by Ace Atkins
Part of Spenser, book 15
First published 1989
A killer stalks Boston, leaving red roses at each crime scene. The police have no leads and no suspects. Spenser works his own cases until the Red Rose killer makes it personal. The murderer places Susan Silverman, Spenser's psychiatrist girlfriend, directly in his crosshairs. Now Spenser and his partner Hawk must race through Boston's gritty Combat Zone and into the quiet suburbs. They follow a trail that grows colder with each passing hour. The killer stays one step ahead while Susan remains vulnerable. Spenser devises a risky plan to draw the murderer into the open. He uses himself as bait in a trap that could save Susan or cost them both their lives. The final confrontation tests everything Spenser values most.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, high-stakes, personal-vendetta
Setting: Boston, Combat Zone
292 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Dell
Content warnings: murder, violence