by Ace Atkins
Part of Spenser, book 9
First published 1987
Boston private investigator Spenser takes on what seems like a routine missing person case when a high school girl disappears. His investigation pulls him into the Combat Zone, Boston's notorious red light district, where he discovers a network of upscale brothels catering to wealthy clients. As Spenser digs deeper, the case reveals connections between the underground sex trade and Boston's respectable establishment. The detective must navigate both worlds as he uncovers how corruption reaches from the streets into the halls of power. What begins as a search for one missing teenager exposes the rot beneath the city's proper surface, forcing Spenser to confront how the righteous and the corrupt feed off each other in ways that make his job infinitely more dangerous.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, uncovering-secrets
Setting: Boston, Combat Zone
Period: contemporary
Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: sexual-content