When Half Spent Was the Night (Mick Chandra Mystery Series Book 5)

"They took my sister!"

While shopping in north London with her younger sister on Christmas Eve, Katarina Livani is abducted from a bogus boutique by Albanian traffickers, who intend to sell her as a sex slave in the notorious Soho district.

The abduction takes Detective Chief Inspector Mick Chandra and his partner, Detective Sergeant Elizabeth Chang, into the murky world of sexual slavery. In order to find and release her, Mick and Elizabeth must cooperate with the Clubs and Vice division of Scotland Yard, a department led by the abrasive, but competent, Detective Chief Inspector, Matt Miles.

Without seeking Miles' permission, Mick dispatches his undercover agent and friend, Jamie Geller, to pose as an American punter on the prowl in Soho. He encounters a resilient sex slave, Olga, who shares important information with him about Katarina's whereabouts. Thanks to this courageous woman's help, Mick gets closer to saving Katarina.

But he and Elizabeth must act quickly. According to Erika, Katarina is "a fighter" who will likely resist captivity rather than submit to the collective wills of her enforcers, even if it means putting her own life at risk. Mick and his partner learn that, in recent days, two sex slaves have been found dead in Soho. Will Katarina be next?

The story serves as a caveat to the readers: Don't think for a moment that slavery doesn't exist in the 21st century.

A cast of diverse characters carry the action to its conclusion, including Mick's gifted American expat wife, the celebrated concert pianist, Jessica Beaumont Chandra.

But the question remains: Who within the Home Office is in on the Albanians payroll, helping to facilitate the sex trade in London?