When the bride of a Boston police detective vanishes, he hires Spenser to find her. His path leads from a New England college campus to glamorous L.A. Sports clubs. When the trail turns to a world of prostitution, drug abuse, and self-destruction, Spenser must enter ghetto tenements to continue his search. Ultimately, Spenser must hire a Chicago hitman to help him free the girl from a sociopathic ex lover. Working through gang leaders and corrupt cops, Spenser learns about humanity and justice as he strives to achieve his goal.

Robert B. Parker, widely considered to be the dean of American crime fiction, is the author of more than forty books, including many Spencer bestsellers. He is also the author of three Jesse Stone novels and the sunny Randall series. He lives in Boston.