When Connie Kelly finds herself in trouble after an awful online dating scheme cost her several hundred thousand dollars, her therapist sends her to Spenser, a Boston-based private investigator.
It all started when Connie was looking for love in all the wrong places. After connecting with a man named M. Brooks Welles, Connie fell hard for the man she thought she was getting to know. Before long, she was sending him money at his request, only to never see a dime in return, and to find out that her internet lover disappeared from the web.
Connie, though, wasn’t the only person that Welles had duped. Claiming to be associated with the CIA, Welles dodged most questions about his past and personal life by pretending to be a spook. Welles even managed to get invited onto various news outlets to talk about politics, world events, and military tactics. In reality, Welles is none of the above and little more than a criminal who uses people, taking what he can from them before moving on to the next victim.
Accepting Connie’s case, Spenser begins investigating Welles’ life, only to quickly realize that he’s not the only person trying to track down the man who mysteriously vanished.
Also on the hunt for Welles are former investors, the police, and, to top it off, some dangerous men who have a bone to pick with the imposter. Spenser, though, more than anything, wants to find Welles so he can recover the money his client lost. To make sure they find him first, Spenser brings on Hawk and Sapp, his trusty sidekicks, who help carry the story from the first act to the second.
The first half (or act I) of the book is solid. However, things take an eye-rolling turn when Connie flip-flops on her feelings towards Welles, kicking off a head-scratching second act that strays so far from the original plot that it feels like a completely different book.
If you’re a fan of Spenser and are invested in this series, then by all means, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Atkins’ latest offering. But if you’re not already in love with the character or familiar with the series, you might struggle to get into this one.
Book Details
Author: Ace Atkins
Series: Spenser #46
Pages: 320 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0399177000
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: May 2, 2017 (Order Now!)