Andrew Vachss tells the story of a little town in Oregon with a huge secret. Dolly, a retired nurse, and Dell, a former mercenary with the French Foreign Legion, have retired to the coast of Oregon. Teens like to hang out there, as Dolly is very motherly. Then Mary Lou, one of the girls, shoots the most popular boy in town. She’s arrested and jailed but refuses to disclose the reason. Dolly knows there is one and asks Dell to find out what it is. His delving uncovers a shocking town secret. Some of Dell’s methods are a little over the top for my taste, very vigilante.
I understand this is the beginning of a new series for Vachss. His others are “Burke” and “Cross.” He is an attorney and only represents children and youth. He is extremely active in the area of child abuse and is the founder of Protect: the National Association to Protect Children.