Powers has returned to Hannibal several times; this time it is to chronicle the horrific story of two murders, both committed by minors, and the trials that followed. Through the prism of these grisly events and their repercussions, Powers explores our changing perceptions of childhood.

Hannibal today is not a city of picket fences and boyish adventures, but a place where children commit murder and are tried as adults. Powers explores the decaying neighborhoods, ruined Mississippi waterfront, and gaudy Twain tourist attractions that make Hannibal a dispiritingly placeless place.

Seamlessly weaving the narrative development of the two killings in Hannibal with the national withering of the very concept of childhood, Powers uncovers the root of the problem -- a fragmented adult society where "bowling alone" has replaced community responsibility. Despite the efforts of overworked teachers, single parents, and other courageous individuals, children are increasigly adrift in a world of strip malls, and transform their restlessness into violence.