(CNN) -- Horror-meister, Stephen King calls George Pelecanos "perhaps the greatest living American crime writer." His stories are set in Pelecanos' hometown of Washington, D.C., but this is not the side of the U.S. capitol that you see portrayed on TV with white marble monuments, lawyers and lobbyists. Pelecanos is more interested in working families struggling to get by, the racial tensions in its ethnic neighborhoods and the low-lifes on the edges. His crime-writing peers call Pelecanos the "undisputed poet" of Washington's gritty side. The best-selling and award-winning author is out this week with his 17th and latest novel, "The Cut." It's the first in a new series featuring Iraq war veteran and private investigator Spero Lucas. When he's not working for a Washington defense attorney, Lucas recovers stolen property for a 40% cut. Now, a high-profile crime boss hires Lucas to find out who's been stealing from him, and it could turn out to be Lucas' biggest payday or an untimely end. While Pelecanos made his bones in the noir tradition, there's a definite "Western" feel to "The Cut." The new novel takes place in a morally gray and often violent world. It's peppered with pitch-perfect dialogue and captures the sights, sounds and taste of Washington in rich detail. In short, Pelecanos reads like the real deal. Pelecanos knows a thing or two about capturing the authenticity of urban America with an ethnically and socially diverse cast. In addition to his success as a novelist, Pelecanos is a producer and writer for HBO's New Orleans-set, "Treme." He was previously a producer and Emmy-nominated writer on the hit series "The Wire" and the miniseries "The Pacific." Read an excerpt from "The Cut" CNN recently spoke to Pelecanos about his new novel. The following is an edited transcript. CNN: Tell me more about your new character, Spero Lucas.
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QUESTION: As a private investigator, who does Spero Lucas work for in Pelecanos newest novel, "The Cut"?

Rock layers extend laterally, or out to the sides. They may cover very large areas. This is especially true if they formed at the bottom of ancient seas. Seas are very large areas of water. Over time, sediment builds up on the seabed. They will be covered with the same types of material. As rocks form out of this sediment it will all be the same type. The rocks may be forced up above the water as Earths plates move. Rivers may eventually run across this area. The river will cut into the rock and erode it away. The layers of exposed rock on either side of the river will still match up. Look at the Grand Canyon in Figure 2.27. Its a good example of lateral continuity. You can clearly see the same rock layers on opposite sides of the canyon. The matching rock layers were deposited at the same time. They are the same age.
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QUESTION: What is the Grand Canyon a good example of?

Fossils give clues about major geological events. Fossils can also give clues about past climates. Fossils of ocean animals on the top of a mountain? Ocean animals have been found on the Earths tallest mountain. Its hard to believe, but it is true. These fossils were found at the top of Mt. Everest. Mt. Everest is the highest mountain on Earth. These fossils showed that this entire area was once at the bottom of a sea. It can only mean that Mt. Everest was uplifted. In fact, the entire Himalaya mountain range was raised. It was forced up from the collision of two continents. Fossils of plants are found in Antarctica. Now, Antarctica is almost completely covered with ice. Plants do not grow in Antarctica. According to fossils, they once did. This means that Antarctica was once much warmer than it is now. These fossils tell us about Antarcticas past climate.
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QUESTION: Did Antarctica's climate change throughout history?

Tom plays pool in a deserted pool hall , pocketing two balls by lowdown means and then wakes Jerry up by shooting the 10-ball into the pocket where he is sleeping . Jerry awakes just in time to avoid the 10-ball and is carried out to the ball return , where the 10 and the 13 smash the mouse between each other . Jerry is mad and walks up through the pocket , first sees nothing , but after a few steps back to the pocket , he spots Tom perched behind it . Jerry tries to jump into another corner pocket , but Tom aims a cue ball with so much force that it roll's into the pocket , and spins back out of it and it rolls Jerry backwards to Tom , who has made a ramp with his cue stick for the mouse to slide up . Jerry stops at the top of the stick and is then blown down by Tom , who then shoots a stream of balls to make the mouse flat . The whole train rebounds back towards the cat and the balls stack up at Tom's end of the table . Tom shoots all the balls in succession with his cue , and then tries to shoot Jerry , but the mouse hangs onto the cue tip . The cat , as if he were saying '' Have it your way '' , chalks up and shoots the 8-ball using Jerry . The mouse drops off the cue tip and then is upended by the 8-ball rolling in circles , and Tom forces Jerry to jump through the ball rack as if he were a circus performer . Tom then sets it on fire to add an additional level of torment , and when Jerry accomplishes this with poise , Tom discards the flaming rack and shoots the 8-ball across the table and back .
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QUESTION:
What does Tom light on fire?