Georgia Davis is an ex-cop PI in Chicago.  Sounds like the premise of a hard-boiled mystery and it pretty much is, though Georgia does have a soft side which she mainly keeps to herself.  This is her fourth novel but the first I’ve read and I will be going back to look for the first three.  

Georgia is working for a merchant that was the victim of a flash robbery gang when she realizes she is being tailed.  She’s even more surprised when she discovers a note informing her that she has a sister she didn’t know existed and that her sister is in Chicago needing Georgia’s help.   She doesn’t know if it’s even true but who could resist trying to find out?  Her search leads her through the worst aspects of Chicago and human nature.  It also leads to an old enemy who is definitely holding a grudge.  I don’t know if this is spoilerish but I was very satisfied with the way the story played out.

This particular story covers subject matter that will be very disturbing to many readers because it involves sex-trafficking of young girls and a baby-selling ring in more detail than some will care for.  If you can’t stomach this stuff, and I have a very hard time with it, be forewarned.  If you decide to proceed anyway, there is an excellent story here.  Not having read the first 3 in this series didn’t seem to matter.   I love stories that show the nitty-gritty of what it takes for a PI to do their job and this does a great job of that.  Georgia reminds me of Kinsey Milhone in that aspect though these are far more gritty than Sue Grafton’s books.

In short, troubling subject matter, compelling book.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.