Payback, by Russell Williams, is a crime thriller that pulls no punches. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels, and it also calls to mind various gritty, noire-style films of yesteryear, like The French Connection.
Protagonist Rick Malone is a detective, and he never stops working on a case once it captures his attention. In this short but impactful tale, Malone finds himself battling a sex trafficking ring in Florida. It’s obvious to this seasoned gumshoe who the bad guys are in this situation, since the criminals controlling the ring will stop at nothing to make a profit. To stop them, though, Malone must resort to vigilante justice. Unfortunately for the criminals in his line of fire, this is one detective who doesn’t mind crossing that line.