Introducing Washington D.C. P.I. Frank Marr

Frank Marr is a retired Washington D.C. detective with two excellent skill sets: he's a great investigator and he's also very good at managing and concealing his long-time drug addiction. After leaving the force early, Frank is now a P.I. who works most often for a defense attorney. To support his addiction, he also rips off drug dealers and in the process of doing so as the novel opens, Frank accidentally discovers a young girl who is being held captive in a drug house.

Frank takes the girl out of the house, but what does he do with her? How does he take her to a hospital or turn her over to the cops without having to explain how he found her in the first place? He comes up with an alternative solution and, in the process, sets into motion forces that are soon out of his control.

It's impossible to say any more about the plot without giving away details that readers will want to discover for themselves. Suffice it to say, that this is a great read. Frank Marr is one of the most unique and compelling protagonists to appear in a long time, and the story moves at a breakneck pace. David Swinson, who served sixteen years with the D.C. police, clearly knows the territory. His prose is spare and beautiful, and this is a book that's going to appeal to large numbers of crime fiction fans. Over the last couple of years, it's become almost S.O.P. to expect a big summer book with the word "Girl" somewhere in the title. For my money, this is the best of the bunch so far.