The Collector
by Scott Wittenburg
What at first appears to be an online hoax launches retired PI Alan Swansea into an investigation exposing a gang of sex traffickers. Once it becomes clear that young Eastern European girls have been abducted and forced to take part in a deranged artist’s bizarre project, Swansea is engaged in a harrowing race to find the girls before they are thrust into an even more unthinkable situation.What at first appears to be an online hoax launches retired PI Alan Swansea into an investigation exposing a gang of sex traffickers. After receiving a mysterious email message from a woman making a desperate plea to save her younger sister, Swansea finds himself entrenched in the horrific world of human trafficking. Once it becomes clear that Polina and several other young Eastern European girls have been abducted and forced to take part in a deranged artist’s bizarre project, Swansea is engaged in a harrowing race to find the girls before they are thrust into a situation even more unthinkable than their present one.Will Polina become yet another victim of modern day sex slavery like the others?Throughout his investigation, Swansea becomes increasingly aware of the devastating effects sex trafficking has had on the lives of the victims and what little is being done by law enforcement to stop it. As the toll of victims rises, so does his resolve to bring the villains to justice. But as time runs out, Swansea discovers that the trail of his investigation may very well have gone cold. Will he be able to save Polina before it’s too late?