Private detective Ronan Marino returns in a new mystery that cuts deep into the underbelly of college athletics, organized crime, and personal betrayal.
When Ty Wallace, a rising college baseball star, is accused of murdering his prospective agent's secretary, his father turns to Ronan to clear his son's name. What starts as a straightforward investigation soon leads Ronan from the tough streets of Lowell to the polished facades of Boston's Back Bay, uncovering a dangerous web of blackmail, gambling, and sex. At the center: Ronan's childhood hero-a disgraced former Red Sox player-and a ruthless gangster with plans to overthrow Ronan's uncle and seize control of the Boston Italian mob.
While chasing the truth, Ronan's personal life begins to unravel. His relationship with his girlfriend, a dedicated doctor, is strained by the constant danger he invites. And complicating things further is the new university police chief-a sharp, driven woman who just might be Ronan's equal in more ways than one.
With backup from his mobbed-up cousin Tony and hard-nosed Lowell detective Eddie Garcia, Ronan fights to stay one step ahead of the bullets and betrayals. But solving the murder may be the easy part-figuring out his own life is proving to be a far more complicated mystery.