A client from a decades-old case reaches out to Boston PI Spenser-but can he rescue troubled April Kyle once more? Longtime Spenser fans will remember that once upon a time， though not so long ago， there was a girl named April Kyle-a beautiful teenage runaway who turned to prostitution to escape her terrible family life. The book was 1982 s Ceremony， and， thanks to Spenser， April escaped Boston s "Combat Zone" for the relative safety of a high-class New York City bordello. April resurfaced in Taming a Sea-Horse， again in dire need of Spenser s rescue-this time from the clutches of a controlling lover. But April Kyle s return in Hundred-Dollar Baby is nothing short of shocking. When a mature， beautiful， and composed April strides into Spenser s office， the Boston PI barely hesitates before recognizing his once and future client. Now a well-established madam herself， April oversees an upscale call-girl operation in Boston s Back Bay. Still looking for Spenser s approval， it takes her a moment before she can ask him， again， for his assistance. Her business is a success; what s more， it s an all-female enterprise. Now that some men are trying to take it away from her， she needs Spenser. April claims to be in the dark about who it is that s trying to shake her down， but with a bit of legwork and a bit more muscle， Spenser and Hawk find ties to organized crime and local kingpin Tony Marcus， as well as a scheme to franchise the operation across the country. As Spenser again plays the gallant knight， it becomes clear that April s not as innocent as she seems. In fact， she may be her own worst enemy.