by Anne Perry
First published 2009
Commander William Monk of the River Police discovers thirteen-year-old Fig's body floating in the Thames, throat slashed. The boy was a victim of Jericho Phillips, who operates a floating brothel where children suffer horrific abuse. Monk vows to see Phillips hang for this crime. But Phillips proves cunning and dangerous, protected by wealthy clients who seem untouchable by law. Monk's pursuit of justice becomes a test of his courage and principles. His wife Hester, who runs a clinic for abused women, assembles an unlikely band of allies: a ratcatcher, a former brothel keeper, a street child, and a rebellious society woman. Phillips dismisses these helpers as insignificant threats. He underestimates their power. The investigation unfolds across Victorian London's River Thames district, where merchant ships bring imperial wealth while dark alleys hide terrible crimes.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, detective, 19th-century
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, pursuit-of-justice
Setting: River Thames, Victorian London
Period: 19th Century
320 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: child-abuse, trafficking, violence