‘Acceptable Loss’ full of action, intrigue

You never know what the murky Thames River is going to wash up, but it is usually nothing good.

After years as an inquiry agent, William Monk is again commander of the Thames River police on the London docks, and he is determined to put an end to the scandalous activities that carry on along the water.

At night, boats containing children as cargo sail the river to satisfy the perversion of the affluent. Unknown to the pedophiles is that they are being photographed so that their supplier can blackmail them.

When the strangled body of small-time crook/pimp Mickey Parfitt washes up along the riverbank, bearing a distinctive cravat belonging to a member of the gentry, Monk again sets out to put an end to the nefarious dealings.

The new case resurrects horrifying memories for Scuff, the 13-year-old boy Monk and his wife, Hester, rescued when another sex-slave boat ring was busted a few months previous.

As links to the floating brothel are established, suspicion is cast on other highly regarded members of London society, including Arthur Ballinger, the father-in-law of Monk’s friend Oliver Rathbone. When Monk takes Ballinger in for questioning, he not only risks his job for arresting such a prominent citizen, he also faces opposition from Rathbone as the lawyer is forced to defend his wife’s father.

As the action and intrigue escalate, Monk finds himself in a maelstrom of lies, secrets and depravity that will only come to end with the careful and in-depth detective work for which Monk has become so well-known.

“Acceptable Loss” is the 17th novel in Anne Perry’s William Monk series and is actually a continuation of its immediate predecessor, “Execution Dock.” While this story can be read as a stand-alone, it is helpful to know what went on in the previous book to get the full flavor of this particular case. Luckily Perry provides plenty of back story that enables the readers to catch on quickly to the plot.

The fascinating and fast-paced storyline, set in Victorian-era London and populated with well-defined characters, will keep readers entranced and eager to follow the clues to a satisfying ending.