First published 1992
Matt Scudder takes on a case that pulls him into Manhattan's darkest corners. The former police detective must determine whether a rich socialite orchestrated his pregnant wife's killing. The investigation drags Scudder through New York's pornography industry, where money and violence intersect in brutal ways. Each lead takes him deeper into a world where wealthy men purchase deadly services and women pay the ultimate price. Scudder navigates between penthouse apartments and seedy establishments, following a trail that connects high society to street level crime. The case forces him to confront how far people will go to protect their secrets and satisfy their desires. As evidence mounts, Scudder discovers that proving guilt requires him to descend into moral territory as murky as the city's underground economy.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, moral-ambiguity, secrets
Setting: Manhattan, New York
Period: 20th-century
292 pages · Mass Market Paperback · William Morrow Paperbacks
Content warnings: explicit-sexual-content, graphic-violence, violence