Spare The Rod

“Spare the Rod is that rare novel that stays with you long after the final page. Part mystery, part redemption story, this is that beautiful, layered novel that never strikes a false note. Lewis Allan is a storyteller to watch.”
-New York Times best-selling author Robert Dugoni

After years in the trenches of big city criminal defense, Mason Mitchell left his practice behind for a new life in remote Door County. Now, far from the misery and trauma of his old world, he enjoys a semi-retired existence in the Cape Cod of the Midwest.

Haunted by his alcoholic past and burned out on the justice system, Mason keeps most people at bay, preferring the company of his aging dog, Clyde. But when an October blizzard blows in off Lake Michigan and seven-year-old Jacob Hawkins goes missing, Mason is drawn into the mystery against his will.

As the search continues, new evidence comes to light that exposes the chilling truth behind the disappearance. This peaceful corner of Wisconsin is thrown into turmoil, with Mason compelled to defend an unexpected client and make sense of an unspeakable crime.

Can he find a way to confront the sins of a community and win justice for a child with nowhere else to turn?