The mysterious Vanessa has vanished, and it's worth a million dollars to a vicious drug lord to get her back. But the ransom disappears, turning up in the hands of a bewildered innocent bystander, while ruthless gangsters and hapless kidnappers alike desperately search for the money. Meanwhile, Detective Marlon Morrison, who only wants to comfortably ride out the final year and a half before his retirement without incident, finds himself involved with a growing succession of murder victims, and a bizarre case growing in complexity by the hour...
I'm reviewing the earlier Linford edition, not the Wildside edition, which Tony made corrections and revisions to. This book can be read as a stand alone, as there are only random mentions of recurring characters from his previous books. That being said, this is a fine yarn, with a number of surprise elements throughout the tale. You won't guess the twists in this one. If you like crime dramas, this is one to stimulate your interest. He just keeps getting better as a writer.