Dope

A detective must navigate London’s seedy opium dens after a troubled socialite disappears in this 1919 mystery novel. Alderman Monte Irvin is favored by many to become London’s next Lord Mayor. So why would he have his wife followed by private detectives? Rita Irvin has been exhibiting distressing behavior, and when she’s seen with a gentleman entering the home of an enigmatic perfume dealer, Monte fears his worst suspicions have been confirmed. But the truth is far worse. A former showgirl, Rita has succumbed to an addiction that leaves her at the mercy of dangerous men. After she goes missing, Scotland Yard’s investigation leads Chief Insp. Red Kerry to the city’s notorious Limehouse district where he uncovers a ruthless plot involving murder, drugs, and kidnapping.