by Archer Mayor
Part of Joe Gunther, book 14
First published 2013
A heroin addict dies in a botched convenience store robbery. A drug dealer swings from a bridge. The granddaughter of powerful politicians succumbs to an overdose. In one devastating week, three deaths shake Vermont and ignite Detective Joe Gunther's determination to stem the narcotic tide flooding his state. Each victim tells part of a larger story about addiction's grip on communities that once seemed safe from urban drug wars. Gunther faces a network that reaches from street corners to political circles, where family connections and public image matter as much as justice. The detective must navigate not just criminal investigation but the political pressures that come when prominent families lose their children to the same epidemic claiming lives in forgotten neighborhoods. His mission becomes personal as he witnesses drugs destroy the Vermont he loves.
Genres: addiction, suspense, mystery, crime, detective, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: detective-story, family-secrets, personal-stakes, social-commentary
Setting: Vermont
316 pages · Kindle Edition · MarchMedia LLC
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use, violence