'The writing throws sparks, and the ferocious plot peels back layer after layer of Frank's character as we - and he - find out how much of his humanity is still left' Tana French

'A gripping, authentic tale (the author is an ex-cop) of a man's journey into the heart of darkness that will appeal to fans of The Wire' Shortlist

He's a good detective... with a bad habit.

Frank Marr may be a decorated former cop and an excellent private investigator, but Washington DC doesn't know his dirty secret.

Frank has managed to keep his drug habit hidden. But after accidentally rescuing a kidnapped teenage girl, he's thrust into the spotlight.

Reluctantly, he agrees to investigate another - possibly connected - disappearance, all the time knowing that the heightened scrutiny may expose him...

The Second Girl is a raw, real and incredible thriller from a former DC Major Crimes detective.

"A gripping, authentic tale (the author is an ex-cop) of a man's journey into the heart of darkness that will appeal to fans of The Wire" - Shortlist

"An excellent ­addition to the noir genre...­Readers of Dennis Lehane and Richard Price as well as fans of The Wire will appreciate" - Library Journal

"The first book in your favorite new thriller series" - Kirkus

"Imagine Philip Marlowe upped and transplanted to contemporary Washington with a mountain of stolen coke hidden in a secret safe rather than a bottle of bourbon in his desk drawer, and you're close to Frank Marr, the winningly debauched private investigator hero of this gritty thriller...A complex, vulnerable but brilliant creation, with a unique personal morality, his spare narration is laced with wry humour but entirely lacking in self-pity...More is promised from Swinson and Marr, and for fans of tough, urban US crime that is very good news indeed." - CrimeScene

"The delight of The Second Girl is how smoothly its engine runs and how wisely it avoids the pitfalls of overstuffed, half-considered thrillers. The premise is straightforward: former cop seeks subtle redemption by reuniting missing girls with their families. The action reads like a real crime story you'd hear on the nightly news" - Washingtonian