Boston private investigator Spenser continues his involvement with the ill-fated Giacomin family. Ten years ago, Paul Giacomin's corrupt father and loose mother used the boy as a pawn in their violent divorce; only Spenser could call them off and straighten out the troubled teen--almost getting killed in the process. Now Paul is twenty-five, and reconciled to his mother's wanton ways. But when Patty Giacomin vanishes, Paul begs Spenser to help him rescue her from the clutches of her boyfriend, a shady character who, he's sure, coerced her into running off.