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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
A lot
A rape investigation; the crime is depicted with procedural directness
Language
Some
Some strong language
Sexual Content
A lot
Some sexual content; a rape investigation is the central case
Substance Use
Barely any
Mild content
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The specific institutional frustration of a crime that may go unpunished because of how the evidence was gathered; Gunther's determination to find a legal path to the same destination
What this book is about
A woman is raped in Brattleboro, and the investigation produces evidence that is potentially tainted by how it was gathered — creating a situation where the perpetrator might walk free on constitutional grounds even if caught. Joe Gunther investigates both the crime and the institutional failure that threatens to make prosecution impossible. Archer Mayor's fourth Gunther novel deals directly with the legal and ethical constraints of police work and the specific anger of investigators who cannot use what they know because of how they learned it.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
fourth Joe Gunther novel by Archer Mayor; rape investigation central
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