anyone listen to someone like this?

And what of the accused, what are his demons? And why was he driving erratically in the first place?

As the case proceeds towards trial it is the crown attorney and defense lawyer who take centre stage. The judge is responsible for determining the innocence or guilt of the accused, but what of Mariner and his detailed knowledge of the case? Will his voice be heard or is he simply irrelevant in the trial?

Hard Riding is a police procedural following the case from the initial crime through to the judge’s final determination of guilt or innocence. Written in a fast moving style, and peopled with fascinating characters, it tells a story of what it is really like on Toronto streets.

Bill Freeman, the writer of Hard Riding, is an award winning Canadian author of books, plays and television programs.