Ragged in the Rain by Brian Anderson

 A missing woman leads a stubborn PI into Seattle’s underbelly, where every ally is uncertain, and every clue drags him deeper into danger.

 About Ragged in the Rain: When his best friend’s sister vanishes with a man known for his drug habit, Minneapolis private investigator Lyle Dahms heads to Seattle to bring her home. But the city he finds is nothing like the postcards—its rain-soaked streets hide a growing homelessness crisis, predatory dealers, and police who don’t want an outsider stirring up trouble.

     While searching for the missing woman, Dahms leans on unlikely allies: an elderly Filipino food bank volunteer with sharp instincts and a handful of strangers whose loyalties shift like the weather. Each lead pulls him deeper into a world ruled by desperation, where trust is scarce, and danger waits around every corner.

     Far from home and increasingly out of his depth, Dahms must decide how much he’s willing to risk to keep a promise. Because the truth behind the young woman’s disappearance is darker than he imagined—and finding her may cost him far more than he came to give.

 Our Review: Having thoroughly enjoyed each of Brian Anderson’s Lyle Dahms novels, his latest noir mystery does not disappoint. This time, the usual flavor of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser PI, takes on the gritty darkness of Mickey Spillane—and it sings in three-part harmony.

     Seattle comes to life, becoming a character on its own, with its urban underbelly featuring the ugliness of the drug trade as well as the rising dangers faced by the homeless and those who advocate for them.

     This a story of loyalty and betrayal, broke our hearts.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Ragged in the Rain merits a 9.

Kat Henry Doran, a Wild Women Review