by J.D. Robb
Part of In Death, book 11
First published 2000
Lieutenant Eve Dallas enters Purgatory, an uptown strip club where someone has bludgeoned a police officer to death with a baseball bat. The killing shows excessive violence that suggests personal rage rather than random crime. Dallas discovers the club operates as more than entertainment. Purgatory functions as a private establishment where members face judgment for their past actions. The venue promises redemption to those seeking to atone for their sins. As Dallas digs deeper into the victim's background, she uncovers secrets that threaten to destroy innocent people. The dead cop harbored hidden truths that someone killed to protect. Dallas must navigate the club's twisted moral landscape where patrons confess their darkest moments. The investigation forces her to confront how far people will go to bury their shame. In Purgatory, everyone faces judgment, but some sins demand a higher price than others.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, moral-ambiguity, redemption
Setting: Purgatory
356 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Berkley Books
Content warnings: violence