Publisher's Synopsis
It's 1864, and on the Thames' murky waters cruel and shameful deeds are being committed after dark... Monk and his wife Hester are caring for Scuff - a homeless boy, recovering from his ordeal at the hands of Jericho Phillips, the runner of a child prostitution ring. Although Scuff's abductor is dead, he believes that more children are suffering an even worse fate; the ring must still exist. Scuff's suffering prompts Monk to find the remaining children and, finally, uncover the men funding the operation. But when Monk's investigation challenges the reputations of respected gentlemen, his task is fraught with unseen dangers. Amidst blackmail, vice and corruption, Monk must follow the trail - and his conscience - wherever it leads, no matter how disturbing the truth may be.
