Justin Alcala

The Devil in the Wide City Justin Alcala

When Ned, a fallen angel who's as suave as he is brainy, accidentally starts the Great Chicago Fire during an assignment, he all but gives up on ever visiting Earth again- that is until his replacement goes missing, and Ned gets a chance at redemption. The Devil in the Wide City is an absurdist fictional piece about Ned, a fallen angel demoted from his job as a corruptor after starting the Great Chicago Fire. Fortunately, his replacement goes missing a century later, and Ned is sent back to Chicago in order to find out why. Only a lot has changed since the 19th century including the size of the city and its people. Incredibly, while tracking his replacement, Ned meets local celebrities like the ghost of Catherine O'Leary and John Dillinger the vampire. However, it's not until Ned crosses paths with Chelsea, an edgy, but lovable bookstore owner, that his world turns upside-down. Can Ned finally do his job right or will his heart get in the way?