How The Dead Live by Derek Raymond

In a gritty exploration of London's underbelly, the narrative follows a tenacious unnamed detective from the Met's Department of Unexplained Deaths as he delves into the mysterious disappearance of a woman named Betty Carstairs. The investigation leads him through a labyrinth of deceit, corruption, and moral decay, revealing the dark and often grotesque realities of life and death in the city. As he navigates through a world filled with complex characters and sinister motives, the detective confronts his own demons, blurring the lines between justice and vengeance in his relentless pursuit of the truth.