by Ace Atkins
Part of Spenser, book 7
First published 1992
A messy divorce turns violent when a father sends thugs to snatch his teenage son. The mother turns to Boston private investigator Spenser to bring the boy back. Spenser retrieves the fifteen year old, but he quickly realizes the kid is caught between two parents who care more about hurting each other than protecting their child. The boy is scrawny, scared, and completely unprepared for the world. With enemies closing in and a contract on his own life, Spenser makes an unexpected choice. He takes the teenager deep into the Maine woods. There, far from the ugly battle between his parents, Spenser plans to teach the kid how to survive. The forest becomes their classroom and their refuge. But Spenser's opponents play a vicious game, and they will not give up easily. In the wilderness, both man and boy must find the strength to face what is hunting them.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, contemporary, action
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, found-family, mentor-mentee
Setting: Boston, Maine
Period: Contemporary
224 pages · Paperback · Dell
Content warnings: violence