Spenser knows something's amiss the moment Dennis Doherty walks into his office. The guy's aggressive yet wary, in the way men frightened for their marriages always are. So when Doherty asks Spenser to investigate his wife Jordan's abnormal behavior, Spenser agrees. A job's a job, after all. Not surprisingly, Spenser catches Jordan with another man, tells Dennis what he's found out, and considers the case closed. But a couple of days later, all hell...

Spenser heads to Potshot, Arizona when he is hired to investigate the murder of a recent L.A. transplant. The once rough and tumble small town has been transformed by the wealthy Los Angeles residents looking for a quiet place to relax. The peace is threatened when a gang starts harassing the town, and it soon escalates into murder.

The adoring wife of a senatorial candidate has a smile as sweet as candy and dots her "i's" with little hearts. A blond beauty, she is the perfect mate for an ambitious politician, but she has a little problem with sex and drugs--a problem someone has managed to put on videotape. The big boys figure a little blackmail will put her husband out of the race. Until Spenser hops on the candidate's bandwagon. But getting back the tape of the lady's X-rated...

Spenser is called in to investigate the murder of a reporter working on a story about the cocaine trade. Threats by the local police and a Columbian produce dealer lead Spenser to dig deeper.

Spenser tracks down a young high school dropout who has run away from home to a life of prostitution.

TV reporter Candy Sloan has eyes the color of cornflowers and legs that stretch all the way to heaven. She also has somebody threatening to rearrange her lovely face if she keeps on snooping into charges of Hollywood racketeering. Spenser's job is to keep Candy healthy until she breaks the biggest story of her career. But her star witness has just bowed out with three bullets in his chest, two tough guys have doubled up to test Spenser's skill with...

Boston private detective Spenser finds himself at odds with mobster Sonny Karnofsky when his investigation of the decades-old murder of Emily Gordon, gunned down during a bank heist, turns up links to the killing of Karnofsky's daughter.

Hawk, is off in Burma, leaving Spenser on his own when longtime pal Frank Belson of Boston Homicide needs help. Belson's beautiful young bride, Lisa St. Claire, has disappeared. When Belson is wounded in an ambush that may be related to Lisa's disappearance, Spenser undertakes the search.

Spencer is hired by Loudon Tripp to find his wife's murderer. Tripp doesn't believe she was a victim of random violence.

Paul Giacomin enlists Spencer's help in localing his mother who has vanished. As they follow her trail, they are faced with a confrontation that may threaten their lives.